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This one is an insane tear-jerker but also belly-acher
This movie has EVERYTHING.It made me laugh and made me cry SO many times over just the one and a half hours. My mom cried. My brother cried. It was a crying fest in the theater I was in. No one left their seats until the ending credits were over because of how we were still reeling from our emotions.
The characters made me just fall in love with them and their story. The acting is INCREDIBLE, especially from the little girl. She’s just adorable and thinking of her makes me tear up again lol. Her precious relationship with her father teaches us so many things about what we should be grateful for in life- namely love, life itself, and each other.
Being Chinese, the English title didn’t make sense to me until I watched the movie because the direct translation of the Chinese title 人生大事 is “The Big(gest) Thing In Life.” But “Lighting Up The Stars” makes so much sense and I don’t think I could come up with a better title.
The delve into Sichuan culture specifically was also heartwarming to see on the big screen. I don’t often get to watch Chinese movies so it was really a treat to get to hear the Sichuan accent/dialect and catch a glimpse of life there.
As an ABC, this movie was everything to me. It gave me a peek into a life I would never live, but also made me reflect on the life I DO live.
10/10 on everything. Acting, music, story, production. This one gets all the stars.
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This review may contain spoilers
Thrilling & Addictive
THE LEGEND OF HAO LAN (Hao Lan Zhuan) was a rollercoaster ride from start to finish, a powerful story of one woman's rise from the ashes to the Empress seat and beyond. First of all, even though the ending felt somewhat uncertain and unsatisfying, I truly loved this show, though it certainly had its shortcomings. It is a historical reimagining full of unpredictable twists and turns, fatalistic characters and a high tension plot. Be in mind, however, this drama is more political than it is romantic and at times this series builds false hopes in that department.Many people compare this series to Story of Yanxi Palace, mainly because of the similar casting lineup and high quality. These stories should not be compared otherwise, as they are drastically different entities featuring completely different eras, storylines and motives.
Taking place in the Warring States era not long before the gradual unification of war-torn China, this series opens up to a grand political stage in which the rising conflicts between the Qin and Zhou states become increasingly heated. The political storyline is brimming with tension and packs a hard punch, though the pacing is occasionally hindered by some pointless strife and redundancy, as well as some far fetched scenarios.
The character of Hao Lan, as played by Wu Jinyan, was such a relatable, powerful, yet deeply flawed heroine. There is so much complexity there. Li Hao Lan is a deeply tortured character who overcomes many horrible obstacles in her path, growing in strength and cunning as she climbs the political ladder. It's hard not to immediately empathize with her from the beginning as she pledges never to be used and disrespected again. Her character is full of vulnerability and boldness.
It's often tragic what Hao Lan has to face and how it inevitably changes her, for both better and for worse. I love how this series showcases her strengths and weaknesses, and never tries to convince the viewer that she is a saint, as some dramas tend to do with their leads. Wu Jin Yan is really an amazing actress, whose versatility causes her to be so compelling in her roles. She is so believably witty, bold and has such an emotional range as an actress. Brilliant to watch.
Another exceptionally brilliant aspect was the highly (overly) ambitious character of the cunning merchant-businessman Lü Buwei, acted by Yuan Nie. Lü Buwei is a very amazing character with such an overbearing ruthless personality and intense political ambition, while at the same time very charming and pitiful. Yuan Nie is awing in this role where his character is so believably complicated and conflicted. He has an amazing stage presence as well, and that is easily seen in every physical gesture, confident declaration, temperamental outburst, passionate confession, and down to his subtle calculating expressions and mannerisms. He plays an unforgettable character here.
Lü Buwei is an unwavering force of nature in this series and his character story provides a strange mixture of tragic satisfaction to see him strive, achieve and suffer loss- a character whose strengths are also his weakness. Almost self defeating. I found myself constantly rooting for him despite his almost deplorable villainous tendencies. He is an excellent depiction of an antihero in my opinion and I found him insanely compelling and charismatic, and his lifelong entanglement with Hao Lan was endlessly mesmerizing.
