Up For Love 2016 ((exclusive)) File
Despite the debate, audiences overwhelmingly embraced the film. It was a commercial success in France and found a massive second life on streaming platforms, where it became a word-of-mouth hit for couples looking for a smart, adult romantic comedy.
Upon its release in 2016, Up for Love received mixed to positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. The Positives
I have focused on the starring Angelababy and Jing Boran, as that is the specific title you requested.
The tragedy of Alexandre is that his deception creates a paradox. To get Diane to love him for who he is, he must pretend to be someone he is not . This highlights the double-edged sword of pride: his dignity prevents him from being rejected for his height, but his dignity also traps him in a lie that eventually threatens the relationship. up for love 2016
The narrative begins with Diane (Virginie Efira), a brilliant and successful lawyer who is still emotionally entangled with her ex-husband and business partner, Bruno. After leaving her mobile phone at a restaurant, Diane receives a call from Alexandre (Jean Dujardin), the charismatic stranger who found it. Over the phone, Alexandre is witty, articulate, and completely charming. Intrigued, Diane agrees to meet him for a date.
"It’s more silly than funny, and audiences can be forgiven for wondering if an actor of restricted growth should have been cast." –
The central conflict arises not from their personalities, which are perfectly matched, but from Alexandre’s deliberate deception regarding his height. This paper posits that Up for Love serves as a metaphorical exploration of modern dating dynamics, where physical appearance is often curated and filtered, and asks whether love can truly transcend physical expectations. The Positives I have focused on the starring
As Diane and Alexandre’s relationship deepens, the biggest hurdle becomes the reaction of the outside world. The film accurately captures the subtle and overt judgments the couple faces, from staring waiters to the outright mockery of Diane’s ex-husband and the genuine concern of her mother.
Alexandre is portrayed as a man who refuses to be defined by his stature. He is a renowned architect, an attentive father, an avid skydiver, and a smooth dancer. The film routinely points out that Alexandre is emotionally "taller" and more mature than the average-sized men in Diane's life, particularly her petty ex-husband. Self-Acceptance
This narrative device transforms the film into a study on the "male gaze" and the "female gaze." Diane falls in love with a voice, a wit, and a shared intellectual frequency. However, her mental image—her "gaze"—is fixed on the societal standard of male beauty and stature. Alexandre is aware of this bias; his deception is a defense mechanism against a society that often infantalizes men of short stature. The film suggests that while we value "inner beauty," our initial biological and social programming prioritizes visual conformity. This highlights the double-edged sword of pride: his
Her journey from superficiality to genuine love is the emotional engine of the movie. By the final act, when Diane finally stops seeing Alexandre’s height and starts seeing only him , the audience feels a cathartic release.
Camera angles were precisely calculated to make Dujardin appear smaller than his actual surroundings.
The story centers on Diane (Virginie Efira), a brilliant, beautiful, and successful lawyer who is still emotionally entangled with her ex-husband and business partner, Bruno. After accidentally leaving her mobile phone at a restaurant, Diane receives a call from Alexandre (Jean Dujardin), the charming stranger who found it.
The Anatomy of a Romantic Comedy: Revisitng Laurent Tirard’s ‘Up for Love’ (2016)
