
Paradise in Service
Seen it?2014 | 133 min | Romance, Drama, History
Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe
With a box office flop and almost no lasting buzz, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Great for anyone in the mood for a love story and anyone who likes stories from the past brought to life. Soaked in 1970s atmosphere. Liked The French Lieutenant's Woman or Shanghai Express? This is a good next one.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Gives its people room to develop, at 2 hr 13 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Skip it if romance makes you roll your eyes.
Set in the island Kinmen, often seen as the most dangerous military base because it’s geographically close to China, "Paradise in Service" follows the adventure of a boy who serves his military service in Unit 831 from 1969 to 1972, in preparation for a war that could erupt anytime. Through an unlucky lottery draw result, Pao, a twenty-something young man from Southern Taiwan has to serve the military in the remote and perilous Kinmen. Moreover, he is assigned to the Sea Dragon (ARB), a unit noted for the toughest physical training. It never occurs to Pao, however, that the greatest challenge in his military service lies not in the Sea Dragon but in Unit 831, a special task he is later appointed to… In this peculiar assignment, Pao vows to keep his virginity against all odds.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsBelow par
3 wins and 8 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Reach & staying powerWeak
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 5K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
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The French Lieutenant's WomanSaturday SpecialAnother historical drama that's easy to miss.
Shanghai ExpressFriday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed drama that fewer people know today.
From Here to EternityFriday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed romance.
FirebirdWeeknight WatchAnother historical drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Doze Niu Cheng-Tse
- Ethan JuanLo Pao-tai
- Wan QianNini
- Ivy ChenJiao
- Chen JianbinChang Yung-shan
- Phoebe LinThe No.3 Girl
- Miao Ke-liCher
- Chen Yi-wenColonel Yu
- Daniel ChenYung
- Edison WangChung Hua-Hsing
- Liu Kai-chi