Event

2007-10-05 Shanghai Kiss

Directed by Kern Konwiser & David Ren (2007, 105 min, Color, Video, USA). In this witty, uproarious romantic comedy, Ken Leung (X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, THE SOPRANOS) plays Liam Liu, a struggling actor who discovers he has inherited his family's home in China. But first he must convince his young Beverly Hills girlfriend, played by Hayden Panettiere (HEROES), that he will soon return to her after he deals with the sale of the property. While exploring Shanghai, a foreign city where Liam feels disconnected because of cultural and language barriers, he finds comfort in a chance encounter with Kelly Hu (X2, AMERICANESE) at a local bar. Between developing a newfound relationship and phone calls to the girl he left behind in America, Liam's conflicted emotions cause him to reassess his ties to his Chinese roots.

Largely shot in Shanghai, this co-directed film by Kern Konwiser and David Ren captures the beauty and personality of the bourgeoning metropolis as intimate nuances of the city are revealed. Doubling as screenwriter, Ren stages humorous scenes among well-developed, interesting characters. As he joins the cast of LOST next season, actor Ken Leung adds to his long string of strong performances with his deft sense of comic timing in this rare romantic leading man role for an Asian American male in a feature film.