The Paradise of Thorns

A bit chaotic (Spoiler alert!)

I am a foreigner who lives in Thailand for some time and I went to the movie theater to watch this movie. Thai media have been talking about it for a while and I was curious to see what Naruebet Kuno (the same director of I Told Sunset About You - ITSAY) was going to do here.
I can say I have mixed feelings about the overall result. Kuno is still very good in cinematography. The photography in this movie is so pretty and eye catching as in ITSAY, but we have here the same problem we had in ITSAY also: it is a bit overdramatic in some points. Don't get me wrong, I really like ITSAY, but I have the feeling that episode 4, for example, was a bit too much in terms of emotions. The same thing happens in Paradise of Thorns. The first 2/3 parts of the movie are more balanced, but the last 1/3 looks like somehow a stereotyped Latin American Soap Opera.
It is important to say that the story doesn't talk much about the inequality brought by the lack of recognition of gay rights by the State. This is not an LGBTQIA+ agenda movie (which is not necessarily bad). This topic is just a starting point for the main issue: The fight between the characters for possession of the lands where the Durians are planted. Basically, all the characters are pretty f*cked up and they see the Durians as their gold ticket. The cast is pretty convincing, specially the four main actors and actresses: Jeff Satur, Engfa Waraha, Harit Buayoi and Seeda Puapimon.
Thongkham (Jeff Satur) and Mo (Engfa Waraha) are the main rivals, as they dispute the preference of Saeng, the new owner of the land after her son's death. Saeng is a greedy and arrogant old woman who likes to see Thongkham and Mo humiliate themselves to please her, while Jingna (Harit) is the handsome Mo's brother who comes to work in the farm and falls in love with Thongkham. Jingna and Thongkham's relationship is sweet and charming, but not that well developed. This is probably one of the problems in the movie, although it didn't bother me that much. Some people also might think that the "greedy topic" is not so developed also. I would agree. What is this movie about? Love? Greedy? Selfishness? Rivalry? A love triangle? Maybe a bit of all of this? Well, when you try to put so many things together, maybe you might fail to develop so many topics at the same time. This might have happened here.
The rivalry between Mo and Thongkham grows to the point where they commit atrocities. Mo kills Saeng and makes the old woman sign a declaration before she dies, transferring the land to her name. Mo tries to expel Thongkham from her new possession, but he reacts and tries to r4pe her. The scene is full of screams and violence. Like a real Mexican soap opera! When the two are about to resolve their problems, Mo's new husband appears and tries to kill Thongkham, who is saved by his boyfriend, Jingna. In the middle of this confusing fight scene, Jingna ends up being killed too. With that, Thongkham loses the second love of his life. Tragic as a Greek tragedy!

My biggest disappointment with the film was not that it ended with the death of a beloved character (Jingna was perhaps the only character with any integrity in this whole story), but the fact that it was a very cliché ending. Before the husband showed up and tried to kill Thongkham, the first thing I thought was: "I hope they don't end the film with the husband showing up and killing someone." Well, that's exactly what happened. I thought it was an uncreative ending. More of the same.
Paradoxically, I still enjoyed watching the film. I should have hated it, but I didn't. The thing is: this movie makes you get the feeling that you're watching something with flaws here and there, but when you put it all together, the end result still pleases you in a strange way. At least that's what I'm feeling now, two days after seeing the film. My advice is that you watch it and draw your own conclusions.

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Must watch film!

"The Paradise of Thorns" is a powerful depiction of Thai society's deep-seated issues, with a particular focus on marriage inequality. The film excels in its storytelling, blending intense drama with cultural commentary. The acting is superb, bringing the characters' struggles and emotions to life in a way that feels both genuine and compelling. Coupled with some of the best cinematography in recent Thai cinema, the film creates a visually stunning yet thought-provoking experience. The film's original soundtrack beautifully complements the emotional depth of the story, enhancing the overall impact of the narrative. It's an exceptional piece of filmmaking that resonates on multiple levels, making it the best Thai film for me.

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Fruits of Sorrow: Love's Tangled Roots in 'Paradise of Thorns

In the lush embrace of a remote durian orchard, "The Paradise of Thorns" unfolds like a bittersweet fruit, its story as complex and layered as the Thai landscape it inhabits. This poignant Thai film weaves a tapestry of love, loss, and legal strife, centering on Thongkam and Sek, a gay couple whose shared life is abruptly severed by tragedy.