The relationships (partners, friendships, romances) aspect of this series is often very tragic, toxic and twisted, with many one-sided loves, vengeful partners, back stabbing, misunderstandings, betrayals, losses etc. Hao Lan and her love choices are no different, sadly. Add to that there were quite a few characters (villains) that were driven by unrealistic motives and over the top emotions, far too many to name honestly, but thankfully some had last minute epiphanies or redemptive motives revealed. At times this show felt very bleak and stressful feeling. One thing I truly loved was the unshakable friendship between Li Hao Lan and Physician Yin Xiaochun. Beautiful. I also really liked the "three musketeers vibes" between Hao Lan, Lü Buwei and Yi Ren.
Although this is a pretty dark series, there was so much to love. With an amazing memorable cast, cracking character chemistry, tense storyline, political intrigue, beautiful music scores (opening credits included), great sets, locations, costumes, and artistic design. Overall, this was a very great series and had me hooked. There are many great underlying themes as well, such as women's equality, ambition, freedom etc. In some ways this is an ode of feminism as well. And even though I still feel ambiguous about the ending, it's given me so much to think about. Loved it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Intriguing drama with its own FF button <3
I stumbled upon this drama and decided to plunge right in without much research or thought. Wow, it turned out to be a fun and entertaining ride.What I liked about this drama:
- The plot was intriguing as many things were going on. There was a lot of action. The plot was fast-paced. Things happened. Things were revealed.
- The ML was "da bomb"-- handsome! He could be cute. He could be suave. He could be manly. I enjoyed watching him!
- The FL was not a damsel in distress which was nice.
- Everything was explained and well-linked. Everything was tied up nicely despite the fact that this drama was a mini-series. I liked the sense of completion and closure.
- The fighting scenes were quite nicely choreographed.
- There was plenty of "skinship" between ML and FL which was, to me, very lovely. I liked how they sort of could not keep their hands off each other. I liked their hot kisses and their interactions which were full of (sexual) tension.
- I was entertained and intrigued. It was a fun short ride!
What I didn't like:
- This mini-series was a little too rushed in my opinion. Everything seemed to be at 1.25 or even 1.5 speed.
- The jumps from one part to another seemed very "touch and go" -- "here's the explanation, take it and off we go to the next" was how I felt.
Overall, this is an exciting and entertaining mini-series with cute ML! I watched him in "Royal Rumors" but he is finer in this series. I'd say watch it! It's very good! :o)
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The grey areas, handled with care
“What are you more afraid of? More than people harming your body?”“Afraid of the end of everything. Afraid of losing the future. Afraid of losing the present. Afraid of losing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Afraid of confronting.”
The story started simply with the police receiving a report of a rape case happening between a CEO of multinational company and his subordinate. The CEO suavely said it’s mutual relationship, while the lady just seemed shock and unable to affirm anything.
What’s interesting is the approach and direction the Imperfect Victim took to unravel this case through the perspective of Lin Kan, who is the defence lawyer of the CEO, Mr. Cheng. It took a very very long time to figure Lin Kan’s true stance. On one hand, we know she will competently, and perhaps, flawlessly defend her client’s case as a professional lawyer. On the other hand, we remain unsure and intrigued on her next steps as it seems like she empathised, more than any other, with Zhao Xun as a woman herself. I appreciated the dynamics between Lin Kan and Zhao Xun. The kind words and silent understanding that Lin Kan offered when dealing with Zhao Xun. It might be too idealistic, I loved how the former was able to do it in ways that protected both her professional integrity and the latter, despite being the opposing parties.
What really caught my surprise was that I enjoyed how the show patiently and tactfully showed the psychological journey of Zhao Xun go through, as the imperfect victim in this case, from silence to speaking out, from self shaming to facing it, from stepping up to doubting to giving up to accepting herself.
It also tactfully showed the discussions from multiple parties - at the police level on how they deal with cases like this, the honest view of how both genders would interpret the situations, the relationship dynamics between the CEO with his wife and mistress, as well as the impact of seemingly harmless comments by the public and coworkers.
I am not one that seek for dramas that deals with such heavy social topics, but Imperfect Victim did perfectly capture the dilemma that many modern women face in the workplace - on compromise, on tolerance, on numbing, on consent, on support and on asserting.
