Later on, the film faced more and more mixed opinions. In addition to the debates surrounding the emotional lines and pace of the film, the acting of the male lead Han Dong Quan became a topic of discussion on Chinese social networks.
Many viewers believe that Han Dong Quan has not created conviction when taking on the male lead role in a drama film like "Gia Nghiep". Some opinions commented that the male actor's expression is lacking in depth, his eyes have not conveyed the character's emotions, and he is even criticized for "acting like AI".
Many viewers assessed that the problem is not in the image or simply the appearance, but the feeling of lack of connection between the actor and the character. In the romantic scenes with Duong Tu, viewers believe that the two have not created a strong enough chemical reaction to support the emotional line of the film.
On film forums, many comments said that Duong Tu tried to push emotions in the opposite scenes, but the male lead had not caught up, making many scenes awkward.
Besides, Han Dong Quan's appearance was also brought up for discussion. A part of the audience commented that the male actor's face is somewhat rounder than before, lacking the angular features that once made an impression in "Innocent Philosopher". With ancient costume films with many close-ups like "Gia Nghiep", the change in appearance is said to affect the "adolescent" feeling that the character needs.
However, many opinions also believe that the reason why the film is out of breath does not entirely lie in the actors. The script of the later part was commented on developing the emotional line too quickly, lacking layers and not creating a strong enough emotional climax.
While the male lead caused controversy, the cast of talented actors of the film received many compliments. Dien Tieu Khiet is highly appreciated for her role with rich inner feelings, clearly showing the character's struggles in a feudal family setting.
Phu Dai Long also impressed with his restrained but emotional acting style. Meanwhile, Cao Lei was commented by many viewers to have a more natural interaction with Duong Tu than the male lead.
Despite being controversial, "Gia Nghiep" is still considered a film with quality images, costumes and meticulous settings. Many opinions say that this is not a complete failure, but the fact that the male lead is not strong enough to support the role has made the film lack the necessary "push" to break through.
With ancient costume films leaning towards character depth like "Gia nghiep", audiences are currently not only interested in appearance but also require acting and the ability to create real emotions between characters. This is also the reason why the debates surrounding Han Dong Quan's acting continue to drag on after the film airs.
