Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming, who lost 30 kilograms, will star in the movie “The Man with a Wig,” which is set to premiere on November 16. The film, with a production cost exceeding one hundred million Chinese Yuan, began its pre-sale on November 8. However, by 16:00, the pre-sale box office was only 21,000 Yuan, a surprisingly low figure.
The biggest selling point of “The Man with a Wig” is Huang Xiaoming’s weight loss transformation for the role, reminiscent of Jia Ling’s performance in “Hi, Mom!” However, industry insiders commented that while Jia Ling was initially known as a comedy star, her drastic weight loss of 100 kilograms created a significant contrast. On the other hand, Huang Xiaoming started his career as an idol actor, making it challenging to showcase a striking transformation through weight loss. Therefore, the film’s gimmick seems insufficient to captivate audiences.
Reports suggest that Huang Xiaoming’s subversive performance in the movie is a major highlight. He plays Meng Zhong, described as a Chinese version of a double-faced individual, appearing as a public welfare lawyer advocating for justice on the surface, yet harboring a hidden dark secret.
“The Man with a Wig” tells the story of Meng Zhong, a law student who, after graduation, needs to pass the bar exam to become a lawyer. However, after failing three times in a row, he becomes numb and desperate. One rainy night, he picks up a drunken man in his taxi and, upon seeing the man inebriated and vulnerable, succumbs to temptation and steals money from him.
Unexpectedly, the drunk man regains consciousness and catches him in the act. Meng Zhong, realizing he is caught, eliminates the man to keep the crime a secret. No one discovers his actions, and he faces no consequences for his behavior.
As Meng Zhong’s life gradually returns to normal and he successfully becomes a lawyer, a girl named Wei Xian (played by Wang Yinglu) disrupts his long-standing peace, seemingly awakening memories of that fateful rainy night. Amidst these events, he continues to hear echoes of the nightmare: “I know your secret…”
Some viewers provided feedback that while the protagonist’s experiences in the movie could evoke empathy, the plot appeared simplistic and clichéd. Additionally, the storyline of the protagonist’s psychological turmoil due to his family, committing murder without repercussions, and only facing consequences after becoming a renowned lawyer, was deemed unfit for a suspense film. Consequently, it struggled to engage the audience.
Prior reports revealed that Huang Xiaoming underwent a dramatic weight loss of nearly 30 kilograms for this movie and even shaved his head for the role, shocking netizens. According to the mainland self-media outlet “Reliable Movie King,” the film’s production cost exceeds 100 million Yuan, but with current pre-sale box office earnings amounting to only 21,000 Yuan, it is anticipated to face significant pressure to break even.