We have a saying here in China.
Seductive, mysterious, and these days,
very attractive to foreign businessmen.
Executives, bankers,
engineers, salesmen.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans
now live and work in Shanghai.
This is the story of one American named Sam.
A good man. Easy to get along with.
Never arrogant or cocky.
And because of this,
he was loved by everyone he met in Shanghai.
Or...maybe not.
Sam just won
the most important court case of his life.
His bosses have called him into a meeting.
Sam Chao is on his way to the top.
And after poaching the client
from a senior associate no less. Ballsy.
Thank you, sir. Thank you.
The reason why we asked you here, Sam?
We've got some exciting news for you.
Yay, Sam! You're the man!
We're sending you to China.
Groff Technologies has just moved its headquarters
to Shanghai.
Word is they're onto something big.
A game changer.
If our top client goes to Shanghai,
that means we go, too.
We've been in touch with Donald Cafferty from AMCHAM,
the American Chamber of Commerce there.
He's found us an office and hired us a local staff.
Now all we need is someone to head it up.
You're the obvious choice.
You're single, you're a go-getter,
and you're even Chinese.
Technically, yes. I'm Chinese.
Isn't there something else you guys wanted to say to me?
We're aware of the rumors.
We're just not ready to name a partner just yet.
But we are ready to send you to China.
This is a huge opportunity, Sam.
Uh, it's an incredibly tempting offer.
But I just feel that I am more of an asset
here in New York.
I mean, I know the ins and outs. I know everything,
and my thirtieth birthday is coming up.
I've rented out Thomas Keller's restaurant,
I've got a D.J. Coming.
I got, I got a lot of stuff going on.
You know what we like around here, Sam?
A team player. Three months.
That's all we ask.
What do you say?
That's me.
Welcome to China.
Amanda Wilson. Relocation specialist.
It's my job to help you get adjusted.
Hi.
For a second, I thought I'd missed you.
I was running late, my Ayi was sick, had to find a babysitter.
Everything ok?
Yeah, I was just expecting someone with
slightly...darker hair.
Ok, here's your survival packs.
Some Chinese yuan. Money. In other words.
A map of Shanghai, your business cards,
and your mobile phone. Your number is right on the back.
So before we go to your apartment,
I want to take you to meet Donald from AMCHAM.
He's kind of the mayor of Americatown.
Yeah. That's what we call our little expat community over here.
It's kind of like Chinatown in the U.S.,
but the other way around.
Ah...
Here you go.
You speak Chinese?
Of course. Don't you?
Eh.
What's going on here?
A restaurant opening.
Oh, yeah? I love a good restaurant.
What kind of food do they have?
- Donald! - Amanda! Good morning.
Well, this must be Sam.
Donald Cafferty, president of JFC China.
Sam Chao. Nice to meet you.
I've never seen so much fanfare at a fast food place before.
Our eight thousandth store opening
called for a little celebration.
The Chinese are crazy about fried chicken.
Here, have a coupon for a free spicy chicken sandwich.
Welcome to Shanghai.
What are you doing Thursday night?
Uh...
Great. Meet me for drinks out on the bund.
I'll introduce you to all the top business execs in town.
Microsoft, P&G, Ford.
I'm gonna drive a lot of business your way.
Ever been to China before?
I never been above 79th street before.
New York. Street.
Joke.
He's gonna be a homesick one, I can tell.
Lucky for you, I own an American bar in Hongqiao.
You ever get lonely, come on by.
Ok. Sounds great.
Good man. Now if you'll excuse me,
I'm late for my photo shoot.
Modeling career finally taking off?
No. AMCHAM elections are coming up.
See you Thursday, Sam.
Yeah. Thursday.
So. Ready to see your new apartment?
As ready as I'll ever be.
Sorry?
Look. I had a nice life back in New York.
So whatever you found me
better not be too much of a letdown.
Ok. Here we are.
Two bed, two bath.
Hardwood floors, recycled glass windows,
high-def TV, solar panels on the roof.
And the entire building is brand new.
What do you think?
That's awesome.
I'll take it.
Ok. I'll get the papers ready.
You gotta be kidding me.
What the hell was that?
Construction. But they're supposed to be finished by now!
Are you telling me this building is still being built?
Shanghai and construction go hand in hand.
Sometimes these new greener buildings
take just a little bit longer to get--
I have to get you out of here.
I have a backup apartment down the street.
It's not as nice as this one, but at least it's finished.
Is it a dump?
No. I mean, uh...
It's a tad smaller, and the amenities are less new.
But it's a really nice place in a great neighborhood.
It's a dump.
I'm staying here. Forget about it.
Sam, I cannot in good conscience
let you stay here with all that noise going on upstairs.
I completely agree. So here's what you do.
Just tell them the future partner
of a huge American law firm just moved in,
they need to shut it down for three months,
or else I'll sue them.
Here's my card.
This may not work.
Amy...
Amanda.
Your job was to find me a nice, quiet place to live,
and you failed.
Now are you going to resolve this issue,
or do I need to replace you?
It's you.
This is Sam.
Hello, Mr. Chao.
This is Fang Fang, your new assistant.
I hope you had a good flight.
Are you planning to attend the Marcus Groff meeting today?
Today? No. I thought the meeting was tomorrow, on the 17th.
Yes, but today is the 17th.
That's impossible. I left New York on the 15th,
and I lost one day by crossing over the date line.
That makes today the 16th.
Actually, you lost two days.
It became the 16th in the U.S. While you were in the air.
When you crossed the date line, it became the 17th,
and Mr. Groff will be here in thirty minutes.
I'll be right there.
- Problem. - I heard.
You know what, you get to your office.
And I will go upstairs and see what I can do
about that construction issue.
Oh, man.
When did I do this?
Aah!! Who the hell are you?
I got nothing. I don't speak Chinese.
Who are you?
Ayi. Ayi.
"Ayi?" Amanda said that same word.
Are you my nanny?
Are you like a housekeeper?
I mean, you clean...
housekeeper.
Sleep. What?
You live here. You live with me?
You live with me.
My housekeeper, and you don't speak English?
Habla espa.
That was really offensive on many, many levels.
I'm sorry about that. But I have to go, Ayi.
See you later.
Okay, this is, this is Yincheng road.
