I remember having a conversation with a paparazzi friend of mine during the Toronto International Film Festival where that night he had chosen to “stalk” Zhang ZiYi during her film screening of The Banquet. By that time I had grown incredibly tired seeing her in period pieces and loudly remarked someone needs to throw a T-shirt and jeans on her and into a romantic comedy. He agreed. After the screening that night, I looked down below from our balcony seats to find Zhang ZiYi seated just below us.
Now sporting both leading actress and producers cap, Zhang’s first film is a China-Korea co-production entitled Sophie’s Revenge about a comic book artist (Zhang ZiYi) plotting to get her fiance (South Korea’s heartthrob So Ji Sup) back who left her for an actress (Fang Bingbing). Her vivid imagination runs wild along with her bandit of co-conspirators – high jinks and hilarity ensue.
I’m not much of a Zhang fan — anymore at least — but seeing her in a film like this doing campy comedy is refreshing and certainly different than her glamour-pouty image. From the trailer, previews and a five minute camcorder clip, it LOOKS entertaining and fun to watch. I’m guessing it’s also the same production company that also produced the Fitted for Love romantic-comedy films* which did very well in the China box office because it has that same quirky fluffy feel. I just hope the censors don’t keep it too PG.
(* Fitted for Love 2 starring Karena Lam was a good film with the worst ending pay-off.)
