If You Are the One
Encyclopedia
If You Are the One is a 2008
Chinese
romantic comedy film
directed by Feng Xiaogang
and starring Ge You
and Shu Qi
. The film has been very successful at the Chinese box office, and has became one of Feng's top grossing films to date, and has earned over ¥
364 million (US$53.7 million) at the box office.
(Fan). With his new fortune, Qin decides to put an end to his bachelor
life and advertises open invitations to potential partners online, citing only "if you are the one", which actually means "don't disturb if not sincere".
Subsequently, he encounters various candidates from a homosexual former friend, a cemetery
saleswoman with a thick south-Chinese accent, a pathological amnesiac
, an ethnic minority pecking hen, an erotophobic widow
, an expecting single mother to a stock-holding
trader. Eventually, he crosses path with air stewardess Liang Xiaoxiao (Shu). While helping Liang get over her agonizing love affair with a married man (Fong), Qin strikes up an unexpected friendship with Liang, which eventually blossoms into love during a trip to Hokkaido
.
and Hangzhou
in China
, and Hokkaido
in Japan
.
Variety
states: "After taking a left turn into big-budgeters The Banquet and Assembly, Feng Xiaogang returns to the kind of film that made his name -- ironic observational comedies," and described the film as a "beautifully observed relationship movie is overly discursive in its second half but always watchable, thanks to terrific chemistry between Feng regular Ge You and Taiwanese actress Shu Qi."
The Hollywood Reporter
states: "Feng Xiaogang makes an assured return to his trademark genre, the romantic comedy. If You Are the One, a diverting urban lark about an unlikely couple coming together through blind dates, sports an affable cast and untaxing plot, harking back to the airy playfulness of his 1998 hit Be There or Be Square
."
Perry Lam of Muse
Magazine praised 'the unreserved energy Feng devotes to delivering us the predictable, coupled with the unembarrassed pleasure we take in enjoying the obvious. You can still make a movie with a formula, it would appear, so long as you bring the formula to vivid life.'
Chinese films of the 2000s
This is a list of films produced in mainland China ordered by year of release in the 2000s. For an alphabetical listing of Chinese films see :Category:Chinese films-2000:-2001:-2002:-2003:-2004:-2005:-2006:-2007:...
Chinese
Cinema of China
The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads: Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Since 1949 the cinema of mainland China has operated under restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and...
romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
directed by Feng Xiaogang
Feng Xiaogang
Feng Xiaogang , in is a Chinese film director. He is famous in China as being perhaps the most successful "commercialized" filmmaker whose comedy films do consistently well in the box office, although Feng has attempted to break out from that mold by making drama or period drama films...
and starring Ge You
Ge You
Ge You is an acclaimed Mainland Chinese actor. A native of Beijing, he is considered by many to be one of the most recognizable acting personalities in the Mainland...
and Shu Qi
Shu Qi
Shu Qi is the stage name of a Taiwanese actress born Lin Li-Hui . Her stage name is occasionally romanized as Hsu Chi or Shu Kei . Her name is sometimes seen in the Western order as Qi Shu.-Early life:...
. The film has been very successful at the Chinese box office, and has became one of Feng's top grossing films to date, and has earned over ¥
Renminbi
The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...
364 million (US$53.7 million) at the box office.
Plot
Qin Fen (Ge) is a man in his late 40s who returns to China after many years overseas. He becomes a multimillionaire after selling an "innovative invention" to a high-profile (but foolish) angel investorAngel investor
An angel investor or angel is an affluent individual who provides capital for a business start-up, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity...
(Fan). With his new fortune, Qin decides to put an end to his bachelor
Bachelor
A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a bachelor may have had children...
life and advertises open invitations to potential partners online, citing only "if you are the one", which actually means "don't disturb if not sincere".
Subsequently, he encounters various candidates from a homosexual former friend, a cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
saleswoman with a thick south-Chinese accent, a pathological amnesiac
Amnesiac
Amnesiac was generally well-received by critics. It was also ranked as one of the best albums of the year by several publications. The Village Voice Pazz and Jop poll ranked it number 6 on their top 10 albums of the year. Alternative Press declared it the #1 album of the year...
, an ethnic minority pecking hen, an erotophobic widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
, an expecting single mother to a stock-holding
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
trader. Eventually, he crosses path with air stewardess Liang Xiaoxiao (Shu). While helping Liang get over her agonizing love affair with a married man (Fong), Qin strikes up an unexpected friendship with Liang, which eventually blossoms into love during a trip to Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
.
Production
If You Are the One was filmed in locations throughout BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Critical Reception
The film was a box office hit in the mainland and received largely positive reviews.Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
states: "After taking a left turn into big-budgeters The Banquet and Assembly, Feng Xiaogang returns to the kind of film that made his name -- ironic observational comedies," and described the film as a "beautifully observed relationship movie is overly discursive in its second half but always watchable, thanks to terrific chemistry between Feng regular Ge You and Taiwanese actress Shu Qi."
The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
states: "Feng Xiaogang makes an assured return to his trademark genre, the romantic comedy. If You Are the One, a diverting urban lark about an unlikely couple coming together through blind dates, sports an affable cast and untaxing plot, harking back to the airy playfulness of his 1998 hit Be There or Be Square
Be There or Be Square
Be There or Be Square is a 1998 Chinese romantic comedy film directed by Feng Xiaogang, produced by Forbidden City Film, Beijing Film Studio, Zhongji Modern Commercial and Sleiman/Tyrol Films...
."
Perry Lam of Muse
Muse (Hong Kong Magazine)
Muse is a bilingual Hong Kong-based multimedia publisher specializing in content related to Hong Kong's art and culture scene.. Until December 2010, Muse published an award-winning monthly arts and culture magazine...
Magazine praised 'the unreserved energy Feng devotes to delivering us the predictable, coupled with the unembarrassed pleasure we take in enjoying the obvious. You can still make a movie with a formula, it would appear, so long as you bring the formula to vivid life.'