Marry My Dead Body (Mandarin)

First of all, this film is not supposed to be taken seriously. The idea is to provide entertainment and this is exactly what the film tries to do. Sure, it may not always succeed, but with its charing leads, some funny dialogues and situations; it is a decent combination of emotions, goofy antics, humor at right places etc. Released on Netflix, this Taiwanese film may not ideally be classified as a queer film, but the lead character, as the title suggests , is gay and the story mostly revolved around him.

Ming-Han is homophobic misogynist detective, and has a female work partner Tsu Ching. On use of excessive force and homophobic slurs while apprehending a perpetrator who ends up having strings connection, Ming-Han is demoted to a smaller police station. Things change when both the folks are chasing a drug dealer. After getting his car stuck in the chase, he’s forced to pick up the leftover evidence while Tzu-ching chases down the criminal on foot. He mistakes a red envelope as part of the evidence and picks it up, which turns out to be a set-up. A grandmother has tricked him into a ghost marriage for her deceased grandson, Mao Mao If he doesn’t comply, bad luck will follow. And until he agrees to the marriage. However, Ming Han dismisses her and doesn't take this superstition seriously. She curses him, claiming that he will experience misfortune. And he actually does, and is forced to say yes to the wedding. At the wedding night, Ming Han is stunned when he can see Mao Mao, a ghostly apparition who manifests himself in physical form. Ming Han reacts awfully and offends Mao with homophobic insults. The angry ghost pesters him in retaliation. Ming Han finally agrees to help Mao Mao, who it turns out was kill din a car accident. Ming Han vows to get Mao Mao justice, so that he can peacefully move on to the afterlife. And in the process he gets to earn to not judge anyone. It is times like these where Ming-Han is forced to confront his internal biases.

I am not aware of this ghost adding superstition in Chinese culture, so apologies but somehow I found the whole scenario totally believable. The film is an interesting combination of comedic supernatural tale with Asian folklore, a police investigation, and LGBTQ+ themes. The script is very focused and it finds an interesting way to overlap Mao Mao's hot and run to the drug chase that Ming Han was involved in. Slowly, the layers are peeled for us on what really happened with Mao Mao. All he wanted was to be loved and accepted by one person. Unable to communicate this while alive, it is Ming-Han who opens the door for communication and allows Mao Mao to unburden himself. Slowly you see the change in Ming-Han's character an dit is very heartwarming to see how much they both start caring for each other. The movie has a knack for making you laugh, cry, and think profoundly about its themes. The internal police mole comes as a surprise but the film still handles it with humor, which is fun. The whole story about Mao Mao's father's reservation to show his love and care for his son and how devastating that ended up being was done brilliantly. Ming-Han and Mao Mao aren’t romantic partners. The movie teases a few affectionate moments between the leads, but their bond remains platonic without transforming into physical intimacy. It's a shame since Ming Han and Mao would make a dreamy couple. But hey, part of me is glad they didn't force it.

The two lead actors bounce off each other with elan and rapport. That comes naturally. Mao Mao is flamboyant, happy, and comfortable with himself. He’s not afraid to call out Ming-Han’s behavior, going as far as to possess him at points to get Ming-Han to stop calling him slurs, leading to a very memorable & hilarious nude running scenes of the film. The movie is most enjoyable when showcasing the playful interactions between the two leads. From snappy banter to naughty pranks, Ming Han and Mao form a dynamic duo with sizzling chemistry. It is important to point out that we do get to see Ming Han's ass a few times and Man! I think it deserves a special mention on how good and round it is. But it is charming character of Mao Mao which is what kept me hooked to the film. Also, how cute is he!! Phew. The ending is bittersweet when Mao Mao finally gets the closure. But the film reminds us that love comes in all shapes and sizes. Love is not confined to romance. It embodies how we are around those we care about. These two were ideal partners . My one complaint about the film is somehow it felt longer. With a tighter editing, this silly yet mature, emotional yet funny film could have provided even a more wholesome journey. (7.5/10)