So that's gotta be, ok, that's gotta be...
I have no idea.
Which means... Oh, screw it.
Taxi!
Hi. Can you uh, take me to this address, please?
Just take me to the address.
Why are we arguing?
Okay. All right. I get it.
I'm from New York city.
So don't think that just because I'm from out of town,
that you can pad the fare by going the long way.
Or whatever it is you're trying to do.
Just take me here.
Thank you.
Mr. Chao? We spoke on the phone. I'm Fang Fang, your assistant.
Wow. Fang Fang. Thank you for calling.
Is he here?
Yes. In the conference room.
Marcus Groff from Groff technology in Santonio.
San Antonio. Thank you.
Ok, let's see Alamo, Riverwalk...
What are you writing?
Talking points. Last time I met this guy,
he couldn't stop talking about his hometown.
He's like a hundred percent Texas, through and through.
Marcus.
- Hi. Sam Chao. - Hey, how have you been?
Good to see you again.
Sorry I'm late, I just flew in from New York this morning.
I'm just kind of...
Can I get you some coffee or...
There's coffee in China, right, Fang Fang?
We have decaf, dark roast, French roast,
low fat milk, full fat milk, soy milk,
sugar, honey, and artificial sweetener.
Wow.
Some hot tea would be wonderful.
Looks like I kept you waiting.
Oh, don't sweat it.
I carry my brushes with me wherever I go
so I can practice my Chinese calligraphy.
Ever since relocating to Shanghai,
I've just fallen in love with Chinese culture.
I know what you mean.
I uh, really treasure my heritage.
There's leaves in my tea.
That's how we drink it.
Mmm. Delicious.
Oh, yeah, this is...
fragrant.
So, Marcus, what I can help you with today?
What's the biggest complaint
people have about touch-screen phones?
You can't feel the keys, so you make way too many typos, right?
Not anymore.
Give this baby a try.
Wow. That is impressive. Look at that.
I can actually see you right through that.
That, that is incredible.
I can actually feel my fingers touching...
the screen. How did you do that?
using a substrate that's attracted to the charge
of human skin.
The inventor's a genius, a Chinese guy named Yu Baiyang.
Total recluse.
Disappears for months at a time and then
pops up with a gadget that changes everything.
But he's a creative type,
so he usually sells the product
to the first person who finds him.
I found him.
Now I need you
to draw up a purchase agreement
Before anybody else finds out about this phone.
I wouldn't recommend that.
No, I mean, it's simply because
purchase agreements can take a long time to close.
You have to deal with copyrights and trademarks,
and you have to also verify a patents.
I mean, what you want, ideally, is a license agreement.
It's faster, and if the inventor
isn't too experienced in contracts,
I can get you that phone for a fraction of the price.
Say the phone is worth $50 million.
We license it for five million.
The inventor keeps all the patents,
and you start producing phones right away.
If it's a hit, everyone makes money.
But what if it's a flop?
See, that's okay, too because we minimized your risk.
You didn't buy the phones for $50 million,
you licensed it for 5.
so by going this route--
Whoa, whoa. Hold up.
I save myself 45 million,
and I still get the phone?
Are you sure he's gonna go for this?
Absolutely.
All right. Let's do it.
Well, Sam, I'm sure glad that you're the one in charge here.
- Thank you. - All right.
- I'll call you. - Speak soon.
What the hell was that?
Hmm? You second guessed me in front of the client back there.
A huge client.
Don't ever do it again.
Understood?
Sam. I'm only trying to help.
Oh. Hello. I'm Guang. The computer specialist.
I work with Fang Fang.
Hello. Powell and Davies.
It's Joey from New York.
Hey, is this seat taken?
I thought my girl problems were supposed to be over, right?
Don't be so hard on yourself, man.
We all have our dry spells.
You don't get it, dude.
My whole life has been a dry spell.
That's why I moved here.
But just before I showed up, word finally got around
that English teachers only came here to get laid.
Donald! You made it.
Great to see you, Donald.
Hello. Hello.
There you are, I've been looking all over for you.
I see you met brad. So lay it on me.
What do you think of China so far?
It's interesting.
Sorry, my brain's a little fried.
I haven't slept a wink since I got in.
Been there. Don't worry.
This is gonna be the best move you ever made.
Well, we'll see what happens after I get home.
Home is for suckers.
Let me tell you a story. Awhile back,
a fry cook from Louisville
applies to the exec program at JFC.
He got in, but he was considered a joke.
Then the company opened up shop in China.
Nobody wanted to go, so he volunteered.
20 years later,
he's the third highest paid exec in the company,
and the mayor of Americatown.
This is the new land of opportunity, Sam.
Hi there, nice to meet you.
This is Amanda. She's single.
Hi, yeah. I'll be right there. Excuse me.
Your friend is rather direct, isn't she?
- Yeah. - I'm chase.
- Amanda. Hi. - Hi.
How long have you been in Shanghai, Amanda?
Four years. But these bars are not my normal hangout.
Mine neither.
I teach at a rural school,
so I don't get into town very often.
Oh.
So uh, what do you do?
Relocation specialist.
I help foreign employees find places to live
When their companies send them--
Hi, gorgeous.
It, uh, you know, it keeps me busy.
Especially if the client has a family.
I have to get the kids enrolled in the international schools--
Hey, you're really beautiful, do you know that?
Yeah, that's totally acceptable.
- Hmm? - Hmm?
Pretty Chinese girl.
Where?
Anywhere you look.
Amanda!
Brad. Sam.
Where's Donald? I thought he was showing you off tonight.
He was, until he got called out to the dance floor.
So, Sam, how's the apartment?
It's quiet. I told you my idea would work.
Right. I'm not sure that it did.
They actually kind of laughed
when I told them about your lawsuit threat.
It really pains you to admit that I was right, is that it?
Hey, I found another cute guy for you.
He's only 22. Let's go!
So Amanda, she's single, right?
I thought she had a kid.
Divorced. Moved here right after the split.
Now that her kid's a little older,
her friends are trying to get her back in the dating scene.
Huh.
No, no, no, no. You do not go there.
You didn't come to China to meet white girls.
You're into Chinese girls, right?
I don't know, man. I've never dated one.
You are all messed up, bro.
