Shanghai Calling

SHANGHAI CALLING may not light any fires of excitement in filmdom but it is a successful dual country effort to quash some misconceptions about China and the US and the news we hear daily. And if it were for that alone it would be worth an evening's outing, but graced by a really top notch cast of fresh actors not well known - yet - it becomes a tender little romp set in the spectacular beauty of Shanghai! The story is a predictable one:a young handsome Chinese American Lawyer (a very fine young actor hunk Daniel Henney) who was born in America and speaks no Chinese at all is sent by his major law firm in New York to gain access into the big business happening in Shanghai - home of the manufacturers who make everything used in this country it seems! Once in China he encounters Chinese customs of which he is ignorant, a language he does not understand, an ex-pat mayor of Americatown (Bill Paxton), a beautiful single mom (Eliza Coupe, another one to watch) who has moved to China to give her daughter a new life and is in charge of finding homes for new businessmen, a gorgeous assistant (Zhu Zhu)who falls for him, and a crazy ex-pat (Alan Ruck)who teaches English as a sideline to womanizing. When our young lawyer seems to fail at everything he intends to do he engages a fix-it guy humorously called Awesome Wang (Geng Le) and gradually our lawyer finds a new outlook on his cultural heritage, rights some wrongs, and falls in love.

Daniel Hsia directs and keeps the momentum going throughout film - even when relying on the ubiquitous chase scenes (here on bicycles). It is a fine introduction to coexistence between the new China and the somewhat backwards USA! Grady Harp

This film is about a young American lawyer whose employers send him to Shanghai to represent the firm in China.

There are at least three intertwining plots. Of these, the most touching and sweet romance occurs between two Chinese people.

There are several important characters. Of these, the most forceful is not a person, but a city: Shanghai, with its Chinese culture and lightning-fast business environment.

The story is simple: the old fish-out-of-water struggles of a confident person struggling in a new environment. The viewer doesn't learn much about the backgrounds of the two romantic leads who can speak fluent English to each other. It doesn't matter, because they are both adrift and recognize each other as they drift. That process is romantic.

Daniel Henney is so attractive, its hard to imagine that he would not already be a serious relationship back in the States. The same could be said of Eliza Coupe, whom he meets his first day in Shanghai.

Hijinks ensue, but the subdued kind. The Chinese kind. Romance ensues, but the subdued kind. The Chinese and American kind.

Worth watching, more than once.

I watched this on the plane returning to California from Shanghai and it was spot on right about the "expats" (who never think of themselves as carpetbaggers or immigrants). I was in Shanghai to teach an MBA course on business ethics and this film sent exactly the right message on that very topic. Instead of going to a new country to skim the cream in whatever unscrupulous way one can get away with, why not try being a model for others on how to succeed by doing the right thing.

I thought Shanghai's Bund itself was the star of the show, and rightly so, and the leads are both rising stars to watch. The editing could have had less abrupt resolutions, though. A bit too pat for Sam to meet a philosophical Chinese guy in a (brazen advert) Costa Coffee who leads him to enlightenment in a coffee bean.

However, the comedic moments are genuinely hilarious!

Full of wit and a distant cousin to Marc Webb's (500) Days of Summer, Daniel Hsia's feature debut Shanghai Calling is a hilarious and steady picture featuring an outstanding breakout performance by Daniel Henney. A romantic comedy that often falls victim to American stereotypes that we've grown to see over the years of cinema however, it's delightful to see those things outside of a New York backdrop or mundane college town. Telling the story of a New York attorney Sam (Henney) who is sent to Shanghai, China on business, but when a shady deal threatens his career, Sam, with the help of his relocation specialist Amanda (Eliza Coupe) and others, he grows an admiration of his new surroundings.

Hsia's stylistic tendencies are impressive and while he resembles certain directorial choices from the likes of Chris Weitz, Marc Webb, even Sofia Coppola among others, he doesn't allow himself or his film to be taken too serious. Its loads of fun, well-written, and shows a potential promising career that could eventually elevate to smarter, more daring cinematic themes; Hsia's film is a great introduction into his future arsenal. There aren't the pros without the cons sadly. His pacing and editing are well put together, but Hsia's story treads too close to sappy rom-coms that will annoy the boyfriends of many ladies around the world.

As the charismatic and incredibly funny Sam, Daniel Henney, probably well-known for his role as Agent Zero in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), delivers the first great comedic performance of 2013. Involved and dedicated, Henney takes an A-typical "schmuck guy" role and elevates it to raw magnetism that stands as the actor's finest. The film succeeds purely on his talents as he wiggles his way right into your heart. Dare I say this early, Golden Globe consideration? Though highly improbable. The score by Klaus Badelt & Christopher Carmichael is also pretty sensational as it brings a wonderful accompaniment to some key scenes.

As the cute, spunky love interest, Eliza Coupe (ABC's "Happy Endings") does the best with the tools she's given. A single mom running from American life in a predictable and underwritten role isn't the most inventive or effective manners to showcase your talents. Coupe is still worth watching. The great Bill Paxton is as underutilized as ever, bringing an unappealing perversion to an American mayor that further builds the projection that all Americans suck. Keep your eyes on Sean Gallagher, who's forced, yet effective role as Brad, is an added joy full of laughs.

Easy to foresee and even too cliché for its own good at times, Shanghai Calling is pure enjoyment and something that may surprise even more skillful cinematic minds.

The film is now playing in select cities.

I think that there is only one similar film "outsourced" which was made a few years ago. So this story is very unique. It also has some semi- famous actors in it, but the story is not exciting. It is almost predictable.

And there are a few obvious problems in it. When it was shot in the streets of shanghai, it was so apparent that lots of people were watching while it was filmed. It instantly makes the audiences realizing that they are watching a fake film.

Second, the restaurant scene was so awkward, not funny at all. Because when he stood up, you can see that the rest of the tables were almost empty. Some of the jokes are just plain simple cliché and not funny.

There are plenty of expatriates living in Shanghai or other cities in China, I think that maybe one of them can write a real story. And the male protagonist doesn't even have any Chinese blood in him.