Movie Digest
A short and beautiful love. That is the premise for this Chinese film which follows the story of two star-crossed lovers, Fei Li and Zhao Xi Man. Fei Li is your average IT guy who is yet to find adventure in his life. The only solace in his life is Zhao Xi Man, a beautiful and dazzling young woman who joins his workplace. Circumstances lead to both of them going to Finland and as fate would have it an accident takes place. Fei Li finally gets the opportunity to spend a romantic day with Zhao Xi Man but will he let that day end? Or will he go after the love of his life?
The Feel-Good Part
The movie has many cute and feel-good moments. The chemistry shared between the main leads is endearing and you eagerly follow their relationship progression. It is a puppy-love story and it will keep you smiling without you realizing it. The setting of the movie is Finland, so obviously the scenes are stunning. The whole atmosphere of the movie is just so beautiful that it makes you want to be there with the characters!
The Disappointing Factor
The way the plot progresses is slightly disappointing. The male lead makes really awkward choices that sometimes don’t make sense. These choices might even feel childish at some point. The female lead’s character is crafted in a way that she is bound to be out of the loop sometimes but in trying to convey that the female lead has missed a few critical scenes. The cinematography is beautiful but a lot of times you get distracted by it that you overlook the story.
In-Depth Analysis
It takes a little time for the movie to really get into the main plot but once you get there the movie takes on a new-found life. Although the premise of the story is kind of serious, the movie mostly has a light-hearted feel. It is a perfect balance of romance, comedy, and drama. The theme that the story carries forward is that love is more about “giving” happiness to another person rather than “receiving”. This itself sounds a little problematic but you tend you overlook it in favor of other elements of the storytelling. There are other significant plot holes that detract from the film’s overall effectiveness, not to mention an abrupt and debatable ending.
Star Power
The leads Angelababy and Lee Hong Chi are seasoned actors in the Chinese movie industry. In this movie as well they brought their A-Game. They brought the characters of Fei Li (Lee Hong Chi) and Zhao Xi Man (Angelababy) to life! Apart from a few misses, their overall performance was commendable. They made the characters relatable, especially Lee Hong Chi’s portrayal of Fei Li.
Overall Opinion
If you are a fan of John Green or Nicholas Sparks then this movie is a great choice for you. The movie has all the elements of a traditional romance but it also has its own little quirks that make you enjoy it. If certain scenes were slightly altered or the plot would have introduced a little more character development then the movie would have been more charming. Yet, one good thing they didn’t compromise on was the climax and that was a good choice because the whole movie would have derailed otherwise. Overall, I would recommend this movie as a good watch if you are looking for romcoms to binge on.
