Movie Review: You Are The Apple Of My Eye

WARNING: I'm not a professional, so please don't expect a professional review. Everything below is simply my opinion and thoughts. Review begins below the lengthy synopsis. :)

I went to watch this famous movie today. The ticket was selling like hot cakes, it had been on screen for three weeks, almost four, and the ticket was still selling fast.

The movie commences with Ko Ching-Teng (played by Ko Chen-Tung) dressed up in suit, being called by his friends to attend a wedding. Then, the movie switches back to 1994 (the year I was born!) and we see the high school Ko Ching-Teng cycling rather dangerously on the road, playing with his friends childishly. On the journey to school, the main character gives us the introduction of his lives and his friends, which conveniently help us to understand the movie without the need to read the novel beforehand.

Then we see what he and his friends do in the school: all sorts of weird activities including assaulting each other playfully, talking rude words, and even masturbating. These aren't good examples that we should learn though, but they certainly have lighted up our feelings.

Everything begins when Ko Ching-Teng lent Shen Chia-Yi his English textbook when she has forgotten to bring it to school, sacrificing himself by being punished by his surly English teacher who is pretty temperamental and has gone over the line in punishing. This move was probably exaggerated in the movie, but I don't think it is heavily twisted from the real facts.

Shen Chia-Yi feels indebted to him, and therefore decides to help him improve his studies, despite his reluctance and annoyance. Weirdly, Ching-Teng obeys and does his homework and regularly has his homework given to Chia-Yi for her to mark his papers. Story progresses from here and they both begin to fall in love to each other. Chia-Yi never admitted her feelings, and Ching-Teng always thought she will reject him if he confesses his love.

Ching-Teng academic performances improves dramatically. One day, Chia-Yi fails her high school exam (I think it's something like SPM/STPM), but Ching-Teng passes it. Ching-Teng tries to assuage her feelings. They are then separated from each other, but they still date. While dating, Ching-Teng finally confesses his love, and hopes Chia-Yi would not tell him her decision for he is afraid he would be rejected, even though Chia-Yi earnestly asks him whether he needs an answer then and is about to say she likes him.

Then the chemicals between them changes when Ching-Teng decides to held a fighting competition to show Chia-Yi his strongest/masculine side. He loses badly but still truants it to Chia-Yi. She calls it childish furiously and asks why would he do something that would only inflict damage on himself. Ching-Teng got upset by the fact that she doesn't understand him, and walks away, telling her he gives up going after her, leaving both of them severely heartbroken.

The both of them do not contact each other for 2 years, until an earthquake strikes. Ching-Teng immediately calls Chia-Yi for fear that she might sustain injury. They both managed to get in touch with each other, and then begin to talk about their lives and old memories.

After that, Ching-Teng becomes a great writer. He receives a phonecall from Chia-Yi, telling him to attend her wedding. The both of them have become friends whose bond have been hardened after their failed close relationship. He then writes his teenage years and his romance into a novel, which became a hit after it is published.

Okay. Movie review begins.

Yes. I admit the movie contains too much sex elements. But hei, it's teenage years! Giddens is renowned for his odd sex thinking too. If that's his teenage years, then the story should be told unaltered.

It's very interesting for me to see how Taiwan's school system works. They too have strict teachers who would yell at someone for no reason or further investigation, they too have teachers who are extremely temperamental. They too have students who are mischievous and recalcitrant. Sometimes, breaking the rules is really a joy to experience. If you have been a guai kia for too long, breaking a strict rule is really some fun.

I haven't read the novel before, but I find the movie great. These students in the movie do reflect our school lives. In fact, I think their school lives are the same as us: rote-learning system that causes a lot of students to study hard, weird activities that are done by students who are simply bored and decide to have some fun at the expense of their victims. Making deals or bets that end up with the one losing heeding the rules stated before the result is known. I truly like this movie probably because I have the experience and I know exactly how these students go through their lives.

And the graduation ceremony scene is just like the graduation ceremony in my school. I suddenly felt nostalgic when I watched that scene.

The romance between Ching-Teng and Chia-Yi is fairy-tale like. The story might have been exaggerated, but gosh it's very heart engaging. They both love each other, but then they do not really share any same interest. Ko Chen-Tung does play his role very well. For a newcomer to deliver this strong character, he did it successfully. I can't imagine what would happen if Giddens actually plays his own character in the movie. ==

Both the main characters are god-like. One is handsome, and another one is so beautiful. They make the couple looks so matching and some actually cried in the theatre when they split. I do admit the scene is really touching, but I haven't shed a single tear though.

Thinking back, it's great to have friends like Ching-Teng does. They hit at each other when they are disappointed with each other. Ya, this is a sign of violence. But at the same time, this is what we called 'brothers' who are really concerned at each other. Giddens certainly has made his wonderful teenage years into a masterpiece that might have altered somebody's life.

Overall, the movie is great. Highly recommended.

My ratings: 5/5