User Reviews

Marry My Dead Body is a charming Taiwanese supernatural comedy that impressively does it all for the modern audience, delivering a laugh-out-loud comedy with affecting moments while subtly discussing a social topic.

While investigating an anti-drug case, police officer Wu Ming-han accidentally picks up a red envelope and ends up in a ghost marriage to Mao Mao, a gay man who died in a car accident in the midst of discussing his marriage. Mao Mao's grandmother wants to fulfill her and her grandson's wish to be married.

After a series of misfortune, Ming-han reluctantly accepts the ghost marriage and the spirit of Mao Mao appears. Ming-han helps Mao Mao complete his final wishes and Mao Mao helps with his investigation.

Writer-director Cheng Wei-hao, who made 2021's The Soul, strikes a great balance between the zany comedy, cartoon-like action chase scenes, and teary moments. The three leads, Greg Hsu, Austin Lin, and Gingle Wang are charming and share great chemistry.

Same-sex marriage was legalized in Taiwan in 2019 and notably, the first country in Asia to do so. Marry My Dead Body discusses same-sex marriage as subtly as one could in a major commercial film. Clashing the traditional practice of ghost marriages and same-sex marriage is hilarious.

Comedy has a great way of taking an audience into their fears and anxiety and ridding them through laughter. The message never gets heavy-handed as there's so much going on that the audience laughs through the countless gags.

Some of the gay humor may seem backward for Western audiences, but it's done invitingly and never mean-spirited. It was culturally insightful as the film offers a glimpse into how things are in Taiwan.

The Grandma character particularly struck me. The image of an elderly woman setting up a ghost marriage for her dead grandson, unconcerned with his sexual orientation was quite touching to see. There was a lot of power in that image.

I'm glad Marry My Dead Body has done so well in Taiwan. It's well deserved.

Delivering a meaningful message throughout the movie, 'Marry My Dead Body' successfully stood up for the discrimination, the old concept of thoughts that put on Asian LGBTQIA+ Community in general say. The movie has a great plot, combined of such elements: comedy, humanity, family relationship... which blends perfectly to creat an amazing experience. The acting was charming enough to connect with the audience smoothly, great laughs and great cries. The praises are not enough for the whole crew who did the lights, the music, the colors.. There might be some scenes where the visual effects did not work properly but they did not affect the overall experience too much. A worth-watching movie for a weekend night!

Whilst out pursuing a speeding joy rider, Wu Ming-Han picks up a red envelope, an envelope that binds him to a ghost wedding, to another guy, after refusing, he discovers a life of misfortune, only an acceptance can change things.

I'm not sure I was expecting such a progressive film to come out of Taiwan, but that's exactly what it is, very progressive, very open minded, and very funny.

I didn't think it was going to be my cup of tea, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, lots of fun, entertaining and at times surprisingly moving. Two hours long, and it flew by, I even stayed up way past my usual bed time to complete it.

Wu Ming-Han is a likeable central character, he's fun, he's very cute, imagine being thrown into his situation.

8/10.

It's like the two-faced character in 'Two-Faced Man' played by Wang Jing, Although the topic of homosexuality was touched upon, since it's a universal value, personally I feel it didn't take away from the comedy aspect. The director, as usual, introduced contrasting characters in many police-catching-thieves scenes, creating a mix of tension and hilarious moments. Even though it's Xu Guanghan's first time playing a comedic role that sacrifices his image, he successfully portrays the frustration of a dedicated cop dealing with a less competent partner. Actually, there's a bit of Jackie Chan's Police Story vibe in it, but later on, it's all taken over by Wang Jing's brilliance.

The movie delivers a message about family and love. Family is not only those who are blood-related, but also those whom we have bonded with and love. Love is not only between similar people, but can also happen between different people in every aspect.

With humorous scenes and touching moments, the movie has scored with audiences and become one of the most worth-watching films in Taiwan this year.

The film also portrays the importance of acceptance and understanding in relationships. It shows that in order to build a strong bond with someone, we must accept them for who they are, flaws and all. This message is exemplified through the characters of Minh Han and Mao Mao, who initially struggled to get along due to their differences but eventually learned to accept and appreciate each other.

Another theme explored in the movie is the idea of second chances. The characters in the film are given second chances to make things right and rebuild their relationships. This message serves as a reminder that it's never too late to make amends and start anew.

Overall, the film is a heartwarming and entertaining story that reminds us of the importance of family, love, acceptance, and second chances. It's a must-watch for anyone who enjoys a good mix of humor and emotion in their movies.

1) I can see why some people loved it and got emotional watching it. This movie's "heart" is in its right place, it's 2023, we shouldn't discuss if every human deserves to be happy or not. It's a sweet movie with good messages, and i have to say that i don't like much movies with messages and agendas. But this is too warmhearted and kind to dismiss it. I am a straight male and even myself got a bit emotional.

