603 East Liberty Street
Part of the Electric Shadows Contemporary Chinese Film Series, sponsored by the U-M Confucius Institute and the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies
Reception 6pm
Film in main theater 7pm
A good romantic comedy is like a cup of your favorite coffee. Warm, comforting, and with plenty of caffeine! Director Xue Xiaolu brews a strong one with her latest box office hit, Finding Mr. Right.
Pregnant and armed with her baby daddy’s credit card, Chinese bombshell Wen Jiajia (Tang Wei of Lust, Caution) finds her way to Seattle to deliver her unborn child. As soon as she touches down, Jiajia’s already snobbishly yelling at her timid driver, Frank (Wu Xiubo). She knows money can get her what she wants, and her bills and bling cause drama with her fellow pregnant housemates in the “maternity mansion.” Little does she know, things will take a turn as she learns to adjust to her new life in the states and as a new mother. Enemies become friends and friends become potential lovers. Confusion sets in, and Jiajia is faced with choosing a life of luxury and isolation, or an ordinary one full of love.
A clever spin on the classic rom-com, with nods to Sleepless in Seattle and Beyoncé, Finding Mr. Right is as a 21st century global romantic comedy should be. There are the familiar weddings, cute babies, and shots of beautiful Seattle, but also a potent jolt of insight into the headspace of an upward- and outward-dreaming China. Film summary courtesy of the San Diego Asian Film Festival.
The Electric Shadows Contemporary Chinese Film Series is sponsored by the U-M Confucius Institute and the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies