Shanghai Kiss cover art

Shanghai Kiss Reviews

2007 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 852 members

An out-of-work Chinese American actor involved with a high school girl learns that he has inherited his grandmother's home in Shanghai, China. He moves to the exotic city to connect with his ancestry and start a new life, but must leave behind the only girl who has ever loved him. Liam (Ken Leung) is a struggling actor .. Read more

Starring Ken Leung, Hayden Panettiere, Kelly Hu, Joel Moore
Director Kern Konwiser, David Ren
Genres Comedy

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  • Most helpful members' reviews (3) of Shanghai Kiss

    View all
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Good enough

    Interesting film that carries your attention and addresses the often untackled theme of 2nd generation children and their relationship with their parents home country/town, (obviously from only one person's vantage point).

    Still, I was left a little uncomfortable with the age gap between the older man and the 16 year old girl, although it is sensitively handled and not sexualised. I was left wondering why anyone would choose that as a subject matter, when they could have made her a few years older and retained the age gap and story. Watching the extra's on the DVD reveals that it is semi-autobiographical which explains it. There is nothing wrong with it and the relationship develops very innocently. Still if you know you are likely to feel sensitively about this issue, its probably not the film for you. Otherwise, its an interesting look at the boundaries of romantic love.

    Also a beautiful insight into modern China (albeit a necessarily limited one), culture clashes, cultural identity, family issues, friendship and romantic love. A brave film that does not have the laboured feeling it might have for a small budget film with a different direction.

    Worth seeing if you are happy to watch less mainstream films and willing to think critically about the issues raised. Still something leaves me thinking it could have been better, which seems a shame, maybe its just because of my discomfort at the above or maybe its something more....

      • A customer from Scotland
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    wonderful movie

    this movie is really good, it is a really well acted film with similarities to

    lost in translation, you dont get films like this too often that just takes you away

    from your simple little life.

    this film is funny clever and will have you hooked until the end.

    5 stars from me.

    a great movie.

  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Run of the mill rom com!

    A somewhat unconvincing love story of a younger girl and an older bloke in his late twenties or thirties. A tad far fetched, but watchable.

      • A customer from SW London
  • Most recent members' reviews (2) of Shanghai Kiss

    View all
  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Run of the mill rom com!

    A somewhat unconvincing love story of a younger girl and an older bloke in his late twenties or thirties. A tad far fetched, but watchable.

      • A customer from SW London
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Good enough

    Interesting film that carries your attention and addresses the often untackled theme of 2nd generation children and their relationship with their parents home country/town, (obviously from only one person's vantage point).

    Still, I was left a little uncomfortable with the age gap between the older man and the 16 year old girl, although it is sensitively handled and not sexualised. I was left wondering why anyone would choose that as a subject matter, when they could have made her a few years older and retained the age gap and story. Watching the extra's on the DVD reveals that it is semi-autobiographical which explains it. There is nothing wrong with it and the relationship develops very innocently. Still if you know you are likely to feel sensitively about this issue, its probably not the film for you. Otherwise, its an interesting look at the boundaries of romantic love.

    Also a beautiful insight into modern China (albeit a necessarily limited one), culture clashes, cultural identity, family issues, friendship and romantic love. A brave film that does not have the laboured feeling it might have for a small budget film with a different direction.

    Worth seeing if you are happy to watch less mainstream films and willing to think critically about the issues raised. Still something leaves me thinking it could have been better, which seems a shame, maybe its just because of my discomfort at the above or maybe its something more....

      • A customer from Scotland
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Good enough

    Interesting film that carries your attention and addresses the often untackled theme of 2nd generation children and their relationship with their parents home country/town, (obviously from only one person's vantage point).

    Still, I was left a little uncomfortable with the age gap between the older man and the 16 year old girl, although it is sensitively handled and not sexualised. I was left wondering why anyone would choose that as a subject matter, when they could have made her a few years older and retained the age gap and story. Watching the extra's on the DVD reveals that it is semi-autobiographical which explains it. There is nothing wrong with it and the relationship develops very innocently. Still if you know you are likely to feel sensitively about this issue, its probably not the film for you. Otherwise, its an interesting look at the boundaries of romantic love.

    Also a beautiful insight into modern China (albeit a necessarily limited one), culture clashes, cultural identity, family issues, friendship and romantic love. A brave film that does not have the laboured feeling it might have for a small budget film with a different direction.

    Worth seeing if you are happy to watch less mainstream films and willing to think critically about the issues raised. Still something leaves me thinking it could have been better, which seems a shame, maybe its just because of my discomfort at the above or maybe its something more....

      • A customer from Scotland
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    wonderful movie

    this movie is really good, it is a really well acted film with similarities to

    lost in translation, you dont get films like this too often that just takes you away

    from your simple little life.

    this film is funny clever and will have you hooked until the end.

    5 stars from me.

    a great movie.

  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Run of the mill rom com!

    A somewhat unconvincing love story of a younger girl and an older bloke in his late twenties or thirties. A tad far fetched, but watchable.

      • A customer from SW London
  • Rated - 4 stars

    Engrossing

    Well acted and well made, with plenty of shots of Shanghai. Tad unrealistic as the lead actor isn't very attractive and some of the detail doesn't quite add up. But does keep you guessing, and is quite a 'feel good' movie.

      • Nick99 from Brackley
  • Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    great

    this film was very good,romantic i thought too ,rent it you may like it worth seeing if you havent.

      • redgymshoes from Boldon Colliery
  • Rated - 2 stars

    just ok

    well mmmm it was ok i supose dont know what was wrong with it just a bland story line that was about it ...

    dont put it to high on your list if you want to watch other films.....

      • A customer from Knutsford
  • Rated - 3 stars

    Good

    I wasn't sure on this film at first. It got better has I watched it. Lovely shots of Shanghai and introduces you to the culture.

    Hayden Panettiere is one of my favourite actresses and she was good in this. A very romantic movie.

      • A customer from Pitlochry
  • Rated - 1 star

    Bad

    i thought this film sounded good but i was very dissapointed. there was no story, i continues watching it thinking something must happen, but it didnt! waste of time

      • A customer from Wales
  • Rated - 3 stars

    Sweet

    A very sweet film, and very funny in parts, worth a watch

      • A customer from Guernsey
  • Rated - 0 stars

    Truly awful

    I'm not sure what the point of this film is at all - as a second generation British chinese person myself, this says nothing to me. It is the tale of a wholly selfish, arrogant, whiney, unlikeable man on a shallow whiney journey through an unrealistic, impractical plotline where, pretty much throughout, the world revolves around him.

    It's not very deep, it's barely involving - if there is any culture clash going on it's unsophisticated. Most second generation chinese know that the culture clash we struggle with most is within ourselves. This guy is American through and through bar his skin (and the unpleasant type of American too). If you want realism, rent the Joy Luck Club which is leagues above this nonsense.

      • A customer from Bristol

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    • An out-of-work Chinese American actor involved with a high school girl learns that he has inherited his grandmother's home in Shanghai, China. He moves to the exotic city to connect with his ancestry ...

Rating breakdown

852 Member ratings
  • 100
43
  • 90
19
  • 80
89
  • 70
119
  • 60
249
  • 50
126
  • 40
91
  • 30
48
  • 20
40
  • 10
28

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