Minalapinou

I was in the mood for an angsty scumbag husband redemption romance, so I was tempted to watch this one. It's done on a shoestring budget (the leads have like, three outfits they rotate until the end), but it does have a strong leading pair in Ben Wang and Wang Yun Yun, who deliver the required devastating thousand yard stares and barely suppressed sobs. Both main characters were dealt a terrible hand in their arranged marriage, and she pushed loyalty to extremes while he never gave her the slightest chance to prove she's not the money grubbing schemer he thinks she is. Opinions may vary, but I do think he deserved a chance to win her back, as the basis of their first marriage was so fraught with lies and misunderstandings. Also she had the sweetest in-laws, always a plus. The plot got weird at times (I never really got why the grandpa had to keep his grandson so much in the dark about a rival family schemes, and the little arc abroad was clumsy) but the central romance is gripping enough to make up for it. For all the ones who see potential in SMLs who fall in love after the breakup, have a weakness for scumbag exes (I love mess, the scumbags are kinda hot at times, and if you give one Ben Wang's face, well...), don't necesseraly root for the perfect rebound boyfriend and like to see a good grovelling/redemption arc, it's a great watch.