The visual storytelling, camera angles, story directing and actors / actresses are done well. I can’t imagine how this story will turn with a less capable production team and cast.
This is not a show for everybody, but it is made with everybody in mind, including the men despite being a women-centric show. For a show that deals with such complex social issue - sexual harassment and perceived consent - it somehow manage to bring out the multi perspectives and interpretations tactfully and carefully.
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Most Underrated Series! It deserves more love and appreciation!
This is the series I have been waiting for nearly 1 and half years and it finally dropped without any announcement so understand how surprised I was when the episode 1 aired!Plot- This series takes place in Chinese Republic Era when Opium was really a big issue in China. This story is about a police man whose life turned upside down when his father become opium addicted. Losing his father to the drugs and his mother to cruelty his father made her go through to buy drugs initiated her to "take her own life" Jiang Yue Lou's life was very difficult until he was adopted by Commissioner Bai thus pursuing the career of police to free Jingcheng from drugs. Then we have Chen Yu Zhi a benevolent doctor whose only purpose is to save people regardless of their background. This is a story of a determined yet unstable violent cop and a kind doctor coming together to bring peace to their town that has become victim to the drugs along the way they healed and redeemed each other.
Characters- Jiang Yue Lou seeing his happy family shattering to pieces in front of his eyes due to opium made him hate anyone who is link to the smuggling of the drug. At the very early age he had become the prominent figure in the Police Bruere however he is very arrogant, emotionally unstable, violent and cold in nature. He is intelligent, and righteous but when he loses his temper (very easily I may add) and does things without even caring for the consequences . He is even ready to sacrifice his own life if it means opium smuggling will come to an end. He is very determined and very hard to get along with, only handful people are close to him but even those don't know many pains that Jiang Yue Lou hides to himself due to Jiang Yue Lou having trust issues.
Chen Yu Zhi is completely opposite of Jiang Yue Lou. He is calm and collected, in control of his emotions and very kind and always try to help anyone he can. To him the world is not black and white rather there are lots of shades of grey even then Chen Yu Zhi is willing to help others. Through out the series we see how clever and deep understanding he has of people. He is not naïve, he knows he is living in a Era where China is going through very rough time economically and politically. He is aware that many people had no options but to opt to illegal ways to make a living. He knows the world is cruel to people especially to the poor that is why he tries to be kind to the people even though some may take advantage of his kindness. Through out the series we see how forgiving he is to the people even to those who deeply hurt him.
The relationship between our main leads started in a misunderstanding but slowly it turned into something beautiful and healthy relationship. They trust each other, confines in each others about the pain and secrets that no one one knows. For Jiang Yue Lou Chen Yu Zhi is the lucky star and a blessing. We see that it doesn't take much time for our cop to become smitten with our doctor. From episode 1 we get to see Chen Yu Zhi has a different effect on him. Through out the series we see how slowly Chen Yu Zhi helps Jiang Yue Lou with his bipolar disorder and helps him to learn how to trust others, how to care for others and that loving someone caring for someone is not weakness, showing your true emotions is not a weakness , showed him that the world is not black and white, that it's okay to let go of his anger and his tragic past for a better and peaceful life. Slowly Chen Yu Zhi healed our angry and lonely cop. To a certain degree it felt like Chen Yu Zhi's fate was to heal Jiang Yue Lou. His life mission. The ending at least gave me that impression.
Chu Ran the best Female lead!! I loved how clever and independent she was considering the Era she was in. Despite being in one sided love with Jiang Yue Lou not even once she acted selfishly or did anything bitchy that we usually see in bls often. Rather she was being helpful and respectful to our main leads. She was such a brave woman!!!
The Pros- The acting especially Mao Zi Jun. He is Outstanding actor and its pains me that he is so underrated! A true crime! He had done a phenomenal job portraying such a complex 3 dimensional character. You can see with different character he had different chemistry and his different acting in different scenes. He deserves recognition. Ian was 21 when he filmed this series he very young and it kind of showed. His acting was good but he needs more training and experience. Still his acting in some of the scenes were very good.
