Shanghai Calling (2013)
Average Rating: 5.5/10
Reviews Counted: 14
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 6
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 5.1/10
Critic Reviews: 10
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 4
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 162
My Rating
Movie Info
Imagine a steady stream of immigrants, traveling across a vast ocean to a foreign country, searching for new jobs and better lives. But the immigrants are Americans, and the country they are moving to... is China. SHANGHAI CALLING is a romantic comedy about modern-day American immigrants in an unfamiliar land. When an ambitious New York attorney is sent to Shanghai on assignment, he immediately stumbles into a legal mess that could spell the end of his career. But with help from a beautiful
Feb 8, 2013 Limited
Starz Media
- Official Site
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All Critics (14) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (6)
Daniel Henney is personable as Sam, and Eliza Coupe is even more so as Amanda. Daniel Hsia wrote and directed with agility, and he makes sure that his story doesn't get in the way of his presentation of the city.
Top Critic[A] modest charmer.
Though Mr. Hsia, a television alumnus who also wrote the script, has created a somewhat predictable story infused with stereotypes old and new, he gains mileage from light humor, buoyant energy and some appealing performers.
Shanghai Calling doesn't aspire to fresh insight, let alone profundity. But it's nice to see the American migration narrative get out of the house for some fresh air.
A clear affection for its subject and setting help deepen Daniel Hsia's otherwise shallow romantic comedy.
It's a sharp setup - a rich American learns what it's like to be steamrolled by unfettered capitalism - but the script cushions things completely.
Henney's lanky appeal as he tries to cope with an avalanche of language and cultural challenges is a pleasure to watch.
Offbeat scenarios, a fresh backdrop and warm performances enliven this vibrant, surprising, Chinese-shot treat, a fun cross-cultural romantic comedy with echoes of Jerry Maguire.
If you prefer your social commentary in the form of a glorified sitcom with broad humor and even broader caricatures, look no further.
Light mainstream feature has enough charisma and cultural observations -- but only just
Audience Reviews for Shanghai Calling
Super Reviewer
[img]http://www.2film15.in/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Shanghai-Calling-2012.jpg[/img]
The film stars American Korean Daniel Henney as Sam, an attorney from New York City. Sam is sent to China by his employer with no knowledge of the local language and customs. The culture clash is huge and he tries to tackle it but with no success - we are witnessing his embarrassing encounters with locals as he tries to understand how things work in China. Eliza Coupe plays his relocation specialist and later Sam's romantic interest. The cast includes Geng Le and Zhu Zhu but even with them the acting is bellow average.
The main problem of this movie is that comes out as a kind of a cross cultural romcom with nothing behind it! You could say that there is semi-cute romance and lightweight comedy but the thing you'll remember is that the director is really trying hard taking his time to highlight the virtues of China in general and the city of Shanghai in particular.
This official US-China co-production is like some kind of advertising designed to appeal to both Asian and Western audiences... but talking with my friends from both sides - wasn't very successful doing it!
Super Reviewer
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