Inseparable's Dayyan Eng On Kevin Spacey's Dancing Skills

We’ve been hearing about “that Chinese movie starring Kevin Spacey” for a good year and half now, ever since the Hollywood star signed on. Now, finally, Inseparable is in theaters. It’s a quirky dramedy about Li, a depressed engineer who’s about to hang himself when a laowai (Kevin Spacey) knocks on his door. The two hit it off and go on adventures to figure out just why Li’s life feels so messed up. We had a chance to chat with director Dayyan Eng (Bus 44, Inseparable) ahead of the release. Read on as he tells us about being an American making Chinese films, partying with Kevin Spacey and which China-bound Hollywood actor would win in a dance-off.

You’re a rare American director working completely within the Chinese system. How do you see yourself leveraging this enviable position?
I was fortunate to grow up bilingual and in a bicultural household; before I was twenty I had been to 18 countries. Thing is, I never set out to intentionally “leverage” or utilize this, it just evolved naturally I guess. At the risk of over-simplifying, for me it was just about telling universally understood stories for audiences – be it in China or elsewhere. Obviously, with China being such a hot topic and getting Hollywood’s attention, I guess being in my position doesn’t hurt!

When you wrote Inseparable, did you have anyone in mind for the role of Chuck (now played by Kevin Spacey)?
Normally, I don’t have anyone in particular in mind while writing a film. You never know if any given actor will be available or even wants to do it – too risky. However, with Inseparable, I did. It wasn’t originally the same “Chuck” character per se, it was a slightly different version of the script when I wrote it back in 2007. The actor I had in mind then was a famous HK actor, and he had agreed to do the film initially, but due to his schedule and other reasons, I had to move on after waiting for about a year and a half. It was then that I thought about expanding the film and making it more international so to speak, and tweaked the script into becoming the movie it is today.

What do you think sold him on your film?
He said it was the script that attracted him. I also think the chance to try something different and shooting in China appealed as well. We set out to make a unique film, something genre-bending while still universal in its themes, not something Hollywood studios tend to make. Also, Kevin really digs working with actors everywhere, and this was a chance to work with an all-Asian cast, which he hadn’t done before either.

Christian Bale, Adrien Brody, Tim Robbins and Kevin Spacey are having a dance-off for the King of Chollywood crown. What dance moves do they each pull out, and who wins?
Kevin wins. Though I know Adrien Brody’s got moves. Bale does the Mr. Roboto then a semi-failed moonwalk. Brody does some popping and ends with a split, though his groin is pulled ‘cause he forgot to do warm ups. Robbins looks for someone to ballroom dance with. Not finding anyone, he raises his arms and does a twirl, smiles ominously, then sits down. Kevin will bust out with a break dance routine mixed in with a tap dance (which he’ll pay for when his muscles hurt the next day), then finish off with a song Bobby Darrin/Frank Sinatra styles.

Did you already have Daniel Wu in mind for the role of the Chinese protagonist?
No, Daniel wasn’t in mind when I was writing the script, but he was the first actor I approached after I finished it, and he was the first actor to officially come on board. I think he did a really good job and I’m excited for audiences here to see a different side of Daniel Wu.

Can you regale us with a story or two from the set?
The first night Kevin arrived in Guangzhou, we had dinner, then Daniel, Beibi and I went out with him to some local clubs and bars, just to show him what modern China looks like. Man, that guy has energy! He was having a great time, listening to music, chatting with people. The rest of us were already getting droopy-eyed by midnight, since we’d been shooting during the day. Cut to 3 or 4am and Kevin, still full of energy, invites us over to his suite at the hotel for some ping pong! Very random and surreal, playing ping-pong with Oscar winner Kevin Spacey at 4am in Guangzhou. Talk about a weird Twitter update. After that, I had to decline when Kevin wanted to go out after 9 PM. I’d still have lots of work to prep, but he’d go party, then show up on set the next day on time and have all his lines memorized.

The trailer’s showing us culture clash and cheesy superhero costumes. Just what goes on in Inseparable?
I wanted to explore the idea of the post-1980s generation’s feeling of frustration and loss; the feeling that they did everything society expected them to do: get the good grades, go to the good school, get the good job, get married, get a house, get a car – none of which they can afford because of all the loans – and yet they still feel unhappy. Daniel’s character, Li, is a depressed engineer who designs artificial legs for a high-tech company. Due to reasons revealed later in the film, he is feeling suicidal because of pressures at work and his messed up home life. He doesn’t communicate with his wife (Beibi, who plays Pang, a moody investigative reporter) and because of this, neither of them is happy. Chuck (Spacey) is a neighbor who shows up out of the blue and befriends Li. That’s what it is on the surface, but I like films that delve deeper and can become a canvas to reflect other things happening in society – especially with the world being so materialistic and fast-changing. The film touches on the topics that have been in the headlines, like the tainted milk problems and other issues of corporate greed, etc. Li is faced with similar choices at his workplace, and he lashes out at what he perceives as being the “ills of society” – with Chuck prodding him along until things get out of control …

So, what else do you have coming up?
I’m working more with others who have brought me good projects in the past and are developing things with me so I don’t have to do everything myself anymore. It’s been much too tiring up until now. Hopefully, with Inseparable, we can show that we did something different from the usual Chinese (or American) film, and audiences will like that. Next up, I want to try something new, which is why I’m switching gears and taking on a sci-fi project.

Photos: Fantawild Films/Colordance Pictures