As the fragrant durian blossoms wither, so too does Thongkam's world when Sek passes away. The orchard, once a sanctuary of their love, becomes a battleground of grief and ownership. Thongkam must navigate the thorny path of reclaiming what he believes is rightfully his, while the absence of legal recognition for their union casts a long shadow over his fight.

The film's brilliance lies in its nuanced portrayal of five key characters, each a prism refracting different hues of love and loss:

Thongkam, portrayed with raw emotion by Jeff Satur, stands as the heart of the story. His endurance in the face of hardship is as steadfast as the durian trees he tends, his love for Sek rooted deeply in the soil of their shared dreams.

Mo, brought to life by Engfa Waraha, initially appears as thorny as the durian's husk. Yet, as the layers peel away, we see a woman equally scarred by love's cruel hand, her devotion to Saeng a testament to love's many forms.

Sek, played with complexity by Toey Pongsakorn Mettarikanon, embodies the conflict between desire and duty. Like a durian split open, his character reveals the sweet and the bitter - a man torn between his true self and societal expectations.

Saeng, masterfully portrayed by Seeda Puapimon, is like the roots of the durian trees - hidden yet vital. Her journey from seeming selfishness to revealed vulnerability mirrors the ripening of the fruit itself, her love emerging too late, but no less potent.

Jingna, brought to life by Keng Harit Buayoi, serves as the film's conscience. Like a bird's-eye view of the orchard, he sees all, his perspective offering a bittersweet wisdom on the cost of blind pursuit.

"Paradise of Thorns" transcends its initial premise of LGBTQ rights, blossoming into a universal meditation on love's many facets. It reminds us that in our struggle to claim what we believe we deserve, we may lose sight of what truly matters.

Set against the rustic beauty of Mae Hong Son, the film whispers that these tales of love and loss are as universal as the seasons. From Bangkok's bustling streets to the quiet durian groves of the north, human hearts beat to the same rhythm of joy and sorrow.

In the end, "Paradise of Thorns" leaves us with a profound truth: sometimes, in life's orchard, we open what we believe to be the sweetest fruit, only to find bitterness within. Yet it's in accepting this duality that we truly taste the richness of the human experience.

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Traumatic but worth a watch!

Its a tragedy around inheritance and laws before legal gay marriage in Thailand where you are not entitled to your partners estate if he or she dies. It is traumatic and full of twists and turns. It will make you think about it days after you finished watching it because of the intense themes of life, death, family and relationships. It will defiantly spark thought and cause you to think about the topics covered. Jeff is a fantastic actor, able to portray intense scenes beautifully with such a great memorable, skilled performance.

There is not a lot of rewatch value as it is so traumatising and once is enough for me. I hope to see the actors in other dramas/movies.

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Dark tale, with stellar acting, cinematography, and lots of unresolved angst...only if....

This is one beautiful movie....but if you are planning to watch this, be warned that the story will not let you sit easy even for a moment and there is very little in way of redemption, if at all....its dark, painful and bleak all through...if that's not your thing, don't start on it...Do I recommend it? YES

BL-needle score: Not applicable. This is not really a BL, even though gay men are some of the main protagonists.

Even though the storytelling could feel a tad overtly dramatic in places, it rings true on so many levels about the dark and stark reality of same-sex love and relationships....the insecurities given no social or legal sanctions, how easy it is to cheat and betray and yet, get away to live just as you wish, the lurking fear that the person never loved you at all, and was just after what you had to 'supply' to them, the trauma and helplessness when law helps greed and hatred win, the feeling that there is no justice ever, and you just need to suck it up and go on...or give up and perish.....the dreaded and numbing insecurities and triggers of a queer life....it has it ALL....

It made me feel livid, clench my fists and want to punch almost all of the characters ...yes, including even Thongkam at times, but leaving out Jingna, who seemed like about the only saving grace in all this madness......it was a difficult feat to sit through the manipulative and intensely infuriating behaviour of these hyper real characters...made me fret, fume and curse constantly.... and during rare occasions, desperately hope that may be, just may be.....only to end up feeling devastated and drained.....in the end, it hurt like hell....but could relate to a lot of it....in other words, just my thing

It has some really stellar performances, particularly by the actors who play Mo and Saeng (Sek's mother)...Jeff and Keng are good too, but the women plain steal the show....the direction, screenplay and cinematography are stellar too...and that song by Jeff - Rain Wedding...it's plain mesmerising....do check it out on YT!!

