An interesting take on religion as profitable business
STORYThe Believers tell the story of three friends (Win, Game, Dear) who attempt to pay the debt from their failed start-up by running a temple. The first half was so fast-paced, sometimes almost too fast so I feared it would drag in the second half and it kind of did when they introduced the crime-esque plot into the story. It feels cliche but also not at the same time because there are definitely moments where I felt it predictable but not at the same time.
ACTING/CAST
I am very biased so when I first saw that the trio was led by Peach Pachara and James Teeradon, I knew they would deliver. I think this is Ally's first leading role so I could understand her acting left a lot to be desired. Even though James was arguably the protagonist, I think Peach's acting in the second half of the story was a top notch performance and I think he should keep being cast in these kind of charming/kinda psychotic roles. BUT... the performance that left greatest impact on me was probably Patchai in the role of Monk Dol. Imagine my surprise when I found out he's not even actor but the front man of Thai rock band Potato. I was just heartbroken on behalf of his character and I only wish his character's happiness, no one else.
MUSIC
I don't think there were original theme songs composed for this series but I love the song selection. My favorite is definitely the recurring song "Saa-tuu" by Milli, TangBadVoice playing whenever their money making scheme works. It is surprisingly fresh yet fitting for the series.
REWATCH VALUE
I don't think this has too much of a high rewatch value because of a certain plotline that I felt kinda unneccesary in the second half of the story but I LOVE the scenes with Monk Dol so I think I'll come back to a few scenes quite a bit to gif/screencap them. There are quite few social commentaries sprinkled throughout the series that I really enjoyed as well. One of my favorite quotes is "It's true that love brings happiness, but happiness and suffering often come together. If you decide to love, you need to be prepared for suffering." sighs... Monk Dol, you are truly my beloved character.
PRODUCTION
I am in love with the camera work from this series. There are a lot of much wide symmetrical shots as well as outdoor shots which showcase the beauty of Thai temples. At the beginning, there are a few scenes where the humor is relied on the framing of a scene, which is so stylistic of Thai cinematic works.
OVERALL
It's a crime drama series that can feel flat at times but hard carried by the acting performances of the actors in this series so I would recommend this to anyone who's interested in the subject topic or fans of Peach, James, Ally or Patchai.
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interesting experience
The Believers" is exceptional and original; at least I've never seen anything quite like it. The acting is incredibly good, particularly James's expressions, which gave me goosebumps.As someone who has hardly ever encountered Buddhism, I feel like I've truly understood and learned a lot. The beautiful Buddhist teachings that appear in the episodes were genuinely interesting, and I feel like I've learned a great deal after watching. It sparked various thoughts about life in me, and I feel a genuine desire to listen to Buddhist teachings.
I was also moved by the very emotional storyline of the monk who never knew life outside the monastery. His relationship with Dear and how genuinely good and honest he was truly touched my heart.
However, I started watching the series mainly because of James, whom I greatly admire as an actor. And I wasn't disappointed. His acting truly captivated me, and I believe he was the perfect person for this role.
Win was the most enigmatic character. We don't know why he is the way he is, we don't know if he is sick or stressed, but the ending still explains a lot, despite being open-ended.
The whole series makes sense; every storyline is explained, and the plot twist is very interesting. Each character has a distinct personality, which is a huge plus. "The Believers" also shows the reality of what is happening in the world today. I highly recommend it - it's an interesting experience for everyone, even though not much happens in the first few episodes, as there's a lot of criminal action waiting for us later on.
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Blessings....Or not
This serie has an interesting idea, it was indeed difficult to bring such topic, a bit provocative and , as I dare to say, done smartly.I'm not the person who have the right to say it's right or wrong (obviously, you know the answer) but it's not shocking to me, I won't go in details but I've learnt that similar cases could exist, unfortunately.
I don't know how to explain my feelings but I was, for sure, invested in the story, it even gave me goosebumps, I love the settings, the atmosphere (pleasing to watch and omg they still make me want to go to Thailand to visit the Temples) and of course, the acting was really good!