It's time you got in touch with your culture.
By having sex with it.
Uh-huh.
Dude, you're in China. Now have some baijiu.
Ganbei!
You know, China's gonna be a great place once it's finished.
Why are you here?
You passed out at the bar last night,
so I had to drag your ass back home.
I was gonna crash on your sofa,
but your bed just looked so comfortable.
You want some breakfast?
I know a great steamed bun place near here.
Mmm. Mmm!
Mmm! Goddamn, that's a delicious baozi.
What kind of meat is this again?
Snake.
Aha. Gotcha. It's pork. It's pork.
Seriously, you gotta try snake sometime. It's good.
I'll be sure to never do that.
Hey, man, thanks for making sure
I got back in one piece last night.
No problem.
I'm gonna get some more baozi.
Ok. - Mm-hmm.
Hello?
Sam? Marcus Groff.
Hey, Marcus. I'm actually not in the office just yet--
Yeah, yeah, yeah. We've got a problem.
Yu Baiyang, the inventor?
He signed my license agreement a few days ago.
And then he signed another license agreement
with some local manufacturer.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, Marcus. Relax. He can't do that.
There's no possible way, why would he even--
How should I know?
He probably figured out what a raw deal you gave him.
Now somebody else is making my phones.
Marcus?
This was supposed to be safe, Sam!
Marcus, calm down. Listen to me. This is totally safe.
There is absolutely no way that he can license those phones
to another manufacturer.
But if that's what he's trying to do,
we still have plenty of time to stop whatever deal--
It's a touch-screen phone you can actually feel the keys on.
I can type so fast on this thing.
See that? I just typed "I can type so fast on this thing"
as fast as I said it.
- Marcus, I'll call you back. - I just typed it again!
Where did you get that?
Uh, at a big cell phone store on the corner.
But it looks like they're selling them here, too.
Where did you get this?
This phone. Where did you get this phone?
Ah, ah, I know, I know.
Whoa. Are we running? Do we need to run?
No, no. I bought them all. Just grab the rest. Taxi!
Come on, come on, come on!
Your trunk, pop your trunk, please! Thank you.
You really love this phone, huh?
No, brad. This is my client's phone.
Somebody else is making them.
How the hell did they get into these stores so fast?
Uh, haven't you heard?
The Chinese are really good at manufacturing, dude.
Brad, I need to get these phones off the street ASAP.
I need you to go to every store that is selling these phones
and buy them up. Here I'll give you my corporate card.
I've got an English class to teach.
Damn it. All right. I'll call my assistant.
Whoa, hang on, hang on.
I could be persuaded to skip my English class,
if the right motivation was there.
You want me to bribe you?
Fine. I will hire you as a local consultant for the firm.
How is that?
Deal. I'll get right on it.
- Take the card. - What are you gonna do?
How the hell could you let this happen?
This is not my fault, sir.
Groff was planning to put that touch screen
Into every phone, laptop, and tablet he makes.
Now someone else is going to beat him to it
because you got fancy with the contracts.
- I didn't-- - If he sues us for negligence,
we're looking at billions in damages. Billions.
Fix this, Sam. You fix this,
or I will make sure this stink follows you
for the rest of your sorry career.
Do I make myself clear?
Absolutely, sir. I assure you, this will be taken care of.
Very quickly.
I'm talking lightning speed here.
This is-- it's fixed. It--
Hello? Hello?
Nice place.
Thanks.
Is that Warren Buffett?
It sure is.
I showed him around back in '95.
Wish I could've been there.
I mean, I was just in grade school at the time.
Esther Wu, Climb Motors. I'm...
Running against me for AMCHAM presidency.
Thanks for volunteering.
You know, the election committee always has a hard time
finding someone to run against me.
Is that so?
I should've come to Shanghai a little sooner then.
Shanghai isn't a hardship post for outcasts anymore.
It's a gold star on your resume,
and it's attracting the best and brightest these days.
Rhodes scholars, MBAs...
They're the new face of the expat community.
And they want an AMCHAM president
who shares their background.
Instead of one who...
took a dying American brand
and turned it into the biggest restaurant chain in China?
Sam the lawyer. How's business?
Figured out what to do about that phone manufacturer yet?
You heard about that?
I hear everything.
After all... I am the mayor.
Now let's deal with your little mess.
Call this fella. He's a problem solver.
Helps guys like you out all the time.
We call him Awesome Wang.
Freelance reporter.
The kind of guy with a real nose
for digging up hard-to-find facts.
And nailing the bad guys.
No.
I have a billion dollar legal mess on my hands right now.
And you want me to call a guy named Awesome Wang?
How is that gonna look on my expense report?
You young bucks always think you know everything.
Awesome Wang?
It's ridiculous!
No, the meeting is only with Mr. Lin, the other manufacturer.
Apparently, Yu Baiyang is off finding some sort of
inspiration or something. I don't know.
Don't worry, Marcus, I will straighten everything out.
I promise. Ok?
Hi.
The research material you wanted.
You want to come in?
May i?
Oh, can I get you a drink or something?
Um, no, thanks.
Wow, um, this is a nice place.
Yeah.
You live here by yourself?
That's my roommate.
So uh, something on your mind?
I know that your bosses were pretty harsh on you today.
I want you to know that...
I believe in you!
Jeez...
Amanda? Hi. It's Sam.
Yeah, uh, listen, I uh...
I think you were right about the construction workers.
So the uh, the backup apartment you mentioned...
Ok, tell the manager we'll be in the neighborhood,
and whenever he's free...
Yeah, I can pick you up. Where do you live?
Are you hungry, Katie?
You want a snack?
What do you want to eat?
Did you see that?
Relax. At least she's speaking again.
Yeah. Only in Chinese.
I guess that rules out our whole hearing problem thing,
you're really crazy, do you know that?
Oh, god. I wish I'd scheduled Sam for tomorrow.
You should have told him to go find his own apartment.
Oh, right, what was I supposed to do,
just drop him after he apologized to me?
Uh-huh.
I'm fighting for business as it is.
The last thing I need is somebody out there
spreading bad word-of-mouth.
And we all know the most difficult clients
have the biggest mouths. Sam.
You are punctual.
Yeah. Well, your door was open.
