New to Netflix today is the Taiwanese supernatural LGBTQ+ comedy, Marry My Dead Body. The film – directed by Wei-Hao Cheng – stars Greg Han Hsu and Po-Hung Lin, and follows the story of a homophobic police officer who becomes haunted by a gay ghost.
In the movie, Wu Ming-han is a cop who is known for his no-nonsense approach to tackling crime, as well as his impulsive behaviour, and his outdated views. The combination of all three often sees him frowned upon by his colleagues, but he is good at his job.
One day, while out collecting evidence following a car chase, Ming-han picks up a red envelope off the ground. He is then immediately surrounded by a group of women who tell him the envelope was placed there on purpose, awaiting a special recipient.
Inside the envelope is a photograph of a recently deceased young man. The women inform Ming-han that now he has opened the envelope, he is honour bound to this man, and if he doesn’t agree to marry his ghost, he’ll suffer endless misfortune.
Ming-han initially dismisses the women and returns to work, but he soon finds himself having a series of unusual accidents which he believes is related to the red envelope. Realising there may be some truth in what the women told him, Ming-han agrees to go through with a wedding, to marry the deceased man, Mao Pang-Yu.
After the ceremony is complete, Ming-han is quickly visited by the ghost of Pang-Yu. The initial encounter does not go well, and Ming-han knows he needs to do something about this new arrangement.
After seeking spiritual guidance, Ming-han is informed he needs to complete a series of tasks that will help Pang-Yu move on in the afterlife. If Ming-han can do this, and he is successful, his ghost husband will reincarnate and he will be able to return to his normal life.
Setting out to complete the tasks, Ming-han works with Pang-Yu on his unfinished business. But what Ming-han doesn’t realise, is this also includes tying up loose ends relating to the circumstances of Pang-Yu’s death.
Playful, comical, and at times quite touching, Marry My Dead Body is a fun comedy with plenty going for it. The premise is silly enough to work, the two leads share good chemistry, and the overall tone of the movie lands just right.
Is Marry My Dead Body occasionally absurd? Yep – but all the better for it.
While the movie does offer up a few moments which deal with serious subjects, such as death, grief, and homophobia, the picture is largely designed to be pure escapism. For the most part it doesn’t take itself too seriously and this leads to a few laughs, as well as plenty of nonsense.
And with Pang-Yu being a ghost in the movie, who only Ming-han can see, this also allows Marry My Dead Body to frequently border Randall and Hopkirk territory. This in turn provides the film with a few slapstick moments, which adds to the fun and keeps things feeling enjoyable throughout.
If I have any criticism of Marry My Dead Body, I do believe it is possibly a touch too long, with a little sagging in the middle. The movie runs to just beyond two hours, and I feel 90 to 100 minutes would probably work better.
But the running time of Marry My Dead Body doesn’t stop the picture from being likeable stuff. The film comes from a good place, with a director who wants to convey some important messages, while also trying to offer plenty of enjoyment.
Marry My Dead Body is a daft picture, but a good one too. Take it for what it is and you should find it suitably spirited.
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