Shanghai Kiss

Reviewed by Christine Lee
Directed by: Kem Konwiser, David Ren
Starring: Ken Leung, Hayden Panettiere, Kelly Hu

A feature debut by David Ren and Kern Konwiser, Shanghai Kiss is a personal story about the struggles of a second-generation Chinese-American as he seeks to understand his own identity and culture. Ken Leung (Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand) plays Liam Liu, an unsuccessful actor trying to make it in LA's predominantly white film industry. He relies on his alcoholic father for allowances and leads a lonely existence except for an ambiguous relationship with a vivacious teenager (Hayden Panettiere, Heroes). When Liam’s grandmother dies unexpectedly, she leaves him a house in Shanghai and Liam travels to China in hopes of selling the property. Liam’s plans change after he falls in love with a beautiful Chinese woman (Kelly Hu, X2) and as he travels between America and China, Liam recognizes the disconnection between his two lives, eventually coming to terms with his cultural heritage and background.