- Hi. Good to see you again. - Hey, Sam.
Good luck with your apartment search.
Thanks.
Well, I feel like I'm back in the states here.
Yeah. We make it work.
Speaking of we...
Sam, this is Katie. Katie, say hi, to Sam.
She stopped speaking English. I have no idea why.
Hi, Katie. Wow.
That is a really cool shovel.
What's it for?
Is it a secret?
Yeah. I bet it is.
How about this...
I'll tell you a really cool, a really funny secret of mine
if you tell me what the shovel's for.
Pretty funny, huh?
So what's the shovel for?
I'm digging a hole to America.
What did you just say?
No, come on, seriously. What did you just say to her?
It's uh, an attorney-client privilege. I shouldn't.
That's how you want to play it? Real cute.
Okay, look. I gotta ask.
What did you say to Katie back at the house?
I mean, she has not said one word of English
in over a week, and no offense, but you're kind of
The last person in the world I expected
to have a way with kids.
So why did she...?
Never mind.
No, I'm listening. Go ahead. Sorry.
Really? What did I just say?
I'm sorry. I'm not listening.
No, it's just I'm kind of dealing
with this career-ending crisis at work.
And it's really...
- Sounds serious. - Yeah.
You know, if you need help, there's a guy you could call.
Awesome Wang.
He's a Shanghai hero.
He helps people out of trouble all of the time.
Right. So I've heard. Mm-hmm.
Hey, listen, are you, um, are you hungry?
Can I buy you lunch?
While we're waiting for the manager to call?
My treat.
Let me make up
for that little temper tantrum I threw the other day.
Okay.
Thank you.
Why does she keep giving me--
Because I obviously don't speak Chinese, and you obviously do.
- Right. - Happens all the time.
Here, take my menu, it's in English.
I gotta learn this stuff.
So how does a girl like you get to be such an expert on China?
Well, I took 3 years of mandarin in college
and studied at Beijing university for a semester.
I even spent summers working at a Chinese restaurant in Nebraska,
to keep up my language skills.
Customers got a real kick out of me.
- I bet. - Mm-hmm.
So, is that why you moved here with Katie after the...
Yeah, Katie's dad wasn't exactly "father of the year."
So after we split, I decided to get away from him
As far as possible.
Yeah, this would pretty much do it.
I know. I know, I know,
but I knew the language and growing up here
will open up all sorts of job opportunities for Katie.
So it made sense.
One of those moms, huh?
Guilty. So let me guess.
You only moved here because someone offered you
a big promotion.
I've seen your type before.
My type? I'm sorry, what is my, my type?
No, I have said way too much already.
No, no. I won't get mad. You can tell me.
I can take it.
What is my type?
Ok.
Slick businessman. Charming, driven,
you come here to do business, but you still want to be
perceived as an American company,
so you downplay your association with China as much as you can.
In fact, you downplay it so much
that nobody thinks about the actual human beings
Who make your product.
Until, of course, something awful happens
and it winds up all over the news.
So you make a few changes
hope that your customers have a short memory.
Or if you're a real jerk, you just pretend
you had no idea it was happening in your own factory
And blame everything on the Chinese.
I know this story. I think I do.
Corporations are evil,
and we don't care about people, right?
What about the jobs we create?
The technology transfer from building plants here?
No credit for that? Nothing?
Please. That's not charity work.
It's another way for you to make money.
Amanda, do you know how many designer shops
and luxury car dealerships I passed today
On the way over here?
Trust me, the Chinese are making plenty of money.
Yes, international trade
has definitely improved the quality of life here.
But it's a side effect.
Foreign businessmen don't come here
to contribute to Chinese society.
They come here to profit from it.
I'm contributing.
Ok, how?
By practicing law.
My client is just like you. He loves China.
He wants to take a Chinese inventor's product
and turn it into the biggest thing in the world,
and he needs my help to do that. Do you understand this?
That's what I do. I help people.
Whatever you say.
All right. How about this.
You come by my office.
watch how I'm going to fix this little hiccup
with my client and get him back doing business again.
Then you'll see what I mean.
We'll see.
Hmm. Decided to come by after all, huh?
Yeah. I was in the neighborhood.
I have some apartment photos I wanted to show you.
Yeah.
Marcus, this is my colleague Amanda.
She's going to be sitting in with us today.
Hi.
- Hi. - Come on in.
Who is that woman?
She's my guest.
You shouldn't bring a guest to a meeting.
It's unprofessional.
Thanks for your opinion.
Well, this must be Mr. Lin.
Yeah. It looks like he brought some muscle.
Jason studied law at Stanford.
Huh. You look familiar.
I had a friend went to Stanford law.
Joey Pritikin. You know him?
Let's just get to business, shall we?
All right.
This mobile phone is intellectual property
exclusively licensed to my client by Mr. Yu Baiyang.
This identical mobile phone,
was manufactured by Mr. Lin in his factory,
and we actually bought this just down the street here
in a really cute, little shop.
So your client is clearly infringing
on my client's rights.
No. No.
This is not true.
I am the only one with permission
to make Yu Baiyang's phone.
Show them.
Hmm. You realize just because you have a signed contract
doesn't make it valid.
Yu Baiyang executed my client's agreement
On the 18th of this month.
And according to your contract, he executed yours on the 19th.
And since an exclusive license agreement is singular by definition,
the fact that ours is first in time renders yours...
Completely void.
Impossible.
This is impossible.
These contracts make no sense.
In my opinion, we should do nothing
until Yu Baiyang resurfaces to clear this up.
Is that what they taught you at Stanford law?
If Mr. Lin keeps his factory running,
he will be intentionally breaching my client's contract,
and the next phone call I make
will be to file an injunction against him
Under PRC civil procedure law.
So let's keep this simple, Stanford.
Either Mr. Lin stops making the phones,
or we sue him for everything he's got.
Oh, god.
I'm advising my client to stop his operation.
There's no need to sue.
Sam Chao. There is no substitute.
I told you not to worry.
How about this guy?
So what did you think?
I think you were born to be a lawyer.
Come on.
I just got my client back on the road
to doing business here in China.
It was very easy, since Lin's attorney
was not too well-versed in trade law.
But my point is this...
I stood up for justice back there.
Ah. You're a super hero.
