Cinco citas a ciegas

Five blind dates is a perfect TV film. If you love a cheesy hallmark type of style film you'll enjoy this.

Don't expect it to be winning any oscars any time soon, but if you are like me and go into a film just wanting to watch something that you know how it'll end this is the film for you.

I don't know much about Chinese culture so not sure if any of that is completely off the mark but enjoyed the cute little bits about tea Not sure why people have slated it so much, unless they expected something with the title 'five blind dates' to be something else?

Anyway if you need something to watch on a staurday morning or just a general Sunday vibe give it a go.

This movie has potential and it is one that many people will enjoy. There are definitely some fun parts. But it has parts that many will find slow and others too chaotic which is how I found it.

The story may appear to be different but is really very similar to other rom/coms in many ways. Failing business entrepreneur faces family afraid to admit the truth while the family puts intense pressure on her not only professionally but even more so romantically. The plot device of the five blind dates seems unusual but boils down to forcing some awkward date scenes while the obvious choice isn't considered which is similar to many other movies. And there is a problem even there. The obvious choice really isn't obvious. They have so little screen time together and their eventual getting together doesn't make that much sense.

The blind dates have awkward elements, but they aren't all totally lame like many movies do. There is some creativity and fun in the awkward part of each one.

There is some cultural flavor especially as to how tea is used in Chinese traditions. One reviewer was offended at the "racism" where he thought the Chinese people were denigrated. I didn't see it that way and I have been close with several first and second generation Chinese people. The quirks of the main characters were more personal than national or cultural.

Truth be told, I wasn't harboring the greatest of expectations to this 2024 romantic comedy, when I stumbled upon it by random chance. I opted to sit down and watch it, on account of it being a movie that I hadn't already seen. And on the plus side, I might be positively surprised if I was missing out on a great cinematic experience here.

However, writers Shuang Hu and Nathan Ramos-Park, apparently opted to play it safe here with the script. Play it very, very safe. I mean, they cashed in on every trope available for a romantic comedy. And that ultimately made the movie end up with a bland and generic feel to it. Sure, "Five Blind Dates" was watchable, but it was insanely predictable, and you know the very outcome of the movie from the very beginning.

Of the entire cast ensemble, then I was only familiar with actor Tzi Ma. It should be noted, however, that the acting in the movie was good enough to help carry the movie, and somewhat lift it up and out of that slump it was settling into given the generic script. I am not familiar with leading actress Shuang Hu, whom also co-wrote the script, but she carried the movie quite well.

If you enjoy the run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, then you're in for quite a treat, should you opt to sit down and watch "Five Blind Dates". If you are looking for a bit more than the generic romantic comedy, then you might want to invest your 83 minutes elsewhere.

My rating of director Shawn Seet's 2024 romantic comedy "Five Blind Dates" lands on a five out of ten stars.

This romcom follows a predictable plotline, filled with all-too-familiar clichés and a few cringe-worthy scenes and lines. However, it's still surprisingly entertaining, even though the main leads lack compelling chemistry. Instead, the dynamic between the gay best friend and Lia is far more engaging and might have been a better focus, if not for the film's decision to play it safe.

Despite its flaws, the movie does attempt to add depth by exploring themes like family trauma and the pressure placed on firstborns. The acting is decent, but the film overall lacks the creative spark that could have made it truly memorable. Ultimately, it's a serviceable romcom-pleasant enough for a single viewing, but not something you'd likely revisit.

Romantic Comedy ' ' Five Blind Dates ' ' is a light, funny movie, that, alas, doesn't deliver.

The movie has its moments, with the tea shop theme and the relationship between the main character and her grandmother being sweet and cute.

However, the rest of the story felt flat and underdeveloped. Especially when it came to the family drama, it was like they knew something that the audience didn't and we were trying to figure it out, while they were sharing an inside joke.

The idea of the movie, moreover, was itneresting though predictable. And, it was nice that they had it set in Australia.

Finally, the performances were decent, the best friend was the best one in the cast!

So, overall, three out of ten.