Kill Mobile

No one could understand the story without knowledge of the Italian original film.

Went into this with very low expectations, but was actually very surprised. The plot setup is very nicely done and realistically brought about various scenarios for each character that'll have you at both extremes of laughter and sadness. The overall theme also hits close to home for many people that may have participated in misunderstandings with the always on cellphone culture of today

Needless to say that I had not heard about this 2018 Chinese drama from writers Xiao Li, Huan Wang and Si Wang prior to stumbling upon it by random chance here in 2023. And with it being an Asian movie that I hadn't already seen, and with my fascination and love of the Asian cinema, of course I had to sit down and watch it.

The storyline in "Lai Dian Kuang Xiang" (aka "Kill Mobile") was cringeworthy to say the least. Sure, the aspect of mobile phones killing off intimacy and causing distancing between individuals in relationships of various kinds is something that is relevant, because it is the truth. Then I have to say that the contents of this movie was just difficult to sit through. There was something awkward looming over the entire movie, and it was not an enjoyable script or storyline to sit through.

So I have to say that writers Xiao Li, Huan Wang and Si Wang failed to deliver something wholesome and worthwhile here with "Lai Dian Kuang Xiang".

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, nor can I claim that I was impressed with what I witnessed on the screen. Now, the actors and actresses were not to blame for this, because their performances were adequate, but it was solely because of the contents of the script, the character gallery and the dialogue. It was all just cringeworthy, devoid of anything that appealed to me and just felt one-dimensional and bloated.

"Lai Dian Kuang Xiang", from director Miao Yu, is not a movie that I will recommend for fans of the Asian cinema to rush out and get to watch. It wasn't entertained by it, and it is definitely not a movie that I will ever return to watch a second time.

My rating of "Lai Dian Kuang Xiang" lands on a two out of ten stars.

Mobile phone technology kills relationships. That seems the the takeaway message of this movie. Interesting. But done in a slightly histrionic manner. Watchable but....

Right, so I went into Kill Mobile not expecting much - just another remake of Perfect Strangers, right? But nah mate, this one had me hooked from start to finish. A pleasant surprise, honestly. No boring bits at all - every scene kept rolling nicely, and before I knew it, the credits were up and I was still grinning.

The acting's top notch - everyone played their part like they'd actually lived through one of those awkward dinner parties where secrets start flying faster than jandals in a windstorm. The script's tight, clever, and full of those "oh no they didn't" moments. And that camera work - clean, sharp, and right where it needed to be. You can tell the director had a good eye for pacing and tension.

All up, Kill Mobile is one of those flicks that sneaks up on you - funny, sharp, and just a bit uncomfortable in the best way. No filler, no fluff, just good fun with a hint of chaos. Loved it.

I would definitely watch again, maybe even during my next awkward group dinner (if everyone promises to keep their phones on the table).