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| Lost in Thailand |
Lost in Thailand is China's highest grossing movie for 2012. Three oddball characters face a series of misadventures in Thailand while learning some important lessons along the way.
Xu Lang, a scientist, must convince his boss to grant him sufficient time to research and refine his latest invention - a chemical with the power to increase the volume of any liquid that it comes in contact with.
Gao Bo, Xu Lang's colleague and professional rival, wants to convince their boss to sell this research to a French company instead.
The boss is vacationing in Thailand and has agreed to go with the suggestion made by the colleague that finds him first. Xu Lang takes off for Thailand immediately, closely tailed by Gao Bo. Xu Lang is also in the midst of divorce proceedings initiated by his
wife, who has grown frustrated with his workaholic nature and neglect of
their daughter. She keeps calling up and reminding him to turn up in court in a couple of days, not quite believing him when he says that he really can't come this time.
While on the plane, he meets Wang Bao, who has brought along a list of activities he wants to undertake - plant a cactus, fight a Muay Thai boxer and visit a spa. He works as a pancake cook and is a bit of an earnest simpleton. Xu Lang tags along with Wang Bao to throw Gao Bo off his trail - but Gao keeps catching up with them. He only has a picture of a shrine where his boss is vacationing and drags along Wang Bao with him to find it, promising to help him achieve the tasks on his list. Along the way Xu Lang loses his money, phone, laptop and very nearly his sanity but he also learns the importance of relationships and re-calibrates his moral compass.
The story is light weight and the movie relies on the chemistry between the characters to move forward. Although billed as a comedy, the only chuckles to be had are from the dazed expressions on the characters faces as they must come-to-terms with the helplessness of their situations.
Xu Zheng - who also the director - is adequate as the uptight scientist, Huang Bo is a decent nerdy, evil colleague and the charming, dimpled Wang Baoqiang fits the simpleton role to a T.
For a debut directorial effort this is a really good movie and a pleasant enough experience although it doesn't quite live up to its 'blockbuster' tag. Be prepared to be assailed by thoughts such as 'is this supposed to be funny?", "was this really a $200 mn grosser?".