2) However, it's flawed. Judging the movie and not its messages, one could say that it is too long. It's not boring though, there is a strong story here and i can understand that it could not be shorter. So, my opinion is this should be a mini series. 3 episodes with 60 minutes running time or something like this. There are many ideas here to support 180 minutes running time, writers are creative, i can tell that they had to cut many scenes. Too many things were happening, i kinda got tired watching all of this at once. 3 long episodes would be better.

3) In any case, it's a fun ride. This is a comedy movie with crime and fantasy elements. Not every joke lands well but i was definitely entertained. I didn't understand some things, they were probably lost in translation. I would prefer more action and less talking but i liked a lot the character development. The beginning and the ending were my favorite parts, it kinda dragged in the middle. Characters were very likeable and acting was good.

In conclusion, if you are extremely coservative, you won't like it. I liked it, it was definitely watchable but it's also enough flawed.

Just watched this film on Netflix and was very impressed. Initially, I expected a light-hearted comedic little film, but it delivered so much more. It masterfully balances hilarious moments with heartfelt scenes.

The two main characters' gay-straight friendship was portrayed exceptionally well, highlighting the importance of acceptance and understanding in friendships despite differences.

I particularly appreciated that the main police character remained "straight" throughout, without resorting to the "turning gay" cliché trope just for the sake of romantic moments. It naturally includes LGBTQ themes without feeling forced, appealing to everyone, not just the LGBTQ community.

This movie was so good, I genuinely don't know how they pulled off putting so many genres into a singular film. It had a platonic queer aspect, it was comedic, had the science-fiction, and action element.

It was so interesting seeing Ming's character development and the way they told their story was beautifully done, it's one of those movies we can be contempt with, like they didn't need anything else or for it to be turned into a show. I also like that their relationship wasn't sexual like we see this relationship develop between a straight guy and a gay guy that makes them into soulmates that doesn't revolve around a sexual relationship. They'd both die for each other and call each other husbands both comfortable with their sexuality not needing anything else to happen between them. I love that ming-han character matures and he's still dedicated himself to mao's causes and family. We see him start to actively support climate change, queer rights and his form of love for mao isn't something we usually see in bromance cinema.

It's not about BL

The movie incorporates elements of fantasy, supernaturalism, and LGBTQ issues. It tells the story of Wu Ming-Han, a straight and homophobic policeman who is forced to marry Mao Pang-Yu, a gay ghost who died under mysterious circumstances.

The duo must work through their differences and join forces to solve a case, seeking justice for Mao and embarking on a ludicrous and tear-inducing journey together.

____ I loved this story, it's wonderful, and it made me laugh, cry, and thrilled.

The movie has so many things going on altogether but the good thing is that you will not get bored.

In fact, the cultural references are so good that it might feel like inside jokes that only ones who have lived the (cross) culture would get. Even though the less familiar audience would definitely still enjoy the storyline/plot and the acting, it worth to watch and rewatch it from the culture aspect to somehow get an idea how the current period of time is happening in East Asia. Social matters (this time, globally) were also mentioned and delivered gracefully (definitely without overdoing anything) along with the main theme, which personally makes me very interested in the screenwriter / director and go on checking out his other works.

A side note; the movie has extra(s) and cut-scenes posted on the internet as promotional materials for the main screening that made the story even more rounded - recommend to check them all out if you enjoy watching the movie.

The funniest thing about MARRY MY DEAD BODY is that Taiwan submitted it for consideration at the Oscars. When you see the quality of this thing, you'll be laughing too. The plot borrows from 1980s Hong Kong supernatural comedies in teaming up a tough cop with a ghost who needs to sort out some problems in this world before he can move to the next. The gay-friendly plotting is something new for Asian cinema, but the terrible comedy and outrageous melodrama is where this falls down. The plotting is weak and shonky, the acting highly mannered, and the sentimentality quite off-putting; the worst part is undoubtedly the end, which takes longer to play out than RETURN OF THE KING's! No wonder this clocks in at over two hours. Take an hour out and it would have been better.

There must be a reason why this movie is so popular in Taiwan. I had high expectations before I entered the theatre and I was not disappointed. I know the reason now.

First, the cast is perfect. Love the cast. They have a great chemistry together. Greg Han Hsu is amazingly great and sexy in this film. Po-Hung Lin and Gingle Wang also did a great job.

Second, the film is entertaining. There are so many laughable scenes. While some are outdated, but still work. The story is perfect for me. The film delves into many issues. It is about gay, posthumous marriage and also FAMILY. I mean the ending wasn't hard to guess, but is touching nonetheless. I cried so hard.

I wish same-sex marriage can be legal everywhere, and everyone can give their love and support to this.

I loved how the movie comically and sometimes poignantly touches some of the issues that we observe around us: homophobia, gender inequality and its perception by the majority, to global warming. It will definitely make one at-least want to borderline think about the problems. It also depicts subtly how not to take one's family for granted despite issues. The leads go above and beyond to deliver their parts well and make them adorably believable. The rituals are icing to the wedding cake.