But even though all the darkness sits right with me, I wish they would have left some glimmer of hope, maybe at least let Jingna live ....so that Thongkam and Jingna could leave the orchard together for whatever the future had in store for them.....only if.......

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Greed Greed Greed

I read some of the reviews but they didn't highlight the major cause of the problem yes there was a mention abt lgbt rights and injustice but the story was majorly about how a greed or obsession of possession can make you blind to the point that you are willing to kill other even sa other and this depicted very clearly in this and not only the greedy main characters hit the rock bottom but they also drag others into the thorns who are obviously innocent so with their actions they had their karma that Greed can make things go worse than expectations And the more you chase it the more it's difficult to get it and even though you get it the consequences only make you regret and that what happens in this story

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It hurts so good but also my eyes may never recover

there sould be a trigger warning for this movie, towards the end, there is a SA scene, it doesn't eventuate into full SA, but, I found it a bit confronting, so anyone particularly sensitive to this, should take that in to account. this is a human centric movie that shows that human beings are complicated, relationships are complicated and Jeff has no bad angles. I feel the only thing that could be improved, is that the ending felt rushed and either it needed another 15m run time, or that last major plot point from the orchard should have changed, personally, I would have been quite happy without it.

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Devastating

I'm a Jeff Satur fan, so regardless of the plot or quality I was going to watch this movie. I only knew the gist of the plot and that it would be sad. I never expected it be this cruel, it's one of if not the saddest movie I ever watched in my entire life.

I finished watching it last night at 11:30 pm and today at 6:30 pm I still have a knot in my throat it was so sad, so unfair so cruel I haven't been able to cry yet but I feel as if I could at any moment, I am in total shock.

The cinematography was amazing, all shots were so beautiful and the acting was wonderful. All the actors did a great job my favorites being the two main leads.

Jeff totally blew my mind. The only other acting I've seen him do was in Kinnporsche and not only was I jot impressed but I really didn't like his character. But here, His character made me feel for him, every single scene from start to finish I was with him, I felt him, I was him.

England Waraha, It was my first time ever seeing her and wow I can't even explain how much I lo her! she played Mo so perfectly 👌 I hated her pretty much as soon as I saw her and hated her more and more with each and every act of selfishness she did every single thing she said and the way she said it. She was just awful,however, she had her reasons for being the way she was, the character isn't bad for the sake of being bad, she's that way because she's wounded her life hasn't been easy so her cunning evil ways are a product of that. I completely understand why she behaves the way she does, but I still loathe her and that is just the best kind of antagonist.

The mom was just a mean old lady, just a horrible person.

And jingna, he's adorable, I fell for him we all fell for him.

I don't want to give too many details about the plot but, I have to warn anyone who might be thinking of watching this,the ending was just too much, too painful, so much happens throughout the run of the movie, and then the ending hits so hard it hurts so much that I can't even put into words how I feel. It's an excellent movie regardless so it deserves to be recognized as such.

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Didn't quite live up to expectations, but still an amazing movie

I had been dying to watch this movie but unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations. I don't usually write reviews and am always appreciative of other reviews for explaining things I missed or other interpretations. While I understand the amazing things about this movie, cinematography, music, and acting, I think the plot and execution was lacking for me. Maybe it is just me or I missed something, but I wanted to share some thoughts.

One of the main things was that while each of the characters was interesting and had a lot of depth, I feel like not enough time or background was given. The reason I say this is because I did not get emotionally attached to any of the characters like I usually do. I felt like Thongkam and Sek's relationship was too short lived for me to feel their connection, Thongkam and Jingna's relationship felt too sudden (I get that Thongkam was working through a lot of emotions but even so, the relationship felt very rushed and had little substance. I couldn't think of a valid why for them falling in love). Mo and Saeng's relationship was the most fleshed out and very good (though I did feel frustrated haha). And Mo and Jingna's relationship felt like it needed a bit more too as it felt like the only reason they were attached to each other was because they had been through jobs together and relied on each other for that (which isn't a bad thing, but for me it was not deep enough because "betrayal" felt a little too easy. Though if it was supposed to imply that Mo and Jingna had more of a romantic relationship, I would have like that shown a bit more. Though I feel like that wasn't the case since they referred to each other as brother and sister and I interpreted it to be more of a familial relationship.)

