Wax on, tune out

• Source: Global Times
• [14:30 June 30 2010]
• Comments

And it is not just the landscape that has been Chinese-ified for Western audiences. Meiying's character is a composite of two further stereotypes, being as she is an extremely dedicated violin prodigy who is continually being pressured by her overbearing, traditional-minded parents.

Such lazy characterization could be perhaps excused in a film with more than one simple idea at its center. But the lack of interesting material results in a number of tedious scenes involving Meiying, such as when her perfectionist music teacher (another cliché) cruelly lambasts her excellent playing.

Again, when Meiying's parents demand that she stops spending time with Dre, before later relenting in a heart-warming "they-aren't-that-bad-after-all" moment, the whole episode unfolds with tedious inevitability.

The two highlights of the film are the performances from Chan and Smith. Although still far too young to be able to carry a movie on his own, Smith has a relaxed and comfortable on-screen manner and seems set for a busy next few years, propelled by his power-couple parents.

Chan's action scenes are limited, but he gives a strong straight-acting performance, giving the audience a compelling bumbling, sad-eyed janitor.

Taraji Penda Henson, who starred opposite Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008, adds very little to the movie.

Her dialogue is pretty much limited to talking about how tired she is and chastising young Dre for various domestic misdemeanors, such as not hanging his coat up or being late. Her exasperated mother characterization is solid enough, but is the only behavioral trait that is explored, so quickly becomes wearisome.

At one point Henson's Sherry implies that her and Dre were somehow forced into coming to Beijing and could not return.

Unfortunately this potentially interesting subplot is not touched on again; another poor decision from a director who desperately needed extra material.