Esquire Runway on AllMovie

Revenge is a dish best served in drag in this romantic comedy-drama from China. Li Jiawu (Alex Fong) used to be the publisher of a high-profile gossip magazine, but legal problems put his paper out business, and his fall from grace led to a nasty breakup with his girlfriend, successful actress Ye Qing (Kong Wei). Li Jiawu is determined to get back in the game by launching a high-profile fashion and lifestyle magazine for men, and he plans to publicize the launch by staging a talent competition to find China's next male superstar. Li Jiawu asks Ye Qing if she'd be willing to help by serving as a judge for the contest; Ye Qing is still angry with her ex, and she agrees to participate while planning to sabotage the contest from within. Ye Qing persuades her sister (Zhang Jing) to enter the talent contest posing as a man in hopes of embarrassing Li Jiawu, and she's convincing enough that that the male impersonator makes it into the final rounds. But working with Li Jiawu reminds Ye Quing of why she loved him in the first place, and with her sister a serious contender to win the grand prize, she's not sure she still wants to punish her former beau. Shishang xiansheng (aka Esquire Runway) was the first feature film from director Qiao Liang.