Chinese Puzzle 2014

After a decade of marriage, the once blissful couple, Xavier Rousseau and Wendy, finds themselves at a crossroads as they decide to part ways. Following their split, Wendy relocates to New York City with their two children, Tom and Mia, prompting Xavier to move there as well to stay close to them. While Wendy enjoys life with her affluent new boyfriend, John, in a luxurious apartment overlooking Central Park, Xavier seeks refuge with his close friend, Isabelle, a Belgian lesbian expecting a child due to a sperm donation from him, and her partner, Ju, in their Brooklyn loft. It doesn’t take long before Xavier finds a new place to live in Ju’s old apartment in Chinatown.

As he struggles to complete his latest work titled Chinese Puzzle, Xavier is plagued by his thoughts and dreams of philosophers like Arthur Schopenhauer and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, all while he maintains virtual discussions with his editor in Paris over Skype, often embellishing the truth about his progress. To further complicate his life, Xavier, who is in the U.S. on a tourist visa, learns from his lawyer that he should consider illegal work and marrying for a green card. After a chance encounter where he helps a cab driver in a confrontation, the grateful driver offers to set Xavier up with his Chinese-American niece, Nancy, who is agreeable to the arrangement.

However, their marriage’s authenticity is questioned during the immigration officer’s interview. Meanwhile, Xavier’s past love, Martine, pays him a visit on a business trip and returns later with her children for spring break, sparking an attempt to revive their previous romance. As events unfold, after giving birth, Isabelle confesses to Xavier that she has been unfaithful to her partner, Ju, with another babysitter also named Isabelle. Shocked, yet understanding, Xavier allows the two Isabelles to use his apartment for a clandestine meeting.

The drama escalates when Ju informs Xavier about an impending surprise inspection by immigration officials at his apartment within the next half hour. In a rush of panic, Xavier makes it to his place just in time, urging the two Isabelles to escape through the window. When the immigration officials arrive, Xavier and Nancy successfully convince them that they share a life together at the apartment, keeping their ruse intact.

As Martine prepares to leave for Paris with her children, Xavier rushes to her shuttle bus, professes his feelings, and persuades her to stay. She agrees, leading to a tender moment as they share a kiss. During a video call following this heartfelt reunion, his editor critiques the overly optimistic ending of his completed novel. With Martine feeling defensive about the critique, Xavier asserts, > “when you find happiness, there’s nothing more to say.” Their smiles during the call suggest that both life and the novel have reached a significant turning point.

In a heartwarming conclusion, Xavier, Martine, their children, along with Isabelle, Ju, and Nancy, join together to enjoy a lively parade through the streets of Chinatown, embodying the joy of their intertwined lives.