Tag: This Is Not What I Expected – Movie Review

This Is Not What I Expected – Movie Review

SE ASIAN FILMS

Chinese Film 2017

This Is Not What I Expected – Movie Review

  • Genre: Romance, Food, Hotel, Business
  • Date Released: April 2017
  • Origin: China
  • Film: 1hr 46 min

Cast:

Snippet

 

I have just seen this Chinese film and I have to admit to thoroughly enjoying it.  The story itself is sweet and undemanding with really likable leads.

It is about an exacting and rather dour CEO called Lu Jin (played by the gorgeous Takeshi Kaneshiro of the House of the Flying Daggers) who was on a mission to take over an ailing hotel.

Lu Jin was a foodie and while on a hotel reconnoitering mission, he met a sous chef, Gu Sheng-Nan (Zhou Dongyu).  He took a liking to her cooking but not to her.  During their first few meetings, they tend to fight or have a misunderstanding.

But he liked her food, so much so that he practically moved in into her untidy and cluttered bijou apartment to eat her cooking and sleep because for some reason he can’t get a good kip (sleep) at the hotel room. He even liked her aging dog.

They were beginning to get on really well until Lu Jin suddenly disappeared.  Gu Sheng-Nan went looking for him and found out that his personal chef is now back from her little holiday and therefore, Sheng-Nan is a bit redundant.

She was really upset but in the end, Lu Jin came back looking for her.  He doesn’t want her as a chef but to be someone special.

Their courtship, though not long enough was so sweet and romantic.  The ending is satisfying.

For some reason, this film reminds me of that 80s Hollywood blockbuster starring Julia Roberts and Richard Geer – Pretty Woman.

They have real chemistry despite the rather large age gap between the actors.  Kaneshiro is 44 years old while Dong yu is 25.

Special note:  This film provides you the perfect way to cook ramen (noodles in packet) 🙂