Temporary Family | 2/5
SINGAPORE — It’s been a while since we’ve seen a solid romantic comedy release from Hong Kong. And unfortunately, Temporary Family isn’t one.
SINGAPORE — It’s been a while since we’ve seen a solid romantic comedy release from Hong Kong. And unfortunately, Temporary Family isn’t one.
The movie is written and directed by Cheuk Wan Chi, an award-winning director/screenwriter/author/deejay/stand-up comedian… you get the idea. Nick Cheung plays a desperate real estate agent who teams up with a bitter divorcee (Sammi Cheng), his step-daughter (Angelababy) and rich intern (Oho) to invest in a luxury apartment in hopes of profiting from a sale. But when the government introduces stamp duties to cool property prices in Hong Kong, the motley crew is stranded with an apartment they can ill afford.
Despite the movie’s terrible dubbing (what’s new), Temporary Family gets off to a good start with cleverly written jibes at Hong Kong as a practical, unromantic society that measures love and relationships by the size of one’s property. Like almost any other Hong Kong movie these days, Temporary Family also features unexpectedly delightful appearances by Myolie Wu, Dayo Wong, Ivana Wong, and Jacky Cheung — who was particularly funny in his brief cameo as a lawyer.
But as the group’s get-rich-quick plan begins to unravel, so does the movie, which is marred by a plot that relies too much on chance, coincidence and slapstick to be convincing. While Nick Cheung is an excellent actor — perhaps the only one with any real chops in this movie — the lack of chemistry between the two leads also becomes evident as the movie progresses. Their blossoming relationship feels forced and unnatural, and their kissing scenes look more like two people slamming their faces against each other, against their own will.
Perhaps it’s better to stay Temporary Friends then?
(PG13, 100 mins)