Fun and practical where two diametrically opposed individuals begin to quarrel with each other but end up falling in love.
On the one hand, Lu Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro), the CEO of a multibillion-dollar international company called VN Group, which flies around the world to evaluate the hotels of its competitors in search of buying them or not.
On the other hand, Gu Shengnan (Zhou Dongyu), a junior consultant at the Rosebud boutique hotel in Shanghai, where Lu Jin and his assistant assistant Richard Meng (Sun Yizhou) have just become interested in business.
It is not just your status that is different; Their personalities are so different Lu Jin is a clinically managed individual who prides himself on being a perfectionist; (I am also and I am proud of that too) Whereas Shengnan is generally a free adventurer whose cheerful attitude to life is only disturbed by her recent separation from the general manager of the hotel (douche-bag), Cheng Zixian.
The result is quite contrary, mixing the familiar elements with the ingredients of a culinary comedy that proves to be the inspiration and, even if you feel familiar in the set, there is no denying that the film is refreshing, delicious and often hilarious.
A film that shows and demonstrates confidence, discipline and clarity right from the start, not exhibiting any of the flaws that usually weigh first.
True to its title, "This is not what I expected" is unexpectedly pleasant, the jokes land where they should, the novel is sweet and the presentation is vivid, lively and attractive. He also has a comically sharp timing and excellent chemistry that you'll miss, thanks to the charismatic characters.
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Other than these factors, what got me was how aesthetically pleasing this entire movie was. It's a visual treat not only because of the food but also because of the sceneries and the background too.
The romance is realistic in my opinion as well. It's platonic but also emotionally intimate. Their chemistry is pretty good and pulls off that kind of depiction nicely. I miss these kinds of moments and romances. It was indeed refreshing to watch it.
It has rewatchable value (I wouldn't watch it until maybe a few months later, though) and it's also a cute romance movie you can enjoy with the family and the younger crowd. I would also recommend watching when you are having a rough day and need something that isn't too intense and just sweet.
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But in this Drama, ALL the giving was one way. The ONLY thing the male lead ever did for the female lead was not something she wanted him to do. It was an unhealthy, basically abusive relationship, she did everything he wanted, he took over her life, he did NOTHING for her, nothing at all that benefited her or put her interests ahead of his, ever. I would happily challenge any fan of the film to name one positive thing he did for her. Even the very final scene shows him giving her an order and shows her complying with it, exactly as always throughout the film. Very troubling.
I found this even more annoying because I really liked the two leads. They sparked well, and had the relationship been more even, more give and take, the chemistry could have made this a really solid example of the genre. An opportunity missed, but I''ll definitely be looking out for the very lovely, and very busy, Ms Zhou again
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The light-hearted plot, interesting characters, fun music. Everything is well-combined like a tailor-made recipe a personal chef make for you. Everything presented one by one, some of the feelings are set separated to be enjoyed alone while some feelings are remained tangled, twisted, mixed together to make some sense. Honestly, I miss this kind of innocent love story. Their interest in each other is so natural, goes with the story they experience together and something they have in common.
The beautiful color grading in everything that coming will give a different perspective of things around you. I strongly recommend this movie as a short escape from your boring routine or as a simple reminder of how things begin with you and your loved ones.
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I liked the satisfying cooking scenes, they really did entertain me. I also liked that there wasn't an active antagonist in this, it was just about character growth and that was all.
It's a light rom-com worth a watch if you're not looking for something that hardcore or dramatic.
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This review may contain spoilers
Just like the title
This movie draw my attention with the food cooked by Gu Sheng Nan (SN) when Lu Jin (LJ) challenge her to cooked only with one ingredient, egg. Really interesting seeing how much egg dish can SN can cooked, she interpret it with any kind of egg she want.But of course just like the title you can't just expected this only about cooking movie right.... ;). Although in my opinion the growing of their feeling for each other kinda weird but in the end it's just good i think...
Recently there's been drama develop from this movie. What i like about this movie more than the drama:
* SN is not too childish, she is more cheerful kinda way.
* Really like SN & LJ here than in the drama
* No such thing as love triangle, not even a sparkle :p
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There are countless romantic comedies showing how opposites attract. The opposite gives as the comedy bits, while the attraction leads us into the land of love and romance. Even though the opposites here were truly extreme, unexpectedly, they worked well together. As a viewer, I could slowly observe how strict and perfectionist Lu Jin and free-spirited and messy Gu Sheng Nan start to adapt to each others' ways, and go from hate to love, in such a fun and exciting manner.
The thing I loved the most about this movie was Zhou Dong Yu acting - it's so amazingly raw. All the emotions seemed so real, rich and clear. Not one scream seemed fake, not one tear forced, not one laugh insincere. Not to mention, she presented probably THE BEST acting drunk scene in the history of cinema. If someone told me she was actually taking some shots here and there in the middle of filming the scene, I would believe them.
