Love Retake
爱情不NG
China, 2013, colour, 2.35:1, 97 mins.
Director: Zhu Shimao 朱时茂.
Rating: 6/10.
New Year rom-com is more goofy com than rom, but is good unpretentious fun.
STORY
Beijing, spring. Moody, egotistical superstar Zheng Zhi (Xin) finally decides on what his next film will be – Republican Era drama Great Town 小城往事, with hot new Hong Kong actress Su Ni’na (Zhong Xintong) as his co-star and older actress Qiqi (Wu Yitong) in a supporting role. However, the director turns out to be Wu Mandi (Li Xiaoran), an ex-girfriend from his days as a jobbing actor whom he dumped for his career. Wu Mandi, who’s since made a name for herself in the US, gives Zheng Zhi a hard time on set, constantly demanding retakes and humiliating him in front of the crew. Angry, he takes half a day off and does a guest spot in a cowboy movie for a director friend (Zhang Tielin). Playing an extra in the film is the naive Chuanzi (Yu Shaoqun), a wannabe actor from the provinces who idolises Zheng Zhi and has got a job on the production as he thinks Su Ni’na is actually San Ni’er, his childhood sweetheart whom he’s been trying to find for years. When he corners her on set, Su Ni’na denies she’s San Ni’er, and Chuanzi is upset when her wealthy boyfriend Peter (Yuan Chengjie) turns up and arranges a splashy birthday party for her. At the party, Zhang Zhi and Wu Mandi get drunk and end up in bed together, but Wu Mandi still hasn’t forgiven him. Zhang Zhi tries to win her back with the help of Chuanzi, Chuanzi still tries to win over Su Ni’na, who’s rejected Peter’s marriage proposal.
REVIEW
A New Year rom-com set in the film industry, Love Retake 爱情不NG is more goofy com than rom, though its good-natured, free-wheeling style does finally click emotionally, thanks to easy chemistry between its star cast and unpretentious approach. Veteran actor-turned-director Zhu Shimao 朱时茂 (Under the Influence 戒烟不戒酒, 2011) throws everything into the pot – from on-set snafus and squabbles, through multiple cameos (including at one point a totally gratuitous appearance by China’s Olympic gymnasts), to industry in-jokes. Apart from Taiwan singer Xin 信 [Shin], and Hong Kong actress-singer Zhong Xintong 钟欣潼 [Gillian Chung], the typical anything-goes CNY movie mix is an entirely Mainland affair, aimed at local audiences.
Forty-one-year-old Xin (real name: Su Jianxin 苏见信) has played occasional film roles (Racer Legend 赛车传奇, 2011) but this is his first lead in a rom-com. As a mop-haired, egotistical movie star he’s pretty good, with a nice line in self-deprecating humour, and sparks well with the elegant Li Xiaoran 李小冉 (not ideally cast here as a film director) as a onetime love he dumped for his career. As a hot new star from Hong Kong, Zhong is outclassed in the glamour stakes by the elegant Li but pairs okay with baby-faced Yu Shaoqun 余少群 (Forever Enthralled 梅兰芳, 2008; A Chinese Ghost Story 倩女幽魂, 2011), here playing a country bumpkin who’s convinced she’s his long-lost childhood sweetheart. TV drama veteran Wu Yitong 吴乙彤 looks like she’ll develop nicely as a bitchy older glamour-puss but her role is unfortunately relegated to the back burner after a strong start.
Jollying things along, director Zhu surrounds his lead quartet with plenty of veteran names, goofy character actors and other singers (Yuan Chengjie 袁成杰, plus duo Xuri Yanggang 旭日阳刚 and Taiwan veteran Qi Qin 齐秦 in cameos), though he sensibly reins back the comedy later to let the romance take precedence. Production values, led by the flashy photography of Hong Kong d.p. Lin Guohua 林国华 [Ardy Lam], are slick without being super-glossy.
CREDITS
Presented by Stellar Mega Film (CN), Beijing S-Wheat International Media (CN). Produced by Beijing Shiji Zhizhu Culture Communication (CN).
Script: Mi Tianhui, Li Chong. Photography: Lin Guohua [Ardy Lam]. Editing: Qiao Aiyu. Music direction: Sun Nan. Music: Zhang Jiang. Art direction: Weng Yu. Costume design: Yu Keyang. Sound: Wang Changrui, Fang Tao. Executive direction: Ma Ke.
Cast: Xin [Shin] (Zheng Zhi), Li Xiaoran (Wu Mandi/Mandy), Yu Shaoqun (Chuanzi), Zhong Xintong [Gillian Chung] (Su Ni’na), Yuan Chengjie (Peter), Fan Lei (Laurence, Zheng Zhi’s agent), Zhang Dali (Zhang, Zheng Zhi’s manager), Feng Li (Doubao, Chuanzi’s tubby friend), Wu Yitong (Qiqi), Zhao Yingjun (insurance-selling extra), Zhu Yilong (wannabe actor extra), Liu Quanhe, Liu Quanli (director assistants), Xuri Yanggang (special-effects technicians on war film), Gang Yi (TV director), Pan Changjiang (fan photographed with Zheng Zhi), Tu Jingwei (red-carpet MC), Zhang Tielin (Zhang, cowboy film director), Zhao Baogang (Zhao Dawan, the veteran actor), Yuan Dewang, Li Dashuang, Li Xiaoshuang, Li Xiaopeng (Su Ni’na’s gymnastic trainers), Li Mengnan (hospital patient), Yan Xuejing (hospital patient’s wife), Sun Nan (traffic policeman), Qi Qin (himself), Zhu Shimao (director in final shot).
Release: China, 10 Feb 2013.
(Review originally published on Film Business Asia, 25 May 2013.)