Love in Taipei

This film adaptation of the best-selling novel, "Loveboat, Taipei" is a beautiful personal journey into the heart and soul of a young girl who has her whole life ahead of her but is still trying to find herself. This is the typical story of most 1st generation Asian-Americans caught between the individualistic American Dream and the filial expectations of the Asian Immigrant Dream. As an Asian-American myself, I like that this story is straight-forward and simple without too many frills or manufactured drama (cough, cough, Everything Everywhere All At Once...) because this is our familiar, down-to-earth story that needs to be told.

Who are we when we break out of our comfort zones yet return to our roots, express our individual uniqueness yet honor our communities? This movie gracefully dances its way through these kinds of questions, never arriving or preaching, but always showing and inviting the audience along for the ride.

Meanwhile, the ride through Taipei is gorgeous! The cinematography with gorgeous shots of Taipei both during the day and at night was a highlight for me. It makes me want to get on a plane and travel there right now! My husband attended the "Loveboat" program back in the day and he said he only remembered Taipei being under a lot of construction as the subway system was being built. So he was delighted to see what the city has become through the sweeping scenes as well as the street-level shots.

This movie is worth seeing with the whole family too! It is hard to say that about Hollywood movies these days so I'm so happy to finally see a wholesome, feel-good film that doesn't try too hard to be "edgy" or something it's not just for the shock value. Honestly, all the big Asian movies these days depict Asians as either supernatural kung-fu heroes, loud-mouth comics, or filthy rich elite. This movie is so refreshing without these outlandish caricatures. Finally some down-to-earth characters I can actually relate to! We need more films like this to be made!

These characters were brought to life by outstanding acting from the young cast, headlined by Ross Butler and Ashley Liao. There were no cringy moments due to over-acting. Everyone's performances were so natural and compelling. Overall, the chemistry among the cast was great. They did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. I absolutely loved Ashley Liao as the main character, Ever Wong. She could seriously act out a whole movie with just her expressive eyes. She was just such a natural, magnetic force and we hung on her every move, every glance, every emotion. What a graceful, classy, mature, and talented actress. I'm a fan!

Those who are diehard book fans may be disappointed with how the film deviates from the book. But as a standalone film, it's a win! I've already watched this film twice and can't wait for the sequel!

It's very cliche, but I didn't really mind. It's a cute movie to spend an afternoon or evening. Don't expect a very strong story. Like I said, it's all very cliche. But it makes you dream... I loved the setting in Tapei. I loved the summer-having-fun-part. I loved the thought of chasing your dreams despite what all others might think.

The dancing and art part was for me also a plus. But that's a personal interest. Some nice dancing shots and seeing some art works makes it for me more interesting to watch.

Don't expect much from the romance... The chemistry between ML and FL wasn't wow, otherwise I would have given a higher rating.

IN A NUTSHELL: Directed by Arvin Chen, this story is about a group of American teens with Asian heritage, experiencing Taiwan for 8 weeks during the summer break.

LOVE IN TAIPEI follows a young woman's cultural immersion program in Taiwan turns out to be a liberating free-for-all known as "Loveboat" where unexpected romance leads her to question her future. Based on the best-selling book "Loveboat, Taipei" by Abigail Hing Wen.

On a personal note, my daughter-in-law is Chinese (from Hong Kong) and now I have an adorable grandson who is half Chinese. Asian women are so beautiful.

THINGS I LIKED: The starlet of the film is Ashley Liao, possibly new to viewers, even though she has been in quite a few movies, including Fresh Off The Boat, which got a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. She's lovely and so talented.

Other cast members include Ross Butler, Nico Hiraga, Chelsea Zhang, and Cindy Cheung.

People will learn more about Taiwan and be introduced to their language, dance, art, music, architecture, and street food. It's on my list of amazing places to go!

I was really excited about the movie Joy Ride because I knew it was going to showcase China, but it was SO raunchy that I only lasted about 20 minutes. This film is so much sweeter and appropriate.

The film was shot on location in Taipei.

We get to hear some familiar American tunes with the lyrics sung in Mandarin, as well as a few Chinese songs.

What girl doesn't want two handsome boys who are crazy about her to choose from?

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:

It seems unlikely that a girl whose parents immigrated from Taiwan wouldn't speak even a little bit of Mandarin.

It's pretty doggone predictable. It follows the classic coming-of-age tale of a young woman trying to become independent and discover what she truly wants in this world.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Some "light" profanity.

Teens break curfew rules to go clubbing.

Alcohol.

I was super excited after seeing the trailer, I love Ross Butler and Niko Hiraga. I'm a sucker for a love triangle and/or coming of age movie. It was definitely a cute watch but I was expecting more from it. Some of the writing was cringey (the Ever jokes like "forever ever" and "never ever", come on) and the acting was mid in some scenes. I feel like the film was trying to be a crazy rich asians teen version but it was just awkward in some scenes, I wasn't expecting the story to be anything amazing, it's a finding myself teen movie, the plot is very expected but I felt like they could've carried it out better. Still a good watch if you need a lighthearted cute movie for a night in or something.

Amazing film! We need more stories like this! This film literally takes you on a journey of not only exploring a beautiful culture but also highlights many things Asian-Americans go through from family to cultural issues. The characters are easy to fall in love with! The story is very personal and relatable to anyone who has a dream or feels lost on their own journey! The cinematography is jaw dropping with Taipei on display in such a beautiful manner that it naturally feels like another character in the film! The soundtrack is hip, yet very moving.

This movie has one quality that few movies possess. It has a big beating heart! You will find yourself rooting for the characters! These films are not made nearly enough. These stories will fill your heart, and open your mind to new worlds. You can feel the love the author, cast, and crew put into every single frame of this movie!

This is one of those rare films I watch that leave me knowing it will be a movie I'll watch for years to come! Go see this movie! Yes you!! Stop reading this and go watch this incredible film that will fill with hope and leave you wanting more!! This is filmmaking at its finest! My favorite film of 2023 so far.