The big-screen debut of veteran Taiwanese TV drama producer Frankie Chen Yu-shan is a smartly cast, sweetly nostalgic teen romance with juvenile storytelling。
台劇王牌製片人陳玉珊之作首次登上大熒幕,這是一部帶有甜美懷舊氣息的青澀愛情片,角色挑選得非常合適,敘述風格則十分青澀。
Described as the woman』s version of You Are the Apple of My Eye (2011), the semi-autobiographical Asian blockbuster about the first love of author-helmer Giddens Ko, Our Times manages to portray young romance in all its awkward splendor but fails to live up to the narrative sophistication and emotional persuasiveness of the earlier film。
Taiwan』s best box-office performer in 2015 so far, it has grossed $12.6 million since mid-August and topped the chart in Hong Kong, beating The Martian upon release。 In Singapore and Malaysia, it landed in second place。 The film should be able to command a following in niche markets in the U.S。, if the current popularity of Asian TV dramas and Asian pop is a reliable indicator。
Chen』s roots in TV drama are reflected in the film』s penchant for manga-inspired slapstick and cartoonish sidekicks。 While this type of humor is not to everyone』s taste, the timing and delivery here are spot-on。
Chen also made savvy casting choices。 Chien and Lee are fitting as brainy but bland campus eye candy。 Chien』s acting leaves much to be desired but even that seems to be in character。 Vivian Sung and Darren Wang』s performances are reasonably nuanced for fresh talent。 Wang is not only charming as Hsu Taiyu, but seems to have stepped straight out of the 『90s, with his tan, his oozing machismo, bushy eyebrows and Julia Roberts grin。