Bitter/Sweet

I hadn't read any reviews on this movie before watching it, as it was available on NETFLIX instant. I figured, at worst, it would be a pretty good "travelogue" of Thailand, with it's legendary scenery, especially the women. What I found was an absolutely charming love story, with enough humor and sexual tension to make it an extremely good view. Kip Pardue really surprised me; here, he comes across with the wholesome charm of a young Tom Hanks. Whenever the film begins to lag, the actor playing the brutish Austrian saves the film by doing something humorous and absolutely unexpected. While the plot contrivance involving financier James Brolin is pretty obvious,somehow the resolution seems fresh,largely due to the actress who plays the lead actresses sister.

The scenery is knockout gorgeous, even more so than some of the women, which is saying a lot. I started this one about 12:30 at night, expecting to turn it off and go to sleep after a few minutes. I stayed up until after two; because, like a trashy romantic novel, I couldn't "put it down."

Based on pure entertainment value alone, I give "bitter sweet" a 7 out of 10.

Charming performances, lushly exotic Thai locations and a feel-good spirit accent this award-winning, thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy-drama crafted by writer-director Jeff Hare.

An engaging Kip Pardue stars as work-consumed Brian Chandler, who's drafted by coffee king Calvert Jenkins (James Brolin) to journey to Thailand to explore coffee-field pockets for a potential crop purchase. While there, he encounters the quirky locals, but most importantly he meets Ticha, the percolating female scion of a coffee family. Worldviews soon conflict, commerce clashes with the earnest art of coffee production, and the two immediately lock horns. Yet what is originally bitter can indeed turn sweet, and both Brian and Ticha take a journey of self-discovery amid this paradise spread.

"Bitter/Sweet" may appear to be a date movie--but it emerges as much more than that (though couples will certainly enjoy it together). Rather, it's a character-driven play complete with a jolting twist, a rich brew that nudges memories of three other quality films. In the vein of "Slumdog Millionaire," it delivers a sweet-and-low relationship stacked against the odds in a mesmerizing land. And just as "Sideways" is a fine-vintage voyage that toasts to wine and vineyard aficionados, so too does "Bitter/Sweet" intrinsically treat is arching theme--coffee and coffee connoisseurs--with care and respect. The film additionally shares the spirit of Bill Forsyth's 1983 winner, "Local Hero," in which an outsider arrives in an insular community, stirring up the local denizens and the regional status quo.

Director Jeff Hare continues to display his vibrant cinematic talent while adeptly tackling yet another genre. His 1999 short, "A Perfect Little Man," starring Neal McDonough, was a searing, intensely dark psychological drama about a man's ill-destined spiral into madness and violence. His 2005 dramedy, "Checking Out," was an appealing ensemble piece that featured snap-crackle-pop dialog and, in this viewer's humble opinion, one of Peter Falk's best-ever performances.

Now, with this film, Hare sets his keen eye on colliding cultures and the whims of romance--and ultimately he executes a sheer delight that brims with a whole latte love.

I couldn't work out if this a poor made for TV film or a Thai production. I think its the latter. On the plus side it shows how stunning Asian ladies look. On the down side, the lead character Ticha cannot act. The other girls around her could.

Spencer Garrett as Werner stole every scene he was in - which tells you a lot about the acting standards of the rest of the cast.

If only they had dropped the pointless James Brolin (a big name added for the film backers?), spiced up the love scenes then this could've been a really good film. A cynic would say this is simply one big advert for Thai coffee - certainly had me going for the instant stuff!!

A missed opportunity. Catch it on a movie channel

The story has been on the screen at least a couple of million times. Boy meets girl... whatever. This time it's set in Thailand, which is an excellent opportunity for breathtaking areal scenes, beautiful music, weird local incidents, gorgeous food, party yeaaah... Nope. Enter a boring US doofus and an obnoxiously rude female lead (not rude as in you feel the sexual tension between both and you can't wait until it plays out, nooo - rude as in I'm 13, I don't know how to deal with myself and I hate the world). Both are accompanied by an Austrian dude of dubious morals (seriously, he has a very concerning vibe). Then the whole thing gets naturally covered in cheese.

No character depth or development, because that's too much effort. Also, no interesting story, because a twist might cause an emotional shock in the viewers. Keep it simple and predictable, and slap an American soundtrack to it, because that symbolises the McDonald's tourists are looking for when they are abroad.

It's sad really, because not every movie needs to be expensive as long as it has chemistry and soul. And somehow no one cared to give it either.

This movie is awful and insulting to all the Thai Women in Thailand. My biggest complaint with the movie is their depiction of every main, female, character in the movie as rude, antagonistic, and bitchy to complete strangers. Anyone who's ever been to Thailand knows that Thai Women would never act the way they were acting in the movie with a total stranger. As a matter of fact, most Women anywhere in the world would not act so rude to a person they've just met, and expect them to buy their coffee beans. Also, the American Male, who's the coffee buyer in the movie is also portrayed like an push-over, idiot. The Writer should go back to writing class or give up writing anything that has to do with people. It's not because his characters are one dimensional - they're worse, and more like half dimensional.