Review of Shanghai Calling (2012) by Jea L — 09 Feb 2013

Shanghai Calling is an entertaining romantic comedy and very accurate portrayal of expatriate life in Shanghai, China. Daniel Hsia, the writer and director, has created a funny and strangely personal adventure of an American executive navigating the personal and professional idiosyncrasies of modern expat/Chinese culture.

I can attest to this given I also was an expat executive in Shanghai. (Several scenes are shot in Vizcaya, the exact same housing complex I lived in from 2005 to 2008.) While it may not be as funny for those that haven't had similar experiences, there is still enough unique comedy scenes to make it an enjoyable romp for most.

What makes it stand out from most of Hollywood's stereotypical coverage of life in China is that it takes conventional perceptions of China and turns them on its head.