RealCharlesTsui

A total mess from start to finish. Feels like the script was pieced together by an AI trained on popular Chinese thrillers like Lost in the Stars and No More Bets, following every cliché in the "viral hit" playbook.

The plot is painfully contrived, and the performances are awkward at best - Duan Yihong seems like he's stuck in a stage play, while the leads have zero chemistry and often look like they wandered in from a spoof.

The editing is chaotic, the sound design over-the-top, and the score is so desperate to create tension that it becomes irritating. By the end, you're left wondering if this was meant to be taken seriously or if it's just an elaborate prank.

I saw it in London today and I must say it's the best Chinese comedy I've seen in the past five years-a true event cinema. The movie is filled with laughter from start to finish, presenting the absurdities of toxic workplace culture in China within a refreshing narrative.

What sets it apart is the absence of any cheesy sentimentality or preachy messages, What makes it stand out is that it avoids any cheesy sentimentality or preachy messages. Unlike many Chinese comedies these days that rely on jokes or humour that can be discriminatory towards gender, specific regions, or races, this film steers clear of all that.

The film cleverly weaves a storyline without resorting to clichés and successfully brings out the absurdities of real life through a light-hearted lens. It also mentioned the sexual harassment in Chinese workplace, a commendable move, especially within the context of Chinese cinema. While there could have been a deeper exploration of workplace issues in China, considering censorship constraints, the film does an admirable job.

But I feel it's important for you to know that many jokes are deeply rooted in Chinese cultural references. If you haven't lived in China for an extended period or haven't experienced Chinese social media extensively, you might miss out on several punchlines.

This film embodies a sluggish and aged pace in its essence, script, and directorial execution. "Being based on a true story" seems to serve as a shield for mediocrity, with directors and scriptwriters perhaps under the impression that as long as the source material is captivating, there's no need to invest additional effort in refining the film's narrative.

The entire cinematic experience resembles a VCR recording of an awards ceremony more than a skilfully crafted narrative. It adopts a stagnant rhythm, a narrative lacking any dramatic tension, characters with unmotivated actions and lacking depth, historical details superficially addressed, and an art direction reminiscent of uninspiring television. What proves particularly irksome is the excessive inclusion of tedious dialogues where characters repetitively exchange information already established in previous scenes. It feels as if they are attempting to stretch a 60-minute VCR into a forced 110-minute television drama.

After viewing, I checked the director's portfolio and unsurprisingly found little to no experience in film creation-almost exclusively television dramas.