Looking at the title, the poster and even the trailer, "Keep You Safe" doesn't seem to have much to look forward to, and even reveals a bit of a "bad movie" feeling.
But the movie has completely overturned the netizens' original perception.
"Embarrassing but sincere, silly but touching", "comedy label does not lie, the kernel has depth, directly hit the human nature", "black humor to the extreme", "more and more solid". "More and more solid" ...... Such praise represents the audience's affirmation of Roc's work on this satirical commercial comedy film.
The story is simple, but the theme is focused and the narrative is smooth
The core of the story of "Keeping You Safe" is "open your mouth to spread rumors, and throw your legs to dispel them".
As a cemetery salesman, Wei Pingan (played by Da Peng) has reached middle age, but his career is in shambles. Even his wife has become an ex-wife. To his daughter, he is also unreliable.
It's the kind of guy who blows people away after the fact.
He went through ups and downs to clear up rumors on behalf of his late client Han Lu (Song Xi), even getting himself into cyber violence, but he never gave up and eventually brought the truth to light.
As a director, Dapeng tells the story smoothly and naturally, with tears amidst the laughter.
From the phone call Wei Pingan receives at his daughter's school performance, to being told that Han Lu is facing "mandatory expulsion" for rumor mongering, to the source of the rumor making "phone calls" until the culprit is found.
During this process, characters with different identities appear one after another. Pet store owners, haunted house workers, square dance aunts, retired cadres, private entrepreneurs, heads of companies and liars "Mr. Perfect 421" and so on, in the form of "labeling" to form a complete "community! "
What is this?
While it may seem like there are a lot of characters on stage.
But Roc's cleverness lies in the fact that he always focuses on Wei Pingan and Han Lu, one bright and one dark. It's a "big bang" situation.
Or moved or sad, or happy, because of the previous premonition, all the emotions will become watertight.
There are enough jokes not to be awkward, and Li Xueqin gives a stunning performance
The best comedies often have a sad core.
The presentation of the "sad core" in Be Safe hits the nail on the head, and it's a meaningful one. And Roc's comedic take on the story is well-crafted.
After the "mix of sadness and joy", the whole story is, as netizens say, "a hell of a joke written for reality", dark and absurd, especially the motives of the rumor-mongers at the end, which pulls the satirical effect to the extreme.
Besides the comedy, the most gripping part of the movie is the part about the haunted house.
Wei Pingan tracks down the source of the rumors, only to find that one of them comes from his sister Wei Ruyi (Li Xueqin), and angrily goes on a quest to find the haunted house where she works.
The scene combines elements of horror and comedy.
Because she knows the staff and the setup of the arena, Wei Pingan, who is calm and cool and inexplicably "superior" throughout the scene, is an interesting contrast to the handful of players who are scared away. The game was a battle of wits and courage.
Li Xueqin, who is well known to netizens for her stand-up comedy, also showed her expressive power on the big screen with a very "natural" performance. Her performance is relaxed, delicate and vivid, without the stiffness and rigidity of a "newcomer".
If the haunted house scene is "exaggerated and fun", then Wei Pingan's "fight" with Boss Kim is "punching the clock to reality".
The numbered queues, the microphone exchanges, and the one-sided "domineering" end to the conversation should make most people understand and easily grasp the essence of Gener.
Small props, big heart, real attention to detail
The attention to detail is another highlight of "Keep You Safe".
From Wei Pingan's appearance to the setting of important props and character names, all of them are quite meaningful.
From his appearance to the end, Wei Pingan always has green hair and wears a green hat in the center. Plus the current husband of his supposed ex-wife, the reason for their divorce is not as simple as he makes it out to be in the movie.
Also, looking at the portrait of Guan Gong in his car, wounded and imprisoned for his brother, splashed red in the face by a pet store owner, the green hair seems to be a metaphor for his character again - a green hero, who sees the way of the world and does what is right.
Yoon Jung as the pet store owner, the spray paint in his hand, the white rabbit in the store, the phrase "I'm sorry white rabbit", all indicate his identity.
When Wei Pingan went to see his daughter's performance, he bought a bouquet of Kitty flowers. After he failed to send his daughter, he put the bouquet in front of Han Lu's tombstone. When he later moved Han Lu's grave, the bouquet fell on the grass and HelloKitty on it was stepped on.
And the Japanese cartoon cat was dubbed "the cat with no mouth" on the Internet -- Han Lu has passed away, and she can no longer answer or clarify these smears and rumors.
Also related to Hanlu is White Horse, who appears twice in the movie.
In ancient Chinese culture, the white horse symbolizes holiness. The significance of using it as Hanlu's avatar is self-evident.
And then there's the rumor-monger "Mr. Perfect 421".
The number "421" itself is a celebrity gossip circulating on the Internet. When it becomes the name of the rumor monger in the movie, it can be considered synonymous with rumors. The setting and use of these details and props add to the characterization and plot advancement.
A good movie is not only entertaining, but also has a "stinging sense of reality".
Darpeng once admitted in an interview that the reason why he wanted to shoot "Keep You Safe" was because he was affected by the "girl picking up the courier was rumored" incident, and he thought that as a cultural creator, he had the responsibility to focus on social issues.
In the Internet era, there is a lot of chaos.
The rumor of picking up a courier, the rumor of dyeing her hair pink, and the rumor of taking a picture with her family are all rumors. The "keyboard warrior" hides behind the Internet, making up a sentence at random, or venting when he is in a bad mood, and spreading it can ruin a person's life with the evil.
All of us can be victims of the "keyboard warrior".
In the movie, Han Lu became innocent because of Wei Pingan's efforts. What about in reality?
I hope the world will be more kind.
Even if you can't be Wei Pingan, don't be "421".