Snowfall In Taipei
Huo Jianqi
China’s Huo Jianqi had previously directed the well-received drama Postmen In The Mountains (2002). Unfortunately, it turns out that he has no feel for romance at all.
In this film, the cheerful do-gooder Hsiao-mo (Chen Bo-lin’s charm is wasted here) is paired with the bland singer-on-the-run May (Zhang Ziyi lookalike Tong Yao).
Too much time is spent on her story – she has lost her voice, various people are looking for her, and none of it is urgent or interesting.
Meanwhile, there is a not-quite- romance between Hsiao-mo and May as she pines after a music producer who spouts lines such as “Rain is the poetry of the world”.
Given her dubious taste in men, it is hard to care whom she ends up with.
It does not help that Huo includes, without a trace of irony, a dated music video montage scene set to singer Meng Ting-wei’s To Taipei To See The Rain In Winter.
Even worse, he manages to use indie singer-songwriter Cheer Chen’s songs in a way that makes them seem twee instead of deeply felt.
At least he cannot mangle the scenic setting of the film.
Just as Cape No. 7 (2008) boosted Hengchun’s tourism, Snowfall In Taipei makes you feel like making a trip to Chingtung old town the next time you are in Taiwan.
(ST)