The cinematography was so beautiful my god! This show is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. The prop team did an excellent job.
The music!! All the songs are good !
Dubbing was perfect and accurate!
No bitchy female lead trying break up or interfere between the boys! Chu Ran is the best female lead I have seen in a while in C-dramas
The Cons- MGTV and their ridiculous editing! I understand why some scene got deleted but the rest *sigh* The thing with MGTV is that they pick up projects that they can't do justice to!
The inconsistency in the script writing. There are some scenes that really doesn't make sense. Tbh I don't know who to blame because I have listened to audio drama and in that version the inconsistence is basically gone and is more detailed than the drama version. So is it editing fault or what I don't know!
Also I hated how they portrayed Bipolar disorder. I may not have enough knowledge on bipolar but I know for sure the writer has zero idea how a bipolar disorder person functions what struggles they go through and what occurrence makes them have a episode. Seriously I wish especially Asian script writer does their homework before portraying any kind mental illness.
The director! He is not an competent person that's all I will say.
Honestly people watch this series! It's delight to see how Chen Yu Zhi and Jiang Yue Lou slowly falls in love each other! Two different people with completely different characteristic and personality and ideals falls in love! I know some people see this a bromance and I respect that but for me it's clear that these two are in love with each other romantically! The plot is nothing new but the acting and the chemistry between actors is superb! I have deeply fallen in love with this wonderful series! This series really shows how bad some humans can become and for some there is no redemption! Just give it a shot guys!
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1This review may contain spoilers
everyone has their own backstory.
i enjoyed this series! i happen so to randomly come over this series but oh man, i do not regret it. this show is severely underrated btw!this show has its comedy side, touching side and each main character has their own tragic backstory that will be revealed slowly. everyone might be slow, dumb yet goofy but their backstory really breaks my heart. the build up with the backstory is amazing, the way they have healed but the wound opened up again to get the actual closure needed. my top few eps are 14, 16, 18 and 22. if you watch the scene, you would understand why i really enjoyed these episodes.
they are fated that they all met at by jumping of the cliff and naming themselves by the wording 3, 4 and 5 inside in. it was so funny! they are "found family" as they found comfort within each other while facing their struggles, while understanding each other without saying much, while supporting each other and stay with each other no matter what.
i enjoy the friendship between all the characters and if you are wondering if there is any romance... it is like lowkey and not that obvious. you get to enjoy many different cp types of feels. if you are wondering how i am shipping, its 3+5 and 4+ji. i am waiting for the next season as the ending wrote, "the first season ended"
however, mango's subbing is bullshit because as a chinese, i saw the chinese wordings and the english subs, i am closed to vomit blood. it is so so badly subbed. so for those who does not understand, you might need to wait for better subs. like they subbed 你相信我吗? - it was supposed to be "do you believe me?" but they subbed to "do you miss me?" ...??!!
as for the acting, i think they did a good job! the main characters ranges from '97 to '02 and their acting is good! what i love is that their are a lot of dramatic and big expression type of scenes but they are able to not overact and overdo it. with the right amount that you won't think that it is too over the top and get annoyed about it.
it might seem boring at first but as it goes on, it will get better. trust me. anyways, please give this show a chance! thank you~
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One of the few Chinese dramas that I can binge watch and that's saying something -- story is really GOOD! Park Solomon has proven his status as a highly skilled actor - In this drama, he portrayed so many different roles and characters - not only were they impressive, but very believable and passionate. Started this drama because of Park Solomon, I was not disappointed. This drama also had great pacing and a memorable OST (ending).
- STORY -
Story was inspired by the webtoon Lookism. I decided to give it a read after getting into this drama and there were major differences. Despite lots have complained about this drama not following the webtoons, I consider this drama adaption very well done, even better than the webtoons in some aspects. The overall plot is really good but I do have to point out some scenes were kind of off-logic and unbelievable. However, these can be overlooked for the direction of where the plot is trying to go.
- ACTING -
I'm thoroughly impressed by the acting in this series. In fact the best I've seen for a high school youth drama. Park Solomon's duality really shows here with him looking like a sad pathetic puppy to an incredibly confident character. He learned Chinese just for this drama. However, overall the whole supporting casts were very talented as well. As much as I didn't like the chubby WenShuai, his character is made to be pathetic and it was effective.