The movie is quite honestly beautifully shot. Some scenes were stunning - adding emotional value to what was happening on the screen. Some had fun and exciting filters and effects added, which exaggerated the comedy just the right way. It was just smart and well planned: where and what to use, to enhance the vision of the director and writer.
Any complaints? There was exactly one scene where I was completely not connected and not convinced by Ming Xi acting. Zhou Dong Yu was slaying on her end, and Ming Xi's performance just felt flat in comparison. What's more, even though I appreciated how they took the time for the leads to make this bond over food, before they had a chance to actually confront each other face to face, I wish the movie was about 15 to 20 minutes longer. This way, we could get a bit more story behind how, why and when they started to have feelings for each other, especially on Lu Jin's side.
Overall, it was a truly funny movie, with great acting, amazing scenography and cinematography. The characters, even though extremely exaggerated in their character traits, were still believable. I laughed a lot, I cried a few times and I enjoyed myself throughout the whole watch.
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the frustrated me searched for a special or movie and...
"This is not what I expected" came across.
I saw some screenshots on the feeds and since I love good cinematography I decided to watch it.
Even if the trailer was meh.
You know what?
This was a good decision. The film is so weird and refreshing. And the acting was PHENOMENAL.
Im really big on good acting and plot etc.
But I think without the awesome portrayal of the characters this wouldn't have worked.
The story would have been too much, "drowning" the characters.
The filming was on another level. The color the composition and the absolutely stunning lightning!
The food was presented beautifully and looked straight out of a magazine.
The characters were wacky and eccentric af and that's so my jam.
I never saw the fml before and I have to say I was IMPRESSED wich you don't hear often from me.
Especially her emotional scene felt so candid.
So why did I give this a 7?
First off I couldn't grasp all the interaction and some shots/ things happened/ cut to fast. I think this is the kind of movie you have to watch more than once or even twice to grasp it fully.
All the colors and shots were like a explosion of cinematic style so you were just like wooooooahhhhh.
To really see and appreciate every shot and picture I think you just have to watch it again, because it's so much in one movie.
So in the end:
I liked it. It was new it was fresh it was like a rainbow brain fart in movie form. And that's great.
The main actors were really good in delivering their roles but the supports were totally overshadowed.
This was creatively shot and put in action.
Also the food makes you jealous that you can't afford it.
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Not what I expected (truely)
I remember seeing the movie poster and trailer when this first came out...the movie poster looks a little quirky and idk why but the vibe of the trailer was romantic melodrama so I've never thought of watching this. But now its been a while and I read good reviews on it so I decided to give it a shot.This definitely was not what I expected.
First of all, the production quality was fully there (although there were a few minutes of mismatched dubbing in the version I saw...but I'm just picky) the songs matched the mood, the cinematography was on point, etc.
Secondly, the actors were spot on...
Thirdly, the balance of comedy, drama, calmness of life was just right.
the ONLY thing I wished was that this could be a mini series (emphasize MINI) to give more time to cultivate the emotions in the beginning and see more of the second couple
I'm hesitant to watch Dating in the Kitchen which just released and is supposedly the TV series adaptation because I don't want to be disappointed.
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Usually, never really, I write reviews but this time I need to do it, and I know that many people say it but trust me and my full sincerity. When I started watching this movie I did not expect anything but just to hang out and watch something to distract me, but right now I feel so happy I did, This is not what I expected is sweet, romantic without being the cliche that many of us got bored long ago, It is aesthetically beautiful: its colors, the locations, the direction were simply perfect.
The performances were faultless there is nothing more to add except that now I am in love with the protagonist and is the most beautiful person I have ever seen in my life. The music was in accordance with the environment and gave a nice touch to many of the scenes. Now yes, the story is simple and beautiful, when reading the description it's like okay, I know what's coming, but when you see it everything changes, the way it's written, the performances, the direction change the perspective of a story of 'meh love' to a sensation, especially because of the main theme, FOOD: indispensable for all and has as many meanings as there are people in the world, and that is the reason why this film is so perfect for me, is the way to see love as something special that needs time, space and good chefs, a love that connects and unites even when there are differences. So that's why If you want to see a simple but beautiful movie in every way and you like good romance then it is for you, everyone ha watch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
The FL is a free spirit and a warm-hearted person. I love, by the way, her tattoos. It’s almost impossible to find a FL in a romantic Asian drama sporting/showing tattoos; they just add to her character. The ML meets the FL when she mistaken his car for her friend’s cheating boyfriend’s car, and was in the act of vandalizing it. The movie has some funny, cute, romantic moments. You will also want to watch on a full stomach because there are a lot of focus on food. I wish this movie is a 16 episode drama so that we can see more of everything: the blossoming friendship and love between the two leads, the second love story between the ML’s secretary and the FL’s best friend, the ML’s relationship with his father, and fleshing out the interesting hotel staff. Although I waited almost two hours for a kiss that never materialized, I wasn’t too disappointed because the ending was so cute, romantic, and heartwarming. As a personal preference, I like this movie much more than the 2020 Chinese drama adaptation. Was this review helpful to you?
