The Personals (2001)

Synopsis: The Taiwanese romantic comedy THE PERSONALS follows the often hilarious, sometimes sad meetings that a pretty young woman has with the men who respond to the ad that she placed in the personals... The Taiwanese romantic comedy THE PERSONALS follows the often hilarious, sometimes sad meetings that a pretty young woman has with the men who respond to the ad that she placed in the personals section of the newspaper. Du Jiazhen (Rene Liu), the woman, is a young eye doctor on a mission to find a husband. After spontaneously putting an ad in the paper, she begins to meet with interested men regularly, and what began as an impromptu action quickly changes into an obsession. Returning day after day to the same teahouse, she is a quiet, thoughtful observer, letting the men tell all before her. These interactions are broken up by Du's nightly calls to the answering machine of her ex-lover, during which she communicates her complex feelings and doubts. She continues to meet man after man until finally, a shocking discovery changes everything. Director Chen Kuo-fu, a noted film critic in Taiwan, adds intelligence and depth to a story that could have been shallow and conventional. Creating a lush sense of setting and mood, he manages to give a voice to an entire culture through the emotional journey of one woman. It is Rene Liu's remarkably layered performance as the quietly tortured yet simultaneously strong protagonist that resonates long after the film is over. [More]

Starring: Wu Bai, Chao-jung Chen, Bao-ming Gu, Rene Liu

Starring: Wu Bai, Chao-jung Chen, Bao-ming Gu, Rene Liu, Chin Shih-Chieh

Director: Chen Kuo-fu

Director: Chen Kuo-fu
Screenwriter: Shih-chieh Chen, Chen Kuo-fu
Studio: First Run Features

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