Friday, June 1, 2012

The Personals (PG-13) 8.0

The Personals (1998) (Zheng hun qi shi 徵婚啟事): Can one really find love through the personals? A strong-willed doctor, Wu (Rene Liu), is about to find out after placing an ad. (7.2)

Director: Kuo-fu Chen
Writers: Kuo-fu Chen, Shih-chieh Chen
Stars: Rene Liu, Wu Bai and Chao-jung Chen
Language: Mandarin (w/ English subtitles)

This Taiwanese movie is quite funny, bittersweet and poignant. At the beginning, it is a humorous look at the desperation of not being able to find a mate, but gradually it becomes a look inwards and a reflection of self. The turning point is so subtle, that it is wonderful how it turns from being a silly preposition to a thought-provoking drama. An unexpected end, yet quite fitting. A very simple story told at the right pace and the perfect sequence. A great performance by Rene Liu as the lead character.  I highly recommend this movie.  My Rating: 8.0

No comments:

Post a Comment