Up for Love 2016: A Chinese Romantic Comedy Film
Introduction
"Up for Love" is a 2016 Chinese romantic comedy film directed by Jang Tae-yoo and starring Wu Jing and Zhang Ziyi. The film was released on April 29, 2016, in China and received a mixed response from critics and audiences alike. In this content, we will provide an overview of the film, its plot, cast, production, and reception.
Mostly, yes. The comedy is broad but never cruel. (A scene where Alexandre teaches Diane to dance by standing on her feet is genuinely lovely.) The script dodges a "magical little person" trope—Alexandre has flaws. He’s stubborn. He uses his height as a shield to push people away before they can reject him. up for love 2016
The final act stumbles slightly into predictable rom-com territory—a public declaration, a last-minute chase—but the finish line feels earned.
While the trailer might suggest a standard physical comedy, the film is surprisingly philosophical. It tackles:
The comedic moments, when they come, are organic. A scene where Alexandre has to climb onto a barstool is not a joke about his size, but a brilliant visual metaphor for the “climbing” he has to do to meet people halfway in society. Up for Love 2016: A Chinese Romantic Comedy
The story begins in the glossy, fast-paced world of modern dating. Diane (Virginie Efira) is a successful, glamorous lawyer in her early forties. She is recently separated, sharp-tongued, and spectacularly unlucky in love. After losing (and then finding) her expensive smartphone, she discovers a series of increasingly charming voicemails from a man named Alexandre.
When she finally calls him back, the voice on the other end is irresistible: deep, confident, witty, and warm. It belongs to Alexandre (Jean Dujardin), a renowned architect who seems to be the perfect man—intelligent, sensitive, and refreshingly direct.
They arrange a meeting at a chic restaurant. Diane arrives early, dressed to the nines, her heart racing. She watches the door for a tall, dark, handsome stranger. But when Alexandre walks in, the film delivers its masterstroke of comedic tension. Social Gaze: How much of our happiness is
Alexandre is not tall. In fact, he is 4 feet 6 inches (1.36 meters) tall.
The scene is a masterclass in awkward comedy. Diane, conditioned by societal norms, is visibly stunned. She panics, makes an excuse about a forgotten phone charger, and flees. But Alexandre, undeterred and utterly comfortable in his own skin, chases after her—not with anger, but with empathy. He confronts her prejudice head-on, not with bitterness, but with humor.
Diane, ashamed of her reaction but intrigued by the man behind the voice, agrees to give him a second chance. What follows is a whirlwind romance that challenges everything Diane thought she knew about attraction, status, and what it means to be "up for love."