Taiwanese music idol Jay Chou writes, directs, and stars in this lavish Far East action-comedy-musical. The Rooftop is set in a mythical Asian coastal metropolis called Galilee in the 1970s, where Wax (Chou) is a streetfighter, part of a bunch of ne'er-do-wells living in Rooftop, the city's high-rise poor quarter (dominated by a giant, functioning gramophone). Wax has a secret crush on Starling (Li Xinai), a ubiquitous ad model being groomed for movie stardom. While collecting "rent" for the gangster-like Housing Authority, Wax stumbles across Starling's film shoot, where his kung fu gets him cast as the stunt double for his dream girl's leading man. Can love blossom between the hooligan and the aristocratic maiden (whose career is also being guided by crooked types)? The musical interludes are blends of 1970s western pop melodies and 11 original Chou tunes, sometimes presented with exquisite trompe l'oeil choreographed sequences. The elements of Cantonese chopsocky potboiler, Indian Bollywood escapism, and MGM song-and-dance Technicolor spectacle make for a most agreeable stir-fry here. Highly recommended. (C. Cassady)
The Rooftop
Well Go USA, 122 min., in Mandarin w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.98, Blu-ray: $29.98 Volume 29, Issue 2
The Rooftop
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