What?
I'm just trying to figure out which is the real you.
The nice guy who made my daughter feel
completely at ease,
or the carpetbagger who honestly thinks he just helped someone.
I did just help someone.
And that clinches it. Uh-huh.
Hey!
Out of the way!
Coming through!!
Brakes. Brakes. Brakes!
Brakes!! Brakes!!
Brakes!!!
Excuse me. Damn it.
Coming through. Coming through.
Move! Move! Move!
What the hell is going on here?
How did you catch me with that piece of rubbish bicycle?
Spinning class three times a week, bitch.
Why the hell were you in that JFC commercial?
Are you a lawyer or not?
Yes. Of course I'm a lawyer.
Stop lying to me. Who the hell are you?
I'm an actor, okay?
Actor?
What do you mean, this whole meeting with Lin was fake?
Yes.
He just wanted to get you off his back.
Look out, someone's stealing your briefcase!
The fake lawyer trick?
I haven't seen that one in years.
This guy Lin must be old school.
Sounds like the young buck's finally ready to listen
to an old man's advice.
Hey, you.
Hey.
Fought any good battles for justice recently?
Uh, haven't you heard? I'm only out for myself.
Oh.
Heading to a party?
Eh, more like a date.
Wow.
Some kind of angel for you to go out with him.
I wouldn't know. It's a blind date.
Some French banker Natalie set me up with. Don't ask.
You still want to know what I said to Katie?
What happened to attorney-client privilege?
She's a horrible client. Never pays her bills.
Mm-hmm.
You want to know or not?
Yes. What did you say?
That the only word I know how to say in Chinese
Is fang pi. Fart.
Yeah, no. I got it.
Yeah.
Okay. So how did that...
By letting her know she's not the only weirdo around.
It's not easy growing up in a place
where nobody looks like you.
Uh-huh.
And kids, they just want to fit in.
And all of the other kids, they only speak Chinese.
So...
How do you think I wound up speaking only English?
Why didn't you tell me that earlier?
Because it was obvious. Ow.
Walk it off.
So where are you headed, anyway?
I'm uh...
Heading to meet the legendary Awesome Wang.
I thought you had that all figured out.
I thought I did, too.
But it just seems like every time I turn around,
the rug just keeps getting pulled out from under me.
And it feels like everyone is out to get me.
You really shouldn't talk about your people that way.
Look, it's like, I am...
Totally out of my element here.
That lawyer from yesterday? Not a lawyer.
Taxi drivers don't understand a word I'm saying.
Oh, and I just found out about the business card thing.
I go to a meeting, I'm supposed to hand out my business card,
apparently, you're supposed to use two hands
and bow at the same time. And I know it's a little thing,
but I'm used to doing things my way, and I had to think about it,
and if I have to think about every single little thing,
it's uh...
Sounds like somebody's going expat crazy.
At least you know how your parents felt.
They were immigrants, right?
Ok, well, at some point they up and moved
to a foreign country for better jobs and a better life.
And they figured it out.
We Americans like to call ourselves expats,
but the fact of the matter is we're immigrants.
This is my stop.
Good luck.
Thanks. Good luck to you too.
Hi. You must be awesome. I'm Sam.
Sam?
So...you're...Awesome Wang.
Tell me what you need help with.
Donald said that you're great at finding people.
So, there's this manufacturer, his name is Lin...
He, he's violating my client's product license agreement.
So I met with Lin,
and he--
So I meet with Lin and his lawyer,
but his lawyer turns out to be some actor.
He-- he turns out to be a British actor.
His name is Jensen.
And now I can't-- now I can't find Lin anywhere.
Hey, excuse me, can we go someplace
a little more private? I feel like privacy's an issue.
Anybody here understand this guy?
I think you are okay.
So anyway, I can't find Lin anywhere,
and I have Jen-- I have Jensen's phone number.
He was in a JFC ad, so Donald helped me get this.
I was gonna give him a call, but...
My daughter. She is two.
She's adorable.
It was very nice to meet you.
Nice to meet all of you.
Found Jensen.
What is this place?
KTV.
What?
KTV.
KTV is English.
No.
Are you saying karaoke?
So how are we supposed to find him?
This place is huge.
Hello? Wei?
Hello, Jensen.
This is Wang Geili.
The reporter who texted you earlier.
Right. Sorry, mate.
But I changed my mind about doing that interview.
Uh, you don't say.
may I ask why?
Honestly? There's this wanker I'm trying to avoid.
Uh-huh. Interesting.
He's some lawyer from the states.
Oh, from the states?
I don't need him seeing my name in print
all over the press anytime soon.
Oh, that's too bad. Your story's interesting.
I still want to talk to you.
Well, thank you. I can't right now,
but if you're still looking to interview a foreign actor,
then give me a call later, and I'd be happy to.
Okay? Cheers, mate.
Goodbye.
Wow. You are an actor, a lawyer, and a singer.
That is really impressive.
- Do we have to do this here? - Yes, we do.
I don't know where he is.
My reporter friend here works for some very widely read newspapers
in Shanghai, so unless you want everyone to know--
Hey.
Fang Fang?
You know her?
She's my assistant!
You don't say.
What the hell are you doing here?
They're about to lie to you, buddy.
- Shut up! - Shut up!
Uh, Jason...
700 Dagu Road, Apartment 1804.
That's where he lives.
So...working at a nightclub, huh?
How long has that been going on?
Having trouble understanding me tonight?
Is that what it is?
You can't really understand what I'm saying? Is that it?
Am I speaking too fast or too slow?
Damn it, Fang Fang, I'm your boss.
If I ask you a question
regarding your employment status, you have to answer me.
Do you understand that?
How long have you had a second job?
Waitressing is not my second job.
Oh, great. So now you're lying to me.
It's my first job.
Working for you is my second job.
What are you talking about?
I thought your parents were rich or something.
My father is a construction worker.
My mom cleans houses.
When I was hired at your firm, I thought,
I could quit the nightclub.
But even in Shanghai, there's so much pressure.
Every woman with an office job has to have designer clothes,
and nice jewelry, and Italian handbags.
So, I pretend to have wealthy parents,
and kept my other job just to pay for nice things, ok?
Well, I guess that explains all of the flirting.
