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American Dreams in China

Original title: Zhong Guo he huo ren
  • 2013
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
American Dreams in China (2013)
Drama

The story of three friends who build a successful English language school in China called "New Dream". This school helps the dreams of Chinese teenagers come true. Before they stood proudly ... Read allThe story of three friends who build a successful English language school in China called "New Dream". This school helps the dreams of Chinese teenagers come true. Before they stood proudly in the American stock market, many stories happened with them.The story of three friends who build a successful English language school in China called "New Dream". This school helps the dreams of Chinese teenagers come true. Before they stood proudly in the American stock market, many stories happened with them.

  • Director
    • Peter Ho-Sun Chan
  • Writers
    • Oi-Wah Lam
    • Ji Zhang
    • Zhiyong Zhou
  • Stars
    • Xiaoming Huang
    • Dawei Tong
    • Chao Deng
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    2.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Peter Ho-Sun Chan
    • Writers
      • Oi-Wah Lam
      • Ji Zhang
      • Zhiyong Zhou
    • Stars
      • Xiaoming Huang
      • Dawei Tong
      • Chao Deng
    • 11User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 31 wins & 32 nominations

    Photos

    American Dreams in China (2013)
    American Dreams in China (2013)
    American Dreams in China (2013)
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    Top cast

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    Xiaoming Huang
    Xiaoming Huang
    • Cheng Dongqing
    Dawei Tong
    Dawei Tong
    • Wang Yang
    Chao Deng
    Chao Deng
    • Meng Xiaojun
    Juan Du
    Juan Du
    • Su Mei
    Daniel Martin Berkey
    • Board Executive
    Georg Anton
    Georg Anton
    • U.S. Consular Officer
    Tina Collins
    • Girlfriend
    • (voice)
    Allen Enlow
    Allen Enlow
    • Dream Lawyer
    Lun Feng
    • Businessman
    Caitlin Fitzgerald
    • EES lawyer
    Cui-Ying Gong
    • Cheng Dongqing's mother
    Jin Jin
    Jin Jin
    • Yenching University student
    Haowen Lei
    • Meng Xiaojun, aged 6
    Tianzuo Liu
    • Niu Yongxiao
    Barbara Malley
    • Elderly woman in restaurant
    Claire Quirk
    • Lucy
    Bettina Skye
    Bettina Skye
    • Waitress
    Xiaofeng Tang
    • Professor of History
    • Director
      • Peter Ho-Sun Chan
    • Writers
      • Oi-Wah Lam
      • Ji Zhang
      • Zhiyong Zhou
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Connections
      Referenced in Running Man: Mi Mi He Huo Ren (2015)

    User reviews11

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    the film was never about business after all
    I thought Chan Ho-sun's latest movie, American Dreams in China, would be a more masculine version of Zhao Wei's So Young. But not quite, as it turns out.

    Although the film depicts a nostalgic campus life full of idealism for the future and the impulses of love, the story is more about starting out after innocent youth has faded.

    Through the intertwined destinies of the movie's protagonists, the audience witnesses a triangle of friendship, career ambitions and personal dreams seemingly collapse as three best friends desperately try to tie and twist these elements together.

    That's why Wang Yang (Tong Dawei), one of the three best friends, who start a business together, shares this lesson of life: "Never start a business with your best friends."

    He may be right. After all, no matter how close they are, differences in their professional and personal aspirations can drive friends apart. Every individual has a distinct outlook on the world and their future, which determines the trajectory of their career and life.

    Without knowing of Meng Xiaojun's (Deng Chao) struggles in the US and his disillusion toward the country, there's no way Cheng Dongqing (Huang Xiaoming) can understand why Meng is pushing all the agendas so hard. The parting of the invincible trio, to some extent, is predestined.

    Even so, despite these differences, friendship always prevails. Cheng's difficulties become a podium on which the three friends stand together. It's through the emotional connection they developed over many years that they finally overcome their differences and reform the alliance.

    What the film tries to convey is the triumph of brotherhood, which dates back to our naive, passionate youth when unconditional bonds of emotion are shaped.

    So the film was never about business after all.
    helpful•4
    3
    • buoyantlzq
    • Feb 7, 2014

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 17, 2013 (China)
    • Country of origin
      • China
    • Language
      • Mandarin
    • Also known as
      • 海闊天空
    • Filming locations
      • Beijing, China
    • Production companies
      • China Film Co., Ltd.
      • Edko Films
      • Media Asia Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $87,097,067
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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