Chinese Film 2021

Super Me (Chinese Film Review & Summary)

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• Genre: Fantasy, Psychology, Romance, Action, Human Psyche, Life, Dreams
• Release Date: 2021
• Origin: China
• Film: 1hr 45 min
• Available: @Netflix

Cast

• Wang Talu as Sang Yi
• Candy Song as Hua’er
• Cao Bing Kun as San Ge (Editor)
• Chin Shih Chieh as Jan Bing Tan Da Ye
• Wu Gang as Xiang Ge
• Wang Zi Yi as Guang Zi

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This is a rather cerebral and interesting film.

I thought at first that it would be another superhero which Netflix is showing by the dozens so I was not particularly interested until I saw that It stars Wang Talu,

Wang Talu is a very charismatic Taiwanese actor who gives his all in his dramas and films.

This story reminds me suddenly of my university days; of Psychology 101 about Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung; the Oedipal and Electra Complex and snakes and Libido Theory. 😜😜😜

But Freud also had this Psychoanalytic Theory that our brain had these three states: the id, the ego, and the superego.

The id is our baser instinct, it is our unconscious, it has free reign when we are asleep.

The ego is our conscious mind, the one that functions when we are awake.

The superego is our conscience.

In this film, Sang Yi is a promising but struggling scriptwriter.  He had been sleep-deprived for the last six months, he lives in a really dingy apartment, his landlady would constantly knock on his door to collect overdue rents, his editor harassed him for new material which he can’t produce. And with lack of funds, he had not eaten for quite some time.

The only thing that is positive is his life was the coffee shop near his apartment.  The coffee shop was owned by Hua’er who used to be a singer he had a crush on since forever.

He was traveling by train when he saw a spectre materialised. The hooded spectre seemed to go for him. Sang Yi was just able to get away.

When he got back to his apartment, he found his measly things outside the door, then his editor found him as well wanting new material that Sang Yi had already been paid.

Everything was going wrong.

Insomniac, homeless, starving and suffering from mental block, he thought it was better to just end it all.

He was standing on the edge of the roof ready to jump when someone asked him if he wanted a sausage and egg sandwich.

It was the man who sells pancakes in front of his old apartment.

He was Jian Bing Tan Da Ye and he told Sang Yi that the most precious thing is life and must not waste it.

Sang Yi told him that he was just too tired; he had not been able to sleep for a long time and when he does he has nightmares.

Jian Bing Tan Da Ye told him that when he has nightmare, he has to tell himself that ‘It was just a dream’ then wake up.

Somehow his talk with the kindly Jian Bing Tan Da Ye calmed him down and that night he slept but again ended in a nightmarish world being hunted by the spectre.  He was being stabbed by a sword but he told himself that he was having a dream.

And sure enough he woke up.  But was it a dream?!!!  He became aware that he was clutching a beautiful sword, the one exactly in his dream.

He went to a market to sell it. The dealer said he will pay him a thousand for it but another dealer shook his head.  Instead, he went to a pawnshop and sold it for 10K.

With the money, he treated himself to good food, had a little make over and went to stay in a hotel.

Then he dreamt again; the spectre showed up and this time intent on killing Sang Yi with a double edge axe.

He woke up with the axe and sold it for 50K.

Before he knew it money was no longer a problem.

His old editor found him and this time Sang Yi treated him to a lavish meal.  The editor was wary at first, questioning Sang Yi’s ability to pay.

Sang Yi told him the truth and the editor stayed with him and watched him sleep and wake up with more loots.

His dreams got bigger and bigger including robbing a museum with ancient golden artifacts and a bank vault with all the monies.

Now they are both living the life of Riley.

Sang Yi finally got the confidence to approach Hua’er, who was going to sell her coffee shop because it was not making enough money.

Sang Yi gave her a suitcase full of money and told her that he was buying it for her and they were going to be partners.

And before long she became his girlfriend.

Still he nightmarish dreams continued.  His subconscious even wanted a threesome so he got that as well.

He was still interested in scriptwriting and gave a completed one to San Ge, who said it was very good.  Quickly he became recognised for his writing and lauded for it.

But sooner or later something got to give.

San Yi was kidnapped by a gang headed by Xiang Ge.

They demanded 5M for his life and San Yi immediately agreed.  It was then increased for 10M and again Sanyi agreed.

Sang Ge brought the money at the back of his car the meeting place.

But the gang got so greedy and wanted more.

Again Sanyi said they can have everything as long as they would let him do one thing.

They were not interested in his request they frogmarched him in his luxiouous penthouse and saw the hidden room full of artifacts.

Xiang Ge got curious how San Yi got hold of all these treasures.  But then he just wanted it all and prepared to kill San Yi and Sang Ge and Hua’er who turned up to see San Yi.

Sang Ge was killed, so was Hua’er and then San Yi was on the point of death but in his nonconscious, his own spectre was awaken which started killing the gang including Xiang Ge.

Then he was being woken up by Hua’er.  Sang Yi realised that he had gone back in time when he was still at his lowest ebb, eating bread just outside of a food mart.

Hua’er took him home, fed him, and offered to employ him in her coffee shop. She encouraged him to do more writing.  His life was getting better.

He saw the old pancake man and went to him to buy a sausage and egg sandwich.  The man took a sack full of money that San Yi gave him once.

Jian Bing Tan Da Ye showed him his scar and told San Yi that he does not like the money which he knew San Yi paid with his life. He had done it himself once.

Suddenly San Yi realised he was in a dream world.

Makes you think!

I really enjoyed this film, lots of action, fast-paced and innovative story.

The end