I don't know if it's a cultural thing, but I'm English and loved, for example, My Sassy Girl, but I had trouble following the central themes of this movie. I wouldn't claim to be an expert on love, but I don't think it ever works by two strangers looking at photos of each other and growing closer... (it wasn't helping that whenever she was looking at photos of her husband, I kept seeing Gary Oldman in Leon - isn't there a bizarre similarity between these two actors?). OK that was not a serious point, but there are serious problems with this movie, that gave me problems empathising with the main characters.
Let me talk about the good stuff first: I give 5/10 for the photography, some good scenes and the acting is good (from what i can tell without speaking the languages). It's fairly original I think, obviously the girl is cute (hey, it's the shaolin soccer player with the 'tache!) and the movie didn't really offend me (until the end). So what's wrong with this movie? As I said some of its ideas about love are apparently ridiculous and this alone ruins it for me and I think will turn most viewers off. Anything else looks small really: how about the cliché of a non-specific disease that's both very deadly and slow yet does nothing to hurt her appearance... intrusive music that dictates what you are supposed to be feeling but just highlighted what i _wasn't_ feeling... numerous illogical decisions made by the characters (is she really that alone?). I can look past many faults and plot holes if the main theme of a movie is engaging, but this just for me sadly wasn't. When the girl died I knew this movie was a stinker. Actually there was a part near the end where he's reading her letter that I found almost nauseating, and I even have a strong stomach for romance (I think I gave both My Sassy Girl and Moulin Rouge 9 or 10, because behind the ridiculousness is a truth, whereas I'd describe Failan the opposite way around).
What is the point of being original if you're writing a love story so far outside normal human behaviour (the scene in the police station sums it up nicely) that it stops making any sort of sense? Really, I don't think I'm being harsh here, I must knock off another point for the ending... overall 4/10 and a recommendation to avoid unless you think you can cope with the plot idea. Looking at the rating (currently over 8), apparently a large number of people here can :)
Let me talk about the good stuff first: I give 5/10 for the photography, some good scenes and the acting is good (from what i can tell without speaking the languages). It's fairly original I think, obviously the girl is cute (hey, it's the shaolin soccer player with the 'tache!) and the movie didn't really offend me (until the end). So what's wrong with this movie? As I said some of its ideas about love are apparently ridiculous and this alone ruins it for me and I think will turn most viewers off. Anything else looks small really: how about the cliché of a non-specific disease that's both very deadly and slow yet does nothing to hurt her appearance... intrusive music that dictates what you are supposed to be feeling but just highlighted what i _wasn't_ feeling... numerous illogical decisions made by the characters (is she really that alone?). I can look past many faults and plot holes if the main theme of a movie is engaging, but this just for me sadly wasn't. When the girl died I knew this movie was a stinker. Actually there was a part near the end where he's reading her letter that I found almost nauseating, and I even have a strong stomach for romance (I think I gave both My Sassy Girl and Moulin Rouge 9 or 10, because behind the ridiculousness is a truth, whereas I'd describe Failan the opposite way around).
What is the point of being original if you're writing a love story so far outside normal human behaviour (the scene in the police station sums it up nicely) that it stops making any sort of sense? Really, I don't think I'm being harsh here, I must knock off another point for the ending... overall 4/10 and a recommendation to avoid unless you think you can cope with the plot idea. Looking at the rating (currently over 8), apparently a large number of people here can :)