Hello Stranger (2010)

This movie does almost all of the right things for an Asian romantic comedy. The leads have great chemistry, the story is grounded and fun, some of the humor is surprisingly dark and hilarious (which I know isn't common for rom-coms, but it most definitely works here). If not for a misstep towards the end, this movie very well could have propelled itself out of the rom-com genre entirely into something deeper and more substantive. It does make a misstep, however, in the last fourth of the movie, where the writers decide to pivot the story into a more dramatic (and quite tonally different) direction. Of course, this is not unusual for Asian films or dramas. It's the genre's bread and butter. But I found myself missing the movie's earlier humor and lightheartedness, and even a happy ending didn't totally put out that disappointment. Still, despite this misstep, everything else about this film is superb.

And the best thing? How realistically compatible the leads are with each other. They both love inappropriate jokes, are unafraid of expressing their feelings and opinions, enjoy trying new things, and are willing to trust each other enough to spend two to three days touring a foreign country together.

I love stories that make me believe their characters are suited for each other, and this story most definitely does.

Read More