Movies

New York News Local News Blog The NYPD Tapes Banksy in NYC Banksy NYC Locations Archives Search Weekly Newsletter Get Mobile

ARCHIVES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

New York Events Top Picks Submit an Event Events Newsletter Get Mobile Entertainment Ads Free Will Astrology Tickets Brooklyn Pour 2013

New York Music Music Blog Concert Calendar Pazz & Jop New York Nightlife Submit an Event Music Newsletter Get Mobile NYC 4Knots Music Fest

ARCHIVES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

New York Restaurants Food Blog Find a Restaurant Happy Hours Deals Choice Streets Dining Newsletter Get Mobile Restaurant Ads

ARCHIVES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

New York Arts New York Theater Arts Newsletter Get Mobile Entertainment Ads Obie Awards Books Dance Art

ARCHIVES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

New York Movies Showtimes Film Poll Trailers Podcast Film Newsletter Stephanie Zacharek Get Mobile Repertory Film Free Stuff

Things to do in New York 2013 2012 2011 2010 Best Of Newsletter Get Mobile Best Of Ads

New York Promotions Promotional Events Street Team Free Stuff Promotions Newsletter Get Mobile Deals Holiday Spirits Brooklyn Pour Tickets

New York Classifieds Post an Ad Virtual Career Fair Advertiser Index Deals Deals Newsletter After Dark

Top

film

Stories

"Blue Is the Warmest Color"

By Stephanie Zacharek
"The Middle Ages on Film: Vikings!"

By Alan Scherstuhl
"The Square"

By Michelle Orange
Chantal Akerman's New York

By Melissa Anderson
"All Is Lost"

By Alan Scherstuhl
Celebrating the Late Karen Black at BAM

By Stephanie Zacharek
"12 Years a Slave"

By Stephanie Zacharek
"Machete Kills"

By Amy Nicholson

Lost for Words Dodges Platitudes in Its Subdued Charm

A A A Comments (0) By Steve Erickson Wednesday, Oct 16 2013

<i>Lost for Words</i> Dodges Platitudes in Its Subdued Charm

Perhaps only an expat like American–born, Hong Kong–based director Stanley J. Orzel could create a tribute to his adopted city as loving as Lost for Words.

Orzel's budget apparently extended to helicopter shots of Hong Kong's skyscrapers, and he takes in many of the city's other attractions as well. Fortunately, there's far more to his slickly directed film than mere virtual tourism; pitched somewhere between art film and melodrama, it recalls Peter Chan's classic Comrades, Almost a Love Story in its depiction of frustrated romance.

In summary, the plot could sound like a bad rom-com: White American ex-Marine Michael (Sean Faris) takes a job in IT in Hong Kong, and, jogging one day, literally runs into Chinese ballerina Anna (Grace Huang). They become friends and start meeting to polish their skills in each other's native languages. Eventually, this blossoms into love. Lost for Words is surprisingly subdued and deliberately paced, slowly observing the growing attraction between Michael and Anna. Despite a sometimes overbearing score, it dodges almost every chance for cheap drama until the final 15 minutes.

Trailer

Location Info

Map

AMC Empire 25

234 W. 42nd St.
New York, NY 10036

Category: Movie Theaters

Region: West 40s

2 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare

Details

Lost for Words
Directed by Stanley J. Orzel
Studio Strada
Opens October 18, AMC Empire 25

Follow @VoiceFilmClub

Subscribe to the Voice Film Club podcast

More About

The finale suddenly suggests a possible "faith-based" agenda and changes the tone considerably, but it's not enough to diminish the rest of the film. The weakest link is Faris: His performance is a bit stiff, and his character is never quite believable as a traumatized tough guy or even a driven computer geek. To Orzel's credit, he seems to know how to work around it and avoid clichés about cross-cultural romance.

Follow @VoiceFilmClub

Subscribe to the Voice Film Club podcast