3/5 stars The unlikely romance between a loan shark and one of his debtors is the focus of Man in Love , a Taiwanese remake of the 2014 Korean romance of the same name. Director Yin Chen-hao smooths over the sharper edges of that earlier film, which strayed into some wholly problematic territory regarding power dynamics, and succeeds in capturing some genuinely heartfelt moments, despite the ever-present threat of bankruptcy and violence. Roy Chiu Tse ( Dear Ex ) stars as A-Cheng, the low-level debt collector with a heart of gold, as likely to bring a cash gift for his struggling targets as dish out violence over late payment. After tracking down one elderly debtor in hospital, he is instantly smitten by the man’s daughter, Hao-ting (Hsu Wei-ning, Home Sweet Home ), an intelligent, no-nonsense young woman who works at the local farmers’ association. Having assumed her ailing father’s debt, Hao-ting has no means of paying back his substantial loan. A-Cheng proposes that she work off the sum by going on a series of dates with him. Reluctantly she agrees, on the condition their relationship remain purely platonic. Inevitably, romance blossoms between the mismatched pair, but when A-Cheng attempts to leave his life of crime, he attracts the ire of his former boss, the fearsome Madam Cai (Chung Hsin-ling). From the outset, director Yin is determined to convince viewers that this pushy, short-tempered hoodlum, prone to unprovoked outbursts of violence against himself and others, is really a decent guy. The film is equally schizophrenic, opening as a lighthearted romcom before taking a hard turn into weepy melodrama. Hao-Ting, meanwhile, seems destined to live her life in the service of men, despite her obvious smarts and resourcefulness. Surely, even in this small provincial town, there are more eligible prospects than A-Cheng, reformed or otherwise. Man in Love employs the troubling yet persistent trope that the love of a good woman can redeem the most flawed of characters. Viewers’ willingness to embrace this thorny cliché will directly affect how much enjoyment they glean from the film. Those willing to accept that A-Cheng is redeemable, and Hao-ting’s growing affection for him is equally acceptable, may well be moved by some of the sweeping romantic gestures that populate the film’s second half. But others will understandably struggle to stomach the notion that just because a man is in love, he is entitled to love in return. Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Film on Facebook