Imagine that a fortune teller could inspire you to question your relationship choices, and give you strength to embark on a long journey to find the love of your life. After Fang Yuan’s (Tang Wei) fortune is told twice, she becomes entirely convinced that she is destined to marry Song Kunming, the man predicted to be her husband. Except she has no idea who this Song Kunming is.
“Only You,” based on Norman Jewison’s 1994 film starring Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr., is a gorgeous film on many different planes: cinematographically beautiful, witty, provokingly deep, and emotionally investing.
The film enters as Fang Yuan is opting to marry a man other than Song Kunming; yet, simultaneously, destiny seems to fall in Fang Yuan’s lap when she gets a call from Song Kunming just months before her wedding. She decides to search for him in Italy, where he said he would be traveling.
When she finally meets who she thinks is Song Kunming, he asks her which matters more: that he has feelings for her, or that his name is Song Kunming. She responds by saying, “As long as your name is Song Kunming, nothing can go wrong,” immediately setting up the film to deflate this statement.
Fang Yuan discovers that the Song Kunming she searched for and found is not her truly fated love, and she realizes her destiny is much more complicated than she’d originally thought. The man who has woven his way into her heart is actually Feng Dali (Liao Fan), instead of Song Kunming. She begins to wonder if her destined fortune is less promising than the life she’s been formulating through free will.
Fang Yuan’s heart begins to open to Feng Dali and his charming character. At the same instant, new doors are opened up within the film itself, giving an extra dimension the film hadn’t yet introduced.
In one scene, the two “almost lovers” playfully stand 10 feet apart from one another in front of lights, making their shadows appear large on a building next to them. Fang Yuan and Feng Dali engage in a shadow fight with one another, and then finally let their shadows kiss. This scene is an exuberant way of showing the characters’ love for one another and their personalities, while still giving space for the distance they feel between each other.
Although a bit long and drawn out in parts, “Only You” continuously captivates the viewer’s attention. There is an invisible string of suspense that is sure to keep the viewer enthralled throughout the entire film, never quite clueing in the viewer to how the story is bound to end.
Despite a couple of cliche moments any romantic comedy is bound to be plagued with, “Only You” is a creatively thought-up story that puts a spin on classic romantic comedy tropes. The film explores what it means to be in love, and to what extent destiny has anything to do with such an emotion.
The genuine acting and impressive shots match the deep questions provoked by the intricate writing throughout the film. What happens when fate isn’t as described? What happens when chasing destiny is far more difficult than it is easy? Which is more important: love felt, or love imagined?
Is Fang Yuan’s dream the same as her destiny? Is she writing her own destiny in the process of searching for her fate so vigorously?
These questions are not fully explained or answered by the end of the film. But just the right amount of loose ends are left in order to give viewers room to keep thinking about the film.
“Only You” succeeds in asking heavy questions about complex topics, while still maintaining humorous and light-hearted themes throughout the film. Stunning landscapes and vivid colors further the positive viewing experience this film provokes.
The verdict: Thought provoking, hilarious, romantic, and in a foreign language: perfect for any movie-goer’s interest.
Reach writer Rebecca Gross at arts@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @becsgross