Flirting?
Come on.
You have been making eyes at me since the day I arrived.
You came to my house.
You got upset when Amanda showed up at the meeting.
And you just think I'm going to take you
right back to New York with me, don't you?
I tell you my secret, and you accuse me of this?
I want you to succeed in this job.
And act professional so the office stays open!
And I can go to law school and take care of my family.
You're just...
You don't understand anything.
Screw you, Sam. I quit.
I don't want to talk about it.
Did you find Lin or not?
Couldn't get in?
Awesome, I told you that uniform sucks.
Come on. It's not a big deal.
Stay the hell away from me.
- Amanda. What's going on? - My date? He's married.
He's not looking for a relationship,
he's looking to cheat on his wife.
No, no, no, no. It's not what you think it is.
I love my wife very much.
Then why are you on a date with me?
Because I promised her
I wouldn't have an affair with a Chinese woman.
Seriously? That's your reasoning?
Yes, I'm a man.
Living thousands of kilometers away from his wife.
I have needs.
Oh...
- So do you, yes? - Buddy.
She's not interested. So why don't you back off.
Or what? Hmm?
Walk away.
Whatever.
Are you okay?
Yeah. I just...
What's the matter?
Do you know why people hire me?
Because they see a single mom getting by in Shanghai,
and they think, now there's someone
who has her act together.
You do.
No. I don't.
I live in a house I can barely afford.
I wake up in the middle of the night
Wondering who will take care of Katie
if something were to happen to me.
It'd be great to not have to do this on my own,
but every time I go on a date, it's, it's...that.
Well, I guess that makes you a duck.
What?
My mom used to say
that certain people were like ducks because...
They make everything look easy.
Out there on the water,
it's like they don't have a care in the world.
But if you look below the surface...
You can see how hard their lives really are.
Just paddling their little asses off.
Just like that.
You know that's a Chinese saying, right?
The duck thing.
I think that's American.
Oh, ok, who knows more about ducks?
They eat millions of them in Beijing.
Good point.
Ah, I must be more Chinese than I thought.
Come on.
Thanks.
Ok, let me make it up to you.
No way.
But--
No buts. I'm done with expat guys.
Ok, they've either got an Asian fetish,
or they're...
Turkey vultures.
That's what my friend calls them.
Because they hover around,
waiting to pick up the discarded white meat.
Oh, god.
Ow!
I told you not to eat before a foot massage.
She can feel everything.
Ok...
Now explain to me what Sam had to do with this.
Sam's the one who chased Phillip away.
By doing that thing guys do when they're about to fight.
And then out of nowhere,
he just...kissed me.
Who, Phillip?
No, Sam. Why would I let Phillip kiss me?
I don't know.
Why would you let Sam kiss you?
I didn't. No.
Stop it.
He kissed you.
After defending your honor.
Oh, my god. I knew he liked you.
We're nothing alike.
Exactly. Opposites, like yin yang.
You know, you're warm, he is fierce.
You are easygoing, he is driven.
You are Chinese, he is American.
You know what else?
I live here. He's a short termer.
The second his job is done, he's going home.
Maybe he will change his plans.
For god's sake, he gets along with Katie.
And you need some romance in your life.
No. I'm done with romance. I was doing just--
or maybe I just have sore feet.
Anybody ever considered that?
Just a reminder, we've got a meet and greet
with commerce secretary Whitson on the evening of the 29th.
It is the 29th, right?
Yeah. Good.
He's gonna be in town for some meetings
and some photo ops, so if anyone's got any gripes,
about trade subsidies, here's your chance
to have some face time with the man.
I'm talking to you, Janet.
I love you, too, Donald.
Now it's time to turn things over to Ted Holmby.
Who's got this year's AMCHAM election results.
Is this seat taken?
No, no. Please, sit.
I didn't know you were coming to this thing.
Yeah. Donald called me this morning.
I thought I should come. Show him my support.
Same.
Yeah.
It's the closest election they said in years.
Yeah. Yep.
So...
Close. Close.
So how'd it go with um, Awesome Wang?
I may just uh, dig myself out of this hole.
I'm just waiting for him to call.
That's great.
Yeah.
How'd it go with the um, the French guy?
- Uh, Phillip? - Yeah.
Yeah. No more trouble.
I think you scared him off pretty good.
Good.
Not that scaring people is a good thing.
I'm just, I'm glad you're...ok.
Hey, listen, if I overstepped any boundaries last night...
Three months, is that set in stone?
Because, you know, sometimes people stay longer.
Maybe.
I mean, I could see myself staying.
A little bit longer.
Okay.
Wow.
Thank you.
Wait. What just happened?
Esther Wu is the new mayor of Americatown.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
This is such a surprise.
I was not expecting this at all.
Way to go, Esther!
Thank you so much. This is a great day.
Donald. Donald!
48 percent.
That's it?
Yeah.
I thought everyone loved him.
They do, or they did.
I guess that times are finally catching up with him.
I should go check on him.
See if I can get the mayor of Canadatown
to come cheer him up.
That's a good idea.
Listen, I have tickets to this American film festival--
Next week. I'm pretty sure all the films are in English.
But I didn't know if maybe you weren't too busy--
If you'd want to...go.
It's awesome.
Oh.
I mean, Awesome Wang. He's calling me. Uh, I gotta--
Right. No, dig yourself out of that...hole.
Uh, but the movie, that sounds uh, awesome, too.
So, I'll call you, ok?
Yeah, do that. That'd be awe... Some.
Ok.
Hey. Did you find him?
English, awesome. I can't see you.
You have to speak English.
I got into the building.
It does not seem like the kind of place
where a sneaky businessman would live.
Great. So Jensen lied about the address.
Or Lin is not who we think he is.
Are you sure of your facts, Sam?
He had an actor pose as his lawyer, awesome.
That's all I need to know.
So what the hell do we do now?
Sorry. I'm out of ideas.
I'm starting to think this isn't the most effective strategy.
I know, brad! I get it!
Mr. Chao.
New York is starting video call soon.
Can I help you, Guang?
Fang Fang quit because she loved you,
and you broke her heart.
You chose that American woman instead.
You are a rotten radish!
What?
It's not funny.
Please tell me you're opening an electronics store.
No, sir. I am not.
