Yehua Xiang: A weird, obsessive trip

Is this one for you?

If you have zero patience for characters making absolute train-wreck decisions, skip this. It is a movie about a man systematically dismantling his own life because he saw a woman sing a song. If you like stories where the protagonist is their own worst enemy, you will probably be glued to the screen.

Prof. Raat is the kind of guy who probably measures his pencils before he uses them. Watching him lose his cool over Lola Lola is like watching a car crash in slow motion. You want to look away, but the way his tie gets slightly more disheveled every scene is just too compelling.

Oddly specific observations

• The lighting in the cabaret scenes makes everyone look like they are sweating grease. It’s gross, but it fits the mood perfectly.
• There is a moment where the Professor just stares at a mirror for a solid minute. I swear, the camera man must have been bored or just decided to take a coffee break.
• The way he adjusts his glasses when he is nervous? Every single time it makes a little clicking sound. It drove me nuts after the third time.

This movie feels a bit like Mantrap in that weird, sticky way where you feel like you need a shower afterward. It’s not a clean or polite film. It’s got this grimy, stage-light energy that gets under your fingernails.

I am not sure if the director meant for the ending to feel so rushed. It hits you like a brick, and then the credits roll before you can even process the guy's last line. It’s abrupt. Almost rude, really. 🎭

Some of the extras in the background of the club scenes seem like they are just waiting for their paycheck. One guy in the back is literally just eating a sandwich during a high-tension musical number. I couldn't stop watching him. He’s the real star, honestly.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it worth two hours of your life to watch a man ruin himself for a cabaret singer? Absolutely. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Lame Brains, though this one has way less laughing and way more existential dread.

Anyway, I probably wouldn't watch it again, but I’m glad I did. It’s definitely stuck in my head now. Like a song you hate but can't stop humming. 🙄