Lovesick
Free-spirited class clown Ye Zi Jie has always been at odds with the serious class monitor, also named Ye Zi Jie. When boy Jie feigns a grave illness to avoid expulsion and secure his path to college, their teacher assigns girl Jie to keep an eye on him. As madcap antics ensue their mutual disdain grows into new feelings neither of them expected. A goofy best friend as Greek chorus and a rival yet sincere love interest further stirs the pot for a hilarious romcom mélange. The background motif of the ocean and its denizens including that ultimate date spot, the aquarium, adds extra metaphorical flavor. Beneath its lighthearted veneer, the film finds pathos in both the physical as well as emotional vulnerabilities of its characters, for an illuminating and touching coming-of-age arc.