Uh, these are the phones that Lin is producing.
I've been going around, buying as many as I can find
to keep them off the street.
This is not good, Sam.
Not good for the firm, and certainly not for you.
Get on the first flight back to New York.
We need to have a face to face discussion about your future.
Maybe you should go on a vacation.
I hate vacations.
Ok, well, make it exciting. How about a safari?
Oh, you should go to Bangkok.
I know this really hot masseuse there.
Her name's Kevin.
This doesn't look good.
It's not. I'm uh...
I got called back to New York.
You're leaving already?
Yeah. My flight's in a few hours.
I thought I should come by and say goodbye before I left.
Amanda, can I talk to you for a minute in private?
All right. Ok.
Donald.
Good luck. Watch your back.
I really was thinking about staying.
Sure you were.
I'm sorry, i...
Look, I'm gonna go back to New York. And uh...
And what?
You knew exactly what I was asking you the other night.
Why didn't you just tell me the truth?
I swear, I didn't know I was leaving.
I did.
Sooner or later, you were always going home.
You seem troubled.
May I ask why?
It's complicated.
I came here to China
because I thought it would help my career.
And now my career is over.
So thanks for everything, China.
Sorry. I probably shouldn't be sarcastic to you.
I judge not.
Surely there was something you enjoyed during your stay here.
Yeah, there was.
But she's pissed at me.
Ah. A woman, huh?
Yeah.
Not exactly your area of expertise, I'm guessing.
Right. Well...
Anyway, there's no use in obsessing over it.
I'm never going to see her again, so...
One never knows what the future holds.
I know. Trust me, I know.
Do you see this bean here?
It was once just a pit of a small berry.
Left undisturbed,
it would have remained so.
But being plucked from its shell,
scorched in flame...
Crushed into powder...
And boiled in water transforms this into something
Far more delicious, and far more meaningful,
than just a mere pit.
A little confused. Um...
About everything you just said.
Am I the coffee bean? Is that what you're...
Am I the pit?
I'm the pit, I gotta get all burned and boiled
and all that stuff before I can become the bean?
Is that it?
Ok, listen, I've been through all that.
I've been boiled, I've been burned,
I lost my job, and I lost the girl.
And after all that...
I'm still a pit.
Wait a minute.
That's it.
Amanda.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
I feel like I should give you a donation or something.
Donation?
Yeah. 'Cause you're a monk.
Why do all Americans think I am a monk?
I just enjoy wearing robes and giving advice.
Not all bald men in China is a monk, you know?
No, no, no. Whatever it is, I'm not helping you.
All I have is Lin's home address.
If you could just look through your real estate database--
You're not my client anymore.
Then I'm here to hire you.
No, I am. I want to buy Lin's apartment.
And I can't contact him without his phone number, right?
Come on.
I'm sorry. I'm trying to become a coffee bean here.
What?
I don't know. Never mind.
I admit it, okay?
I only came here to make partner.
A selfish prick who will step on anyone to get what he wants?
Take it easy.
My point is, I don't want to be that guy anymore.
And proving that to you is going take more than the three hours
that I have left before my flight takes off.
So please, just help me find this guy.
It's my only shot at buying a little more time here with you.
Give me the address.
No. Come inside.
Okay, Lin, Lin, Lin.
I am not seeing any phone numbers,
but it looks like he recently sold
All right. Well, a lead's a lead. I'll check it out.
Wait. Hang on. There's something else.
He also just bought a commercial property in Changzhou.
What is that, like a neighborhood or something?
No. It's an industrial town outside of Shanghai.
Do they have factories there?
Yeah, lots.
In fact, it looks like this one that he owns is a factory.
Do you think?
Yes. I do.
That's it! That's where he's making the phones.
And you found it. You are a lifesaver!
Would you stop doing that?
Ok, I'm sorry. I was excited.
Just go, find Lin, ok?
And give me time to think.
Hello?
Donald! Hey, hey, it's Sam.
Listen, I know where Lin's factory is.
Apparently he owns some industrial property
in a place called uh, Chan-zoo.
Changzhou.
Right. Whatever they just said.
Listen, I think I can still salvage this thing.
How do I file an injunction against the factory?
Changzhou is in the Jiangsu province.
You need to file a complaint with the Jiangsu Administration
of Industry and Commerce.
Ok.
Make an appointment, plead your case,
and convince them to get a magistrate out there
to shut the plant down. It might take a couple of weeks.
Couple of weeks? I don't have a couple of weeks.
Can-- there has to be a faster way here.
Not unless you have some Guanxi with the Jiangsu AIC.
How am I gonna get that?
I have a cousin that works there.
Donald, I'll call you back.
You have a cousin, Guang. Are you serious?
Listen to me, you just made my day.
Please call him for me.
The flowers are dying.
Forget about the flowers.
We're talking about cousins here.
Can you please call him for me?
I don't know.
I am still upset with you for toying with Fang Fang's heart.
I didn't toy with Fang Fang's heart!
There was nothing going on between me and Fang Fang, ok?
She was pissed at me because because I was a jerk,
and that's why she quit.
That's the truth. Now please, call your cousin for me.
I am desperate.
How desperate?
Hi. My name's Sam. I'm looking for Fang Fang.
I work with her. I'm her boss actually.
Uh, I have a business card.
Oh, all right.
What do you want?
I'm sorry for insulting you the other day.
It was condescending and rude...
I was, I was way out of line.
Yeah, right. What do you want?
I want you to go on a date with Guang.
Are you crazy?
Please, Fang Fang, I'll give you anything you want.
Anything.
Hire me back.
Done. That's...done.
Help me with my law school entrance exam.
Help you with your law school entrance exam.
Absolutely. I will help you.
Now will you just...
Please, go on a date with Guang?
Sam?
May i?
Oh, yeah. Absolutely.
Whatever he said right there I'm sure is really romantic.
How about it, Fang Fang? Just one date?
What'd I tell you?
So Fang Fang is faxing the contract evidence
to Jiangsu AIC as we speak,
so assuming everything is in order,
they're sending a magistrate to the factory.
Sounds like you got this all wrapped up.
Oh, guess who just drove here in his new ride, bitches?
I'm not just some horny English teacher anymore.
I'm a horny English teacher with a car!
