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How To Use Guys With Secret Tips (aka Man Manual) (2013) (Korean Romantic Comedy)
Have you ever had your mouth hurt after watching a movie because it made you smile the whole way through? Well, my mouth hurts right now. This film was delightful.
An assistant director for commercials pays big money for a "man manual" video that supposedly helps awkward girls deal with guys in both romance and business. She then studies the video and implements its strategies with great success. The star of this film is Si-young Lee, who is an outstanding actress that recently demonstrated her charisma in the excellent Korean romantic comedy "Couples" (2011). She can venture into expressionistic acting in the most natural, charming ways imaginable. With her as a foundation, the quirky yet oddly dry humor succeeds admirably in laugh-out-loud fashion. There are a lot of jokes and almost all of them work. I especially liked the many video tips.
The direction of the film is very stylish, at times feeling like a comic book. A handful of sequences insert relevant video clip tips, while others will have the lecturer appear outside of the video to give tips to the protagonist or the viewer. The visuals are very engaging from start to finish. This film moves at a blistering pace and will leave a perpetual smile on the viewer's face. This will surely end up as one of the most purely entertaining films of 2013.
Highly recommended.
