1. The "Anti-Kdrama" Pacing Let’s be honest: We love a love triangle, but sometimes you just want a couple to communicate. Up for Love is refreshingly free of noble idiocy. When Xiao Nai decides he wants Weiwei, there is no 10-episode will-they-won't-they. He just... goes for it. It’s direct, mature, and oddly satisfying.
2. Jing Boran’s Deadpan Swagger Xiao Nai is supposed to be impossibly cool, and Jing Boran nails the fine line between arrogant and adorable. He doesn't need to scream his love; he just shows up with a new computer for her or subtly destroys her ex's reputation. It’s low-key, high-impact romance. up for love 2016
3. The Visuals This film is pretty. The game world sequences are glossy and vibrant, but the real beauty is in the contrast. Watching two socially awkward geniuses try to hold hands in real life after being married in a game for months is surprisingly cinematic. When Xiao Nai decides he wants Weiwei, there
While the film attempts a sensitive portrayal, it is not without its critics. From a disability studies perspective, one could argue the film relies on the "reveal" as a gimmick. The use of body doubles in the early stages to trick the audience alongside Diane creates a spectacle out of Alexandre's condition. It’s direct, mature, and oddly satisfying
Furthermore, the film’s conclusion leans heavily into the "magic of love" to resolve complex psychological issues. By wrapping the narrative in the glossy aesthetic of a French rom-com, the film potentially trivializes the daily discrimination faced by people with dwarfism. The happy ending feels earned for the characters, but it perhaps simplifies the societal shifts required for such a relationship to thrive in reality.
Let us address the elephant (or the lack thereof) in the room. Jean Dujardin, an Oscar-winning actor known for his charismatic swagger, plays a man of short stature without the use of CGI or camera tricks. Instead, the filmmakers used body doubles and forced perspective, but more importantly, Dujardin uses his acting chops. He never plays Alexandre as a victim. Alexandre is confident, successful, charming, and wealthy—he owns a high-end architectural firm. He has dated many women before. Yet, he is haunted by the way the world looks down on him—literally and metaphorically.
Dujardin brings a quiet dignity to the role. When he tells Diane, “I don’t have a problem with my height. Other people do,” it becomes the thesis of the film. His performance forces the audience to examine their own unconscious biases. Would you hesitate to date someone because they don’t fit a physical mold? Up for Love 2016 asks this question without preaching.