"Opposites attract" with "jerk male lead" is a standard and well-worn trope, but its execution here was awful and fundamentally misogynistic. In a Drama, the "jerk male lead" will end up somehow "redeeming" himself by doing something, usually several somethings, that prove he really cares for the female lead.
But in this Drama, ALL the giving was one way. The ONLY thing the male lead ever did for the female lead was not something she wanted him to do. It was an unhealthy, basically abusive relationship, she did everything he wanted, he took over her life, he did NOTHING for her, nothing at all that benefited her or put her interests ahead of his, ever. I would happily challenge any fan of the film to name one positive thing he did for her. Even the very final scene shows him giving her an order and shows her complying with it, exactly as always throughout the film. Very troubling.
I found this even more annoying because I really liked the two leads. They sparked well, and had the relationship been more even, more give and take, the chemistry could have made this a really solid example of the genre. An opportunity missed, but I''ll definitely be looking out for the very lovely, and very busy, Ms Zhou again
But in this Drama, ALL the giving was one way. The ONLY thing the male lead ever did for the female lead was not something she wanted him to do. It was an unhealthy, basically abusive relationship, she did everything he wanted, he took over her life, he did NOTHING for her, nothing at all that benefited her or put her interests ahead of his, ever. I would happily challenge any fan of the film to name one positive thing he did for her. Even the very final scene shows him giving her an order and shows her complying with it, exactly as always throughout the film. Very troubling.
I found this even more annoying because I really liked the two leads. They sparked well, and had the relationship been more even, more give and take, the chemistry could have made this a really solid example of the genre. An opportunity missed, but I''ll definitely be looking out for the very lovely, and very busy, Ms Zhou again
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