The movie will tug at your hearts and leave a sweet impression. The supernatural plot to the story only adds to the already charming and comic story-telling.

It's a rich movie - rich with an assortment of feelings, but inspirational in that the human spirit surmounts. Taiwan is the first asian country to legalise same sex marriage, and that fact is woven into a traditional concept of a ghost marriage. The story unfolds in this marriage of two marriage concepts. Beautiful story. Some moments are touching, some just jump out of the screen in absolute hilarity. Nothing much gets lost in translation, in the subtitles. Though, I suppose, it must be even better in the original. Good performances by both the leads, and good chemistry too. I felt for both of them, and I didn't want the story to end. Would love to watch a sequel.

I misjudged this-- I thought it'd be a cheap ass random sex movie, but it was very touchful, funny, novel, and it made me cry twice and laugh out loud many times. The acting was good and camera work also surprising. The themes were well portrayed.

Everything was connected at the end, all secondary characters had their time to shine. Every sub-plot was very entertaining and, not gonna lie, I thought MC was gonna realize he was queer at the end but he doesn't, and that's good, because it portrayed a beautiful friendship between a straight guy former homophobic and a openly gay guy. It was cute!

It's always a joy to start watching a film with zero expectations, and find yourself crying at the end - after quite a few good laughs. This film was a rollercoaster ride, a story about the unconditional love of family, about overcoming homophobia, about gender equality and a proper crime mystery. The majority of the comedy is about the ridiculousness of homophobia, and I'd say this film has a good message of acceptance. The ending wasn't quite what I hoped for, but it was beautiful, and made me cry. This is not just another comedy, but something with soul. And, there is possibly the funniest scene in a film involving a shower, a dropped soap and a man without clothes.

Official submission of Taiwan for the 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 96th Academy Awards in 2024! I have to assume that other Taiwanese films are very poor this year or they didn't make any others.

This is pretty poor in many ways starting with the asinine plot. It is certainly not scary and it is only vaguely amusing now and then and the acting is mostly annoying, though the one playing the cop has some decent moments near the end that takes a long time to come. I watched the dubbed version because that's what was offered and perhaps that was a mistake as the dialogue is terrible. Somehow I don't imagine it would get a whole lot better watching it in its original language, though I could be wrong, but I'm not going to find out. I was a bit surprised that I was suddenly a little moved near the ending, so it does improve, but not nearly enough to be quality entertainment and some of the gay stereotypes are simply insulting.

This will not be one of the five Oscar International Feature nominees.

I love how cute and funny it is. Both the actors have amazing chemistry. The story between the ml's isn't cliché and you can actually feel that they're genuinely not disgusted when it comes to the flirting with each other. The other ml just showing his true self made the other ml have character development. However, I hate how you can easily guess who was the antagonist. The pacing is just perfect. It also delivered some amazing things to do, eg: in a relationship always ask what the other partner wants, don't decide alone!!. People who are dead don't want you to be grieving for the rest of your life, learn to accept that death is part of life. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE!!

That's like claiming Titanic and Sink the Bismarck! Are very similar. Though a comedy Marry ... has a lot of film noir elements. Protagonist straight male cop is always ready to try to catch the bad guy, he scoffs at anything he doesn't understand, he often overreacts; he thinks he's the very best. He's homophobic. There are lots of drug crimes going on, they're intertwined in odd unpredictable ways, there are dangerous car chases and guns, and he is completely blindly enamored of the fem fatale.

There are unique comedy elements and some gratuitous horror gore. There was a reviewer who compared it to Ghost. I wouldn't compare it to Ghost AT ALL! There's not even any romance or implied sex between anyone (though the cop wishfully thinks about the fem fatale). There are situations that are very touching, others tense and frightening, and sometimes they merge. A miracle or two do occur through possession. There are some good chase scenes. There is/are of course one (or more) moles in the police department.

I can't think of any movie or combination of movies it really reminds me of. Closest might be Infernal Affairs which is vastly superior to the poor copycat though Oscar-winning, The Departed.

Give it a try for at least 15 minutes and it will start a pretty good grip on your heart unless your heart is too hard, or slimy.

Honestly, I don't have much experience with Chinese films, so you should take this opinion with a grain of salt. I did not like this. I thought for the most part the plot was entirely predictable, and even when it wasn't, it felt like it wasn't justified in terms of storytelling. The main idea of the film, isn't a bad one, but its execution seems very shoddy. And because it's a police drama, and is set in China, one is left with a bunch of questions about procedure. The police in this film act exactly as if they were in the United States, and I don't think that is entirely accurate. I think it's probably connected to the desire of the Chinese audience to see films, Chinese films, which act in a Hollywood way. But Hollywood movies are steeped in American culture, to put that into a Chinese context I think doesn't make a lot of sense. I think Korean cinema and dramas do a much better job of giving you interesting stories from a Korean perspective. But again, this is one of the few Chinese films I've actually seen, so I'm willing to admit that my opinion is not well-balanced.