My other main gripe was that the social commentary aspects gelt overshadowed by the exaggerated dramatic aspect and overarching revenge plot. The revenge aspect felt a little messy and all over the place. Especially the last 15-30minutes as things felt very rushed and the whole Thongkam and Mo fight.. and how the movie ended overall. To me, the main emotion I felt was suspense and the exaggerated violence at the end felt too unrealistic, a little too illogical, and a bit predictable. I think I wished for a bit more nuance and thought provoking actions from the characters. Not sure how else to explain it..

Anyway, still really enjoyed this movie but it was not quite what I expected or hoped for.

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Very good watch, but conflicted on the ending.

It's been a day since I sat down to watch this movie and believe I am as clear of mind now as I was right after watching.
I will start off by saying the movie is very good. The tension in the movie stays as high as the frustration levels of the circumstances throughout the entire movie. You feel for all the characters to a certain degree before the stuff hits the fan. The scenery is a place where you would think is peaceful and plentiful, but after viewing becomes a battle ground tainted by conceit and blood. The music was well placed and unsettling, maintaining uncertainty in tense moments and made you overthink at certain points of other characters intentions.

Mo did her job as an antagonist to me; fighting tooth and nail for something she felt entitled to, while doing anything in her fragile being to keep every iota of its earnings. Seung has her ups and downs and was a bit frustrating with her own desire in ownership, but I don't hate her grieving process as much as I do Mo. You feel for Thongkam with all the unfairness (and feels even more tragic since the story takes place a year and half before same-sex marriage became far more legally recognized) and I found myself rooting for him to at least find some peace.

ENTER JINGNA. Now, I will come out and say I am bias towards Keng. If not for Jeff acting as Thongkam, Keng as Jingna was one of the other reasons why I watched this movie. That being said, Jingna is the very reason why my rating of this movie falls a little. The acting is fantastic, exactly what the story embodied for someone practically uninvolved in the family drama yet acting off of what everyone else whispers should or shouldn't be about the situation. Jingna has a moment with Thongkam, and I felt mixed about it. Was he being manipulated or was it real? The movie pushes that it's real, but then lessen his screen time until, BOOM "let's get married and run away" then bLAH he dead. The death had me surprised...but not in a good way. Yes, his character is blameless, beautiful, and tragic; but in the context of the moment it felt overdone. In my opinion, I think Thongkam threatening a child implantment in Mo was more shocking of a climax to the scene than (literally) last second death of good brother/boyfriend. Somewhat of a needless shock value moment just to wrap up where the characters need to go. And then, my uncertainty about what Thongkam and Jingna had was reinforced by the leaving of the durian seed/bark at the end. Was Thongkam moving on like it never happened or leaving it like a respectful gravestone? Thongkam fought angerly to have Sek's ring back, and you're telling me after everything he leaves the only product he and Jingna notarized out of love behind? Again, was what they had real? If I don't think hard, Jingna is someone innocent caught in the toxic family crossfires and has a sudden bad ending. If I DO think, Jingna is far more disposable to Thongkam and the plot than they let on...and I find that disrespectful when looking back on the work as a whole.

So, with that rant over, I still had a very good time on the edge of my seat throughout it all, left empty by the end and hoping Thongkam and Mo choose to do something better themselves after the credits roll. I still love what the cast did to tell an insufferable reaction to family death, and other than JingNA, I would give the overall watch experience an 8/10.

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Conflict piles up endlessly, yet the film resolves itself with a halfway-point solution too late.

The actors we're great. The pace was too slow, I just want to speed it up for it end. I don't like the main protagonist's character very much, I don't know if it is a good thing because the actor really showed me the character's flaws, or the character is just badly written, because I thought a lot of things that the character could have done and things he doesn't need to do. Why would he want to marry someone he only met for a few months, isn't he still grieving? I didn't feel Jingna's character (again, badly written) so I don't know where is Thongkham coming from that he wants to leave and live with him. I also don't think the attempted sexual abuse is necessary, you're just trying to kill her, then you want to have a sexual intercourse with her? In what psychological aspect would that be accepted? The ending was over the top, like literally too much problems with little resolution.

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