Joyful Reunion (飲食男女—好遠又好近)

I watched Joyful Reunion, which was billed as a sequel to Ang Lee’s ‘Eat Drink Man Woman'. The film relies on the same concept of mixing food and human relationships. The film's focus is on a narratively uneven tale about two families in China and Taiwan, delivered with a message of reunification.

I always appreciate films that deliver messages and leaves viewers in a state of reflection. But instead of reflecting, I thought the film was poorly directed that it leaves so many gaps - leaving me to ponder with the message of whether they could have done better.

The gaps are as such:
1. Set in modern-day China (with the use of iPhone 4), both characters, chef Tang Shizhe and Pai Ping, recalled about the past. The past should have occurred around 1940, as it was the start of war in China. With a difference of 72 years, shouldn't the characters be approximately 88 years old? Shouldn't these old people struggle to walk, rather than show that ability to dance in clubs?

2. Both Shizhe and Pai Ping have vastly different characters. Yet they were lovers when they were 16 years old. What made them like each other in the first place?

3. Both Wa’er and boyfriend, Chang Chuan  lived in different worlds. With no attempt to indulge us in their characters, we were not able to understand what was his initial character strength that attracted Wa'er?

4. There was no climax and no twist. There was also no need to guess the ending. Afterall, the title of the movie says it all. The entire plot has been summarised into 2 words, and all of us know the 2 words.

Well, I think I just became a harsh movie critic...