Liam Liu (Ken Leung) is a Chinese-American actor struggling to make it in L.A. He meets high school student Adelaide Bourbon (Hayden Panettiere) on the bus. Six months later, he's in an engaging relationship with the 16 year old and sleeping with other women. His hated drunken father tells him that he inherited a house in Shanghai from his grandmother. He expected $500k but it turns out to be 500k yuan. He decides not to sell and meets Micki Yang (Kelly Hu).
Hayden Panettiere is the best part of the movie. The Shanghai is some OK travelogue but nothing really funny. Ken Leung needs better actors to play with. He's much better with either Joel Moore or Panettiere. The movie falters without them. I would rather skip Shanghai and stay with the relationship digging into its obvious inappropriateness. This is an odd pairing and I wish they played with that more.
Hayden Panettiere is the best part of the movie. The Shanghai is some OK travelogue but nothing really funny. Ken Leung needs better actors to play with. He's much better with either Joel Moore or Panettiere. The movie falters without them. I would rather skip Shanghai and stay with the relationship digging into its obvious inappropriateness. This is an odd pairing and I wish they played with that more.