- MUSIC -
I'm not really picky with OSTs but this drama had good sound design during most scenes and some of the OST was really good and fits with the drama really well. Lookism, the ending OST really really sets the mood for the later half of this drama.
- REWATCH -
Rewatching value is subjective. I really don't rewatch much, but for this drama, I might rewatch a few scenes.
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Truly a masterpiece
What a truly great drama! At first I thought - the men in this show sure are feminine looking. By the end of the show I couldn't believe how great this show is. The amazing story, acting and music . Man oh man, the music is in a league of its own!The plot has some amazing moments that just pull at your heartstrings. Interestingly, this show gets better every time you rewatch it! Don't be scared away by the Boy Love elements. It's really subtle if that's not your thing. I'm not into BL but by the end of this film I wanted the two male leads to live happily ever after!
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In story department, it was rather realistic and not off-putting by any means, I actually cared about every character in this story and not that much about the main relationship, because it was more of a background to everything that was going on in the story.
The cast is interesting, there's a lot of chemistry going on between Song Ji Hyo and Choi Jin Hye, and their scenes were quite funny, especially at the beginning of the drama. I think the character I was most concerned about was Kook Cheon Soo, because he seemed a lot like an average person lost in a giant white world and in himself at the same time; simply an individual who can't connect himself with others - more of a good book character that you grow fond of after awhile, rather than an actual drama character. I also loved Shim Ji Hye's character, she depicts a role model to look up to, and Lee Sung Min was classy as well.
There's a few songs from what I recall, and the usual dramatic tones of ER are there, so I have no complaints about it...but oh, Choi Jin Hyuk can sing quite well? It was an interesting input to a certain episode.
There's a solid rewatch value to this drama, maybe not for these 2-3 episodes that I found quite redundant and filler-like, but the entirety gives much to see even second time around.
Now, for the roundup, I'll admit I watched this in two days, and I think that tells a lot about just how indulging and interesting this drama turned out to be. I'm not usually hyped over hospital dramas or couples been-there-and-back, but the final overall of the drama made it so much more than a rekindled romance with a hospital as its back setting. I'm sure all other reviewers have noticed that as well, seeing as there's much of positive feedback this drama has received. There is, simply, so many aspects of life contained here to relate to.
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I would recommend this drama to everyone! Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first, mainly because of the casting of young Sang Zhi. I felt it might have been better if they had chosen an actress who was actually 14. In fact, I think Zhao Lusi herself could have portrayed that part.
But then again, during puberty, everyone develops differently—some mature later than others. Also, nothing inappropriate happened when she was a minor; it was just an innocent, one-sided crush that eventually blossomed into a beautiful, mutual love when she became an adult.
When she was 14, they only met twice, and then they didn’t see each other for three years. They reconnected when she was 17 and interacted more often for a few months before parting ways again. So it’s not like he was watching her grow up since 14—he was barely present during those years, and even at 17, he was only around for a short time.
It’s very common for teenagers to have a crush on someone older, and in this case, the age gap was 4-5 years. Plus, it was his very first relationship as well. If the age gap had been bigger, or if the male lead had prior dating experience, it would have been harder for me to accept.
Overall, I can confidently say—I loved it!
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Light & Hilariously Fun
It's light and definitively a romantic *comedy,* so if you're looking for something deep or serious, this isn't your drama. That being said, the comedy is, indeed, comedic! The physical comedy is amusing, the misunderstandings are but around funny things and not "if you literally asked one question everything would resolve itself" things, and the friendships that form are unexpected and hilarious. (Assassin-thief sismance for the WIN.) Both leads' acting was great, but the FL *carried* this for many scenes. Her acting and timing are excellent. I laughed so hard at the drunken martial arts posing scene with her and the ML. Are there unrealistic moments? Yes. But this romantic comedy knows what it is—it's very intentional, and you know it's not trying to take itself seriously.(Translation note: It helps to understand the English subtitles, some miscommunications, and the situations better when you know that Chinese uses only one pronoun for both male and female. So "tā" can mean him/her, his/her, or he/she. It's gender non-specific.)