You're still here.
Yes, and I might be for a bit longer.
But I need a favor. I need a lift to Changzhou.
So how about we take this new ride of yours
for a test drive?
I'd love to. Road trip!
- He wants to come with. - Great. Let's go.
Whoa.
Mr. Lin.
Ah, good to see you again. You look good.
I have a magistrate here. He'd like to speak with you.
Please, you can't do this.
I spent all my family's money into this factory.
And produce this phone.
I'll be bankrupt if you shut it down.
Yeah, dude. Mission accomplished.
The system worked.
Yeah. And Lin's out of business.
And I am finally, finally out of trouble.
What is that noise?
The sound of trouble!
Again, awesome, with the janitor disguise?
I told you this--
Listen. Lin told the head worker
to come and collect the severance pay.
Only you two look like you might have it.
So? I'll just tell them that we don't work with lin.
We uh, we, we don't work for...for Mr. Lin.
I don't think he understands you, dude.
Yes, I can see that, brad. What do we do?
- Run! - Yeah!
There are so many.
Go!!
Go! Go!
Get to the car!
I'm getting! I'm getting! I'm getting!
Get in! Get in!
Thank you.
Um...how'd it go?
Couple of hiccups.
Mm-hmm.
But um...
We did it.
Yeah?
Yeah.
I'm glad you're here.
You can see the new me.
Did you get a hold of Marcus Groff?
Um, yes.
Actually he just arrived.
But there's no place to sit down in there
because of all the damn phones.
Now tell me why I shouldn't have your firm dismantled
and sold for scrap this very instant.
Because I fixed everything.
Lin's factory has been shut down, Marcus.
It has?
Yes. And I want you to know that I take full responsibility
and if anyone should to take the fall, it should be me.
Not the people at firm,
and not these wonderful people here at the Shanghai office.
Don't sweat it, man.
Well...
This turned out better than I had hoped.
How's that?
Lin thinks his contract isn't any good.
Plus I get a shipping container full of phones
he built on his own dime.
What do you mean Lin he thinks his contract is no good?
It is no good.
Wait a second. Is that Yu Baiyang?
He said something didn't feel right
when he went to Lin's apartment.
So he went to find the inventor.
Your client lied to you. Like big time.
Mr. Yu. Hello again.
I can see you're busy. No problem.
If I can just get you...
To sign this contract we discussed.
About the phone?
No. I promised my shareholders
I had something big in the pipeline.
I was going to pay you a lot of money for it.
Sam? It's Marcus Groff.
We've got a problem.
Marcus. Is this true? Is Lin innocent?
He's not innocent.
He hired an actor to pose as his attorney
because he could not afford a real attorney.
After starting up his business.
I spent all my family's money into this factory.
I'll be bankrupt if you shut it down.
What's done is done.
You lied to me, Marcus.
You used me to cheat an innocent man out of a huge business deal.
You realize that?
Relax. Groff Technologies is going to make
a billion dollars next year,
and that means more business for your firm.
I'm gonna send over a truck to pick up these phones, ok?
It's nice working with you, Sam.
Bye.
Hello? Powell and Davies.
One moment please.
New York is calling to see why you didn't get on that plane.
What are you going to tell them?
Don't think about it too hard, Sam.
You know what to do.
Actually, I don't.
Marcus Groff's company pays your salary.
He's one of our most valuable clients.
There are plenty of other clients out there.
This guy Lin, he could use representation.
Groff has the infrastructure and the resources
to revolutionize the computing industry with this technology,
and you want to side with a backyard operation like Lin?
Sam. Just remember which team you play for.
Which team is that exactly?
You guys sent me out here because I'm Chinese.
You wanted someone who could connect with the people.
My people.
And now you want me to screw one of them.
Oh, when the hell did you care who gets screwed?
Sam.
You know what Groff is worth to us.
And we know what making partner would mean to you.
So just give Groff the phones, and everybody wins.
I met some pretty famous attorneys in law school.
Guys I modeled my career after.
And I'm pretty sure none of them would understand
what I'm doing.
You are an honorable man.
No. I'm just a coffee bean.
Ready?
Yeah.
I'll take that.
Sam often thought
he might open his own law practice someday.
But he never imagined
that day would come so soon.
Or that his practice would be in Shanghai.
This was not the ending
I anticipated when I first met Sam.
Here was an ambitious man
who would do anything for his career.
But when offered the job he wanted all along,
he chose instead to do the right thing.
Perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised.
Shanghai is a city that is always changing.
Why should the people who come to Shanghai
be any different?
You may learn to become a far more humble person.
Become the person you always dreamed of being.
Realize you've been chasing the wrong dream
for far too long.
Nice car.
Whoa.
Or you may find
that the trip you never wanted to take
has become the most rewarding journey of all.
Do you mind keeping an eye on her
while I get your cake ready?
Happy 30th birthday.
Still digging that hole to America, huh?
How do you say shovel again?
Chanzi.
This was the story
of an American named Sam.
A good man, who was loved by everyone he met in Shanghai.
For real this time.
Take one.
I am totally out of my element here.
That guy is too.
It doesn't matter how angry she was,
the fact that she's calling you now,
means she cares about you. Sorry.
Sorry to give you that serious face.
No. I said "angwy."
You've been in China too long.
Sorry. One more time.
Cut. Cut.
Ever since relocating to Shanghai,
I've really fallen in love with Chinese culture.
I know what you mean.
Let's do that again.
He wants to come with.
Great, great. The more the merrier.
Uh, you or, you...
We gotta go.
Take one.
Take two.
I do not need romance. I was doing just fine.
Ow!
Take three.
I was doing just fi...
No. No.
Would you stop doing that?
Take two.
- Hey, Daniel? - Yo.
Just grab her head.
Yeah. That's sure gonna get it.
Clam it up, Daniel.
The reason, the reason, that I wanted--
The what?
- Take two. - Hi.
The rea--
Excuse me.
Do you want to cut again?
I'm so sorry. It's so embarrassing.
Ah!
Damn! That is a delicious baozi.
Can we do this again?
I'll take this side. You take this side.
Ok.
Sir, sir, can I get some...
We have been looking at this menu for hours.
You got it, Daniel. Bend your knees a little bit.