Shanghai Calling

2013

Shanghai Calling

Critics Consensus

No consensus yet.

53%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 15

56%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 293
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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 relocation specialist, a well-connected foreign businessman, a clever but unassuming journalist, and a street-smart assistant, Sam might just save his job, discover romance, and learn to appreciate the many wonders Shanghai has to offer.(c)Official Site

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Cast

Daniel Henney
as Sam
Eliza Coupe
as Amanda
Bill Paxton
as Donald
Le Geng
as Awesome Wang
Zhu Zhu
as Fang Fang
Alan Ruck
as Marcus Groff
Sean Gallagher
as Brad
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News & Interviews for Shanghai Calling

Critics Consensus: A Bad Day for A Good Day to Die Hard
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Critic Reviews for Shanghai Calling

All Critics (15) | Top Critics (10)

  • 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.

    Mar 11, 2013 | Full Review…

    Stanley Kauffmann

    The New Republic
    Top Critic

  • [A] modest charmer.

    Feb 14, 2013 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

    Robert Abele

    Los Angeles Times
    Top Critic

  • 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.

    Feb 14, 2013 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

    Andy Webster

    New York Times
    Top Critic

  • 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.

    Feb 14, 2013 | Full Review…

    Ella Taylor

    NPR
    Top Critic

  • A clear affection for its subject and setting help deepen Daniel Hsia's otherwise shallow romantic comedy.

    Feb 14, 2013 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

    Elizabeth Weitzman

    New York Daily News
    Top Critic

  • 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.

    Feb 14, 2013 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

    Farran Smith Nehme

    New York Post
    Top Critic
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Audience Reviews for Shanghai Calling

  • Feb 09, 2013
    Shanghai Calling is an entertaining romantic comedy and very accurate portrayal of expatriate life in Shanghai, China. Daniel Hsia, the writer and director, has created a funny and strangely personal adventure of an American executive navigating the personal and professional idiosyncrasies of modern expat/Chinese culture. I can attest to this given I also was an expat executive in Shanghai. (Several scenes are shot in Vizcaya, the exact same housing complex I lived in from 2005 to 2008.) While it may not be as funny for those that haven't had similar experiences, there is still enough unique comedy scenes to make it an enjoyable romp for most. What makes it stand out from most of Hollywood's stereotypical coverage of life in China is that it takes conventional perceptions of China and turns them on its head.
    Mark B Super Reviewer
  • Feb 09, 2013
    Shanghai Calling is an entertaining romantic comedy and very accurate portrayal of expatriate life in Shanghai, China. Daniel Hsia, the writer and director, has created a funny and strangely personal adventure of an American executive navigating the personal and professional idiosyncrasies of modern expat/Chinese culture. I can attest to this given I also was an expat executive in Shanghai. (Several scenes are shot in Vizcaya, the exact same housing complex I lived in from 2005 to 2008.) While it may not be as funny for those that haven't had similar experiences, there is still enough unique comedy scenes to make it an enjoyable romp for most. What makes it stand out from most of Hollywood's stereotypical coverage of life in China is that it takes conventional perceptions of China and turns them on its head.
    Mark B Super Reviewer
  • Jan 21, 2013
    The latest comedy written and directed by Daniel Hsia is his debut feature. It is about a Chinese American who speaks no Chinese dealing with his relocation to Shanghai. The movie opened in Chinese cinemas last week. [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!
    Panta O Super Reviewer
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