As a gender-bender, it's not bad. They didn't hide her figure well, but her face, hair, and dress could pass as a boy, much more so than in many I've seen. And that she *doesn't* pull it off perfectly is noted early on, so it's not like everyone is pretending to be a brainwashed idiot and see nothing.
The character development isn't massively convincing, and some pieces of the story feel rushed or unexplained, but...hey, it's a short-form comedy. There are scenes of action, intrigue, and angst, but mostly it stays light. The story's serious points (politics, fighting, etc.) are only included as backdrop or fodder for the relationships among the main characters. The romance is slow to build, but very sweet once it picks up, and I like how they grow into a warrior power couple.
Much better than expected" is the summary phrase. Considering it's a comedy built with 10-minute episodes, my standards bar was set low, but this was so much unexpected fun!! I look forward to Season 2.
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A rare comedy with no villains and misunderstandings.
This drama is very refreshing to watch. Critics aside, this an extremely rare NO VILLAINS and NO MISUNDERSTANDINGS drama. Almost all historical shows (wuxia and xianxia) have very heavy political plots and focus on hardships of the couple. But this one is just light and peak comedy.I loved the FL so much omg. She stood up for herself yet was kind for the needy. She also never misunderstood the ML so their "fights" never lasted for a long time. Also, I never ponce though she was ugly because she has the type of smile that can immediately melt anyone.
And of course, Li Hong Yi looks hot as ever. That man is just really handsome. I was skeptical about his character first, but he showed more depth over the course and that was really refreshing.
Liu Scorpio and his wife are just one of a kind. I'll leave it at that. chemistry but
I see a lot of people complaining about the lack of chemistry but I disagree. Yes there aren't many intimate scenes but I think their little things and habits show love in a unique way.
Overall do not be swayed by the negative reviews. Watch it for comedy at the very least. This one also has some great OSTs as a plus. Really loved it!
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1This review may contain spoilers
"Dreaming is a reality to be experienced"
"Dreaming is a reality to be experienced"The Spirealm was not a simple love story, nor was it your typical adventurous romance.
It was much more than that; it was a journey of self-discovery through his own work. Passion, love, and hatred...
Throughout the process, he felt love, hate, resentment, atonement, pity, and sadness for his own characters. He went through a lot.
The dedication and effort he put into creating it, the desire for perfection, and the determination and joy he experienced upon its completion were priceless to me.
I know most people are really disappointed with the ending, but I really loved it, and I enjoyed the romance while it lasted very much.
Let's be honest; he wasn't the only one suffering. I suffered along with him, as did every character I ever loved.
The stories behind each door were terrifyingly good, and the game of guessing what would happen next was simply fun and gut-wrenching!
The music is neither bad nor good; it's just okay.
This was a breath of fresh air in terms of plot and storyline, even with all its flaws. It's a must-watch!
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Quiet, thoughtful and beautiful film. One of my absolute favorites.
I saw a low-res version of this about a year ago. I loved it but could tell I missed some subtleties in the acting, which was brilliant all round. I have just watched it again in better quality and enjoyed it even more. Sure I'll come back to it again at some point and I hardly ever watch things more than once.Sometimes when watching a film with a gay storyline I'm grateful just to see two actors on screen who aren't uncomfortable touching each other, though I wish that was a given. In this, it's not just a matter of good chemistry that can be duplicated from drama to drama; the two male leads are completely immersed and connected. In their one-on-one scenes especially I they both had an incredible intensity and I felt the relationship they created was one unique to this story.
The film tells of how the people in his life are affected by Nagisa's choices and how they gradually come to terms with how things are, take responsibility, care for and respect each other. I'm glad the film attempts to describe the impact made on his wife. There aren't nearly enough depictions of this situation from that perspective - I guess because it's not as appealing to watch.
I think it could have been cut a bit shorter in the second half, but if it was shorter and had a director's cut I'd be watching the extended version for sure, so that's a non-comment :'D
It left me feeling *emotional* but happy to have seen it. And the little girl is a complete joy.
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