(rambling, skip down for the movie review) First off before the naysayers scream that 8/10 is too high, please keep in mind that: 1)Vietnamese producers don't have the budget nor talents (yet) that we're accustomed to from Hollywood; 2)my rating is strictly weighed against other Viet films I've seen so far (and also the romantic comedy genre) since it will most likely be Vietnamese who know about this film; 3)as an American raised Vietnamese I will review it from that perspective
The story follows Dung (Dustin Nguyen), a hotel washroom attendant aspiring to be a bartender, as he essentially stalks the new love of his life, Mai who is a "Viet Kheu" (overseas Vietnamese) wanting to be a singer. As he abandons everything to follow his heart, his situation become complicated (and comical) as he meets Hoi, another "Viet Kheu".
I really dig this movie because it is without a doubt one of the best Vietnamese film that I have seen. You are probably thinking that's not saying much since the quality of Viet movies aren't that great, don't fret I'll throw some Hollywood in here for you. Quality-wise, the cinematography was great with some very nice scenic shots. Acting was a lot better expect but not Oscar quality of course, with a little "over- acting" (a common occurrence in Viet films) here and there. The story was surprisingly different in a good way and feel for the movie, including the wardrobe, props, locations, etc, is very modern which makes me want to overlook some of the faults. Namely, the subtitles were distracting as hell and incorrectly translated several times but I guess it has to be there. And notably, the music and the singing dub needs better editing though.
With the except of the last 20 minutes, it was a very strong movie. I like how everything felt real fits together. For example, I get really annoyed when the character that is portrayed poorly like a Southerner with an English accent, so the first thing I noticed when the female lead spoke was that she has this a non-native dialect tongue (since I am rather familiar with the language) that would have bother me throughout but that was explained in the movie. Similarly, I have a dislike for romantic comedy because in almost all of them, the situation could've been easily defused if the characters told the truth or confronted each other instead of dance around the problem for an hour. Although this movie did do this once, it was quickly resolved.
--- This paragraph may contain spoilers but not really ---- And like 500 Days of Summer, Going the Distance, etc, it was realistic in that love does not conquer all (or at least that was true until the last 20 minutes). I recommend imagining your own, lol. -----------------
Opponents to the movie might say it's moving away from the culture, but IMHO, this is a big improvement from older Viet cinema and a solid 8/10. If only the ending was a lot more logical and thought out, it would have been higher.
If you've watched Passport to Love and thought it was dumb, you should really give this a shot.
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