I was already familiar with some of them so I was glad to see them again in a different project and for the other, it was a nice surprise.
The music was interestingly fun and catchy, mixed of modern / rap music with a traditional vibe (I mean, it reminds me of the prayers?) and I think I recognized Milli's voice, I think it's her with another artist.
It's somehow an interesting approach to show some cultural and belief with younger generation along with the perception of today's religion (I'm sorry it was a bit awkward, I don't knowhow toexplain correctly...)
Finally, I would recommend it for all the "reasons" I have mentioned above, it's worth the watch to explore this subject.
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This review may contain spoilers
Exploring The World of Thai Dramas Past BL Continues 2 Be Worth It
My experience with Thai shows has largely been through their BLs. However, if my experience with this drama, as well as Zomvivor, and Dalah: Death and the Flowers, is anything to go by, I think their thrillers are something to look intoAt the beginning of this drama, I was convinced that maybe I needed to start scamming as a side hustle. By the end of it, though... yeah, I'm not cut out for this shit. Let me keep fighting for my life through my 8-to-5 job, before I achieve my dream of living the digital nomad lifestyle.
This drama is a riveting watch. It does falter a little in the middle, but the overall concept is enough to keep you watching. Scamming through religion is a thing we all know happens, but we've never gotten a look behind that proverbial curtain. This drama helps us see what that potentially could be like. It is also (I think) a bit of a fascinating study in marketing and running a business
The characters:
1. Win - I find him incredibly unlikeable. He is brilliant, yes, but he is self-important, doesn't communicate well with others, and is a terrible friend. Given his behavior, you'd think he was the only one in his friend group with family issues. His story with his mother gets the biggest spotlight, but as we can see with the other two, Game and Dear don't have it easy with their families either. Yes, they have more money than him, especially Game, but as we see, money isn't everything.
2. Game - The idiot with a heart of gold and terrible decision-making skills. I could go on a rant on how he handled that situation with Taeng, but I will not. What I'll say is, based on the fact that they had a loan shark blackmailing them for money, threatening his family, he should have thought twice before indulging Taeng beyond that initial 500k. How in the hell do you hide a fugitive in a building with your family name on it? Come on, man.
3. Dear - Naive, sad, overlooked, and overworked. I got so mad every time she was alone working late, lugging boxes, files, and shit. She needed to get those two men to lug around those files, boxes, and planning things with her.
4. Monk Dol - The surprise character for me. I fell in love with his story. His doomed love was heartbreaking, yet interesting to watch. It loved watching a religious man battle with his earthly desires. It's not often that we see this.
What makes this side plot such a good watch is that it's not framed in a horny/salacious way. It's so pure and heartwarming, yet heartbreaking. As the audience, you know he wasn't out here always having innocent 'hand-holding at the beach' thoughts about Dear, we know that. But I like that it's not framed that way.
His story sent me down a mini rabbit hole into monkhood. Growing up Catholic, I knew that once you're in it, you're in it for life. It turns out that Thai monks don't have to stay monks forever, even when they were ordained at a young age. I also learned interesting facts about forest and city Monks.
5 Ekkachai - You snake
The overarching plot, from a simple scam (if we can call scamming over 45 million bhat simple) to now dealing with big-time corrupt political officials and drug cartels, makes me interested in watching the 2nd season. Hopefully it holds up. And Monk Dol has his happy ending. I need bro to go back to his forest monk ways and live peacefully and quietly 😭.
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Irreverent and surprising
So, this is the first time I watch a Thai drama and oh, was I in for a surprise... The plot is interesting in its irreverence, despite a few plot holes here and there. However, the overall execution worked quite well.Huge credit goes to the direction, writing and editing departments, the music also worked well.
The actors were good in their roles, special mention to Patchai Pakdesusuk, who plays Monk Dol in a surprising, yet, heartbreaking story.
Also, it is worth mention Petch Paopetch as Monk Ekkachai, his performance was subtle, fundamental for the huge plot twist at the end.
The editing of the plot twist also worked quite well, in its setup and reveal.
According to Netflix a Season 2 is coming so it will be interesting to see what comes next to the story.
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