In Marry My Dead Body, Ming-han gets married to the ghost of Mao-mao. It is deduced that faith brought them together, and it is eventually proven when they work on a case together. The movie is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Ming-han is a homophobic straight cop who is selfish and cares only about himself. When he messes up while trying to catch a drug dealer, he is kept out of the fun part and asked to pick up evidence left on the crime scene.
Ming-han ends up picking up a red envelope, apart from the evidence. The old women around him gather and tell him that the ghost of Mao Pang-Yu, also known as Mao-mao, has chosen Ming-han to be his husband.
Initially, Ming-han ridicules this idea until the curse put on him for not marrying Mao-mao comes true. To protect himself, he marries Mao-mao’s ghost. However, this only invites more complications in his life when Mao-mao’s ghost truly appears in front of Ming-han.
Performances
Greg Hsu, as Wu Ming-han, delivers a hilarious performance. It’s always fun watching a character as selfish as Ming-han change, and Hsu makes it count. However, it’s the homophobic part that fails to convince the viewers. Ming-ha’s dialogue suggests he is homophobic, but his behavior doesn’t most of the time.
Austin Lin, as Mao Pang-yu, manages to come out as an adorable person who seeks nothing but love. His chemistry with Greg Hsu is commendable. The two complete each other, and later, it really feels empty when one of them is working alone.
Positives
Marry My Dead Body serves an intriguing plot, and accompanying it are scenes and situations that are very fresh. All the obstacles placed in front of the lead characters appear at the right time and are pulled off well.
The movie manages to be more about the developing relationship between the two lead characters and their individual stories. It avoids the plot of just having Ming-han find a way to get rid of Mao-mao or the possible dying wish of Mao-mao. Instead, the viewers will be more invested in how these two are going to work together.
The film somehow knows that the viewers are expecting it to be a predictable flick. Hence, it lays traps that suggest the move it is about to make could be predictable, but a brilliant twist leaves the viewers surprised.
For a comedy film, Marry My Dead Body handles its melodrama well. The film has breadcrumbs of these emotions throughout its run, and in the end, everything pays off. Most importantly, the actors are to be applauded here.
Ming-han’s transformation from a homophobic straight man to someone who starts understanding Mao-mao isn’t noticeable. There is no proper conversation around it. It seems intentional, considering the film wants to show Mao-mao’s sexuality doesn’t make him any different.
Negatives
The film is unnecessarily long. Some acts, such as the car chase in the first twenty minutes of the film, could’ve been omitted.
Verdict
Marry My Dead Body is a silly watch that is really heartfelt at times. The film constructs fresh situations and uses twists smartly to its advantage. The melodrama is a beautiful cherry on top.
Marry My Dead Body
Director: Cheng Wei-hao
Date Created: 2023-08-10 12:30
3.5
