HOW
LONG WILL I LOVE U (2018)
Starring
Jia Yin Lei, Li Ya Tong, Zhang Yi, Wang Zhengjia. Directed by Lun Su.
(101 min)
ON
BLU-RAY FROM WELL GO USA
Review
by Stinky the Destroyerđź
Lu
Ming (Jia Yin Lei) is a lonely building designer whose efforts and
talent are ignored at work. Gu Xiaojiao (Li Ya Tong) is trying
in-vain to land herself a rich husband willing to buy her a house.
Suddenly, they are forced to share the same small apartment. The
twist? They are actually living 19 years apart, the result of a
time-displacement experiment that forces them to co-exist.
Like
your typical romantic comedy, they don’t get along at first. Lu is
put-off by Gu’s self-serving shallowness, while she doesn’t mask
her contempt for his lowly financial status. However, they eventually
open up to each other and...well, you can probably figure out the
rest.
 |
| Jia Yin Lei points out his biggest fan. |
But
it’s the sci-fi trappings that make How Long Will I Love U
interesting, for awhile, anyway. The way the film establishes the
rules of its premise leads to some amusing and intriguing moments.
For example, whenever Lu opens the front door, it’s 1999; when Gu
does, it’s 2018. But even though they can physically exist in each
other’s time, they can’t manipulate it, as demonstrated when
their plan to get rich by acquiring winning lottery numbers doesn’t
work. Additionally, meeting their past or future selves has dire
physical consequences, which is eventually the crux of the story.
Much
of this is entertaining, particularly the scenes where Lu and Gu
discover their limitations (often the hard way). Their chemistry also
makes the romantic aspects of the story sort-of charming (though free of surprises).
Unfortunately, the film turns a bit too serious for its own good
during the second half, when new plot elements are introduced, some
of which are either unnecessary or a bit too coincidental to swallow.
And what’s up with those nonsensical end-credit scenes?
Still,
How Long Will I Love U is fairly engaging, with some
interesting special effects and congenial performances by the two
leads. I don’t how well the plot would hold up to any real
scrutiny, but as a romantic comedy with sci-fi touches, it works in
the moment.
EXTRA
KIBBLES
TRAILER
KITTY CONSENSUS:
NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.
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