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Au Revoir Taipei
Movie

Au Revoir Taipei

2010 • Unknown

Woke Score
1.6
out of 10

Plot

Kai (Jack Yao), who works at his parent's noodle shop by day and spends his nights in a bookstore to learn French, decides to go to Paris after his girlfriend, who recently left for Paris, dumps him by phone. Then the local neighborhood mafia boss offers Kai a free plane ticket to Paris if he takes a mysterious package with him.

Overall Series Review

The film is a lighthearted romantic comedy and crime caper set over one eventful night in Taipei. The protagonist, Kai, works at his family's noodle shop and seeks to leave for Paris after a romantic rejection, only to be drawn into a farcical situation with local gangsters after agreeing to transport a mysterious package. This chase across the city's night markets forces him into a partnership with Susie, a bookstore clerk who takes an interest in him. The movie’s primary focus is on the charm of the city, the absurdity of the criminal plot, and the development of a sweet, unexpected romance. The narrative is centered on personal journey, romance, and an affectionate portrait of Taiwanese urban life. It avoids grand political statements or social critique, opting for a universally appealing story of finding love and appreciation for home.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

Characters are judged by their personal actions and romantic desires, not by an intersectional hierarchy. The story is a universal tale of love, crime, and self-discovery. Casting is authentic to the Taiwanese setting. No evidence exists of lecturing on privilege or the vilification of any ethnic group.

Oikophobia2/10

The central dramatic arc is the protagonist's journey from longing to leave Taipei for Paris to realizing the romance and excitement he truly desires is already present in his home city. The movie functions as a direct 'declaration of love' for the Taiwanese capital and celebrates its local culture, which acts as a shield against the protagonist's initial chaos.

Feminism3/10

The main female character, Susie, is a sweet and lonely bookstore clerk who is the object of the protagonist's new affections, presenting a traditional romantic ideal. While the initial girlfriend is independent enough to move to Paris and break up over the phone, the romantic core of the film establishes a complementary boy-meets-girl pairing. There is no evidence of 'Girl Boss' tropes, male emasculation, or anti-natalist messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative structure is a straightforward, traditional 'boy-meets-girl' romantic comedy. All primary relationships and character dynamics center on the normative male-female pairing. The plot contains no overt discussion, centering, or lecturing on alternative sexualities, gender ideology, or the deconstruction of the nuclear family.

Anti-Theism1/10

The movie is a romantic comedy and crime caper with a secular focus on urban life, personal longing, and love. Religion, faith, and traditional morality are completely absent from the plot and themes. The movie neither endorses nor rejects faith, maintaining a neutral position with no evidence of anti-theistic sentiment or the depiction of religious characters as bigots.