Shanghai Kiss (2007)

An Asian-American actor, living in Los Angeles, is forced to reconsider his roots as well as the possibilities afforded him by his present situation after suddenly inheriting his grandmother's home in Shanghai.

Directors:

Kern Konwiser, David Ren

Writer:

David Ren

Stars:

Ken Leung, Hayden Panettiere, Kelly Hu

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ken Leung	...	Liam Liu
Hayden Panettiere	...	Adelaide Bourbon
Kelly Hu	...	Micki Yang
Joel David Moore	...	Joe Silverman (as Joel Moore)
James Hong	...	Mark Liu - Liam's Dad
Kathleen Lancaster	...	Georgia
Lorna Scott	...	Casting Director
Spencer Redford	...	Jessica / Cute Blonde
Steve Connell	...	Casting Director (voice)
Brian Gardner	...	Young Handsome Guy
Timothy Bottoms	...	Adelaide's Father
Summer Altice	...	Virginia
Oliver Yan	...	Ling Ming
Byron Mann	...	Jai Li
Chen Li	...	Amy

Storyline

A struggling Chinese-American actor, who unwittingly finds himself involved with a high school girl, learns he has inherited his grandmother's home in Shanghai. The American-raised character moves to China in an attempt to connect with his ancestry, leaving behind quite possibly the only girl who has ever loved him.

---

Plot Keywords:

actor | shanghai | chinese american | high school | china | 

---

Taglines:

Love needs no translation.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Bigfoot Entertainment Official site

Country:

USA China Hong Kong

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

17 March 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Shanghai Kid

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Konwiser Brothers, Bigfoot Entertainment, China Film Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min 100 min (European Film Market) 91 min (TV)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where Liam and Micki are watching a movie, Liam mentions how The Rock sounds like Richard Simmons and Micki asks 'Who is the Rock?'. Kelly Hu starred in The Scorpion King with Dwayne Johnson (The Rock).

---

Goofs

When Joel returns to the table he is clearly seen holding a single serving butter pack in his left hand as he sits down, but as we switch to a different camera angle, he is holding a fork.

---

Quotes

Liam Liu: Every time I go out on something, Joe, it's always for some Kung Fu Deli Store Computer Chinese...
Joe Silverman: You're a Chinese guy, you're gnna go for roles for little Chinese guys.
Liam Liu: That is bullshit, I was born in New York, how about a role for somebody in New York?
Joe Silverman: Nobody asked you to quit college and try your hands in the lucrative world of motion picture and television.
Liam Liu: What am I gonna do with a degree, I'm gonna spend 8 hours a day, trapped in a little cubicle, making one of those desktop zen guards.

---

Connections

References Charlie's Angels (2000)

---

Soundtracks

"Home"
Written by David Kitay and David Baerwald
Performed by Hayden Panettiere
Courtesy of Hollywood Records

User Reviews

Can't Resist Shanghai Kiss

There is something irresistible about Shanghai Kiss. The story is humorous, romantic, and thought-provoking at many different levels. A young Asian-American in search of his identity, played by Ken Leung, befriends a precocious teenager, played by Hayden Panettiere. Ken gave a brilliant performance as the witty, sensitive, and endearing young man. He was so natural that at no point did I doubt that he was that character. Hayden simply lights up the screen. Her eyes sparkle, and when she smiles, it just melts the audience's heart. As the story continues, Ken inherits a house in Shanghai, and meets a woman played by the lovely Kelly Hu. There are other relationships interwoven into the story, such as Ken's troubled relationship with his father, and his friendship with his straight-shooter nerdy buddy played superbly by Joel David Moore. I can barely do justice in describing how interesting the storyline is and how clever and humorous the dialogs are. But one thing I can say is that you would not be able to resist thinking about this film for days afterwards.