Chinese audiences find 'Lost in Thailand'(2)

Xu has been devoted to stage shows for many years, which may explain why he knows exactly how a comedy should work, and the dialogue is consistently humorous, even though a few punchlines are predictable.

Meanwhile, the timing of the movie's release was well chosen. It is the time of the year for blockbusters, but there are few quality comedies rooted in real life.

In a plot that twists and turns, the lives of two rival Chinese businessmen and a pancake maker collide when they are all thrown into a journey to Thailand. The man who owns the largest share of the two businessmen's company, an unhappily married wife, a lonely daughter and a real-life celebrity also get thrown into the mix.

At the end of the film, ambitious businessman Xu Lang (Xu Zheng) realizes there are more important things in life than a magnificent career.

Chinese modern writer Lu Xun said a comedy should tear apart the worthless and showcase the process, and "Lost in Thailand" does just that.

The plot moves so swiftly and smoothly that a moviegoer might wonder where the time went -- that is, if he or she is not too caught up in thinking about what is worth pursuing in life or pondering what the movie has to say about modern Chinese society.