g5re

I really liked the movie.
What I appreciated the most is that they treated it as an adaptation rather than a remake, perfectly preserving the original storyline.

I especially enjoyed how it was adapted to Thai culture, particularly through the use of comedy, which is a distinctive element of Thai entertainment. It felt stronger here than in the original Taiwanese version, but it still remained coherent within the story. It lightened the overall tone (don’t be mistaken, it is not mainly a comedy movie) while reflecting Thai culture beautifully. Menn is a bit goofy, and the film as a whole balances humor and cultural depth really well.

The choice to replace the original Taiwanese KTV Club with a Boxing Club is another cultural statement. It shows how deeply this version is rooted in local culture. This movie was clearly made first and foremost for the Thai audience, and only secondarily for international viewers, something also reflected in the guerrilla marketing campaign held in Bangkok.

The way the film tackles issues of identity, sexuality, and the concept of ladyboys (themes deeply felt and lived in Thailand) was, in my opinion, magnificent. From Titi’s character, with his construction and PP’s performance, to his ex-boyfriend, his father, certain moments of Menn’s journey, and several side characters, these topics were explored from multiple perspectives. The result is a portrayal that gives the audience a more complete and less stereotypical understanding of how these issues are perceived in Thailand. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, alongside acceptance, diversity, and freedom there’s also hate, intolerance, and prejudice. Facing those things isn’t easy. Sometimes you just put on a mask of indifference and keep going, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay.



I’m used to seeing BK and PP in other kinds of works or in concerts, but I truly appreciated the director’s vision here. I could sense the male gaze (the director is a man), and there were only two specific frames I didn’t fully enjoy because, to me, they disrupted that sense of “realism”, the immersion that the storytelling builds. Still, I understand how they tie back to Thai culture.


The color palette is stunning, meticulously planned and, together with the styling, it creates a whole universe of its own. I laughed a lot at the shirt-changing scenes, especially at the beginning when one of the shirts had “Brescia” written on it, cause as an Italian that was unexpected and very amusing. I watched the movie together with my best friend and I sort of glitched for a moment as I said “wait a minute… Amo, does that shirt say Brescia or am I seeing things?” and we had a good laugh.
The locations are also remarkable, combining the essence of Thai culture with subtle Chinese influences in a seamless way.


The only moments that felt noticeably different to me, probably due to my emotional attachment to the original scene, were some small details in the final hospital scene, where Menn talks with his father, and of course, the change from the KTV Club to the Boxing Club we mentioned earlier.


I really appreciated the post-credit wedding scene as it gives you hope for another life. A little bit of sugar for the viewer, although I can’t say if it was related to the whole fancon/marketing or to the movie itself. The bittersweet feeling at the end still lingers, but if you already knew the story, you probably expected it. Before the film’s release, there were talks about the possibility of a different ending, which brings me back to my earlier point about adaptation VS remake. I truly appreciate the fact we weren’t given a happy ending just because.



I also love how Chinese culture keeps showing up in their works, it being related to the fact that both of them are of Chinese descent and part of the Chinese-thai community in Thailand. I appreciate its constant presence, kind of like an Easter egg for fans. For those who follow the actors, like I do, it creates a deeper bond not just with the characters, but with the actors themselves.

I've seen people debating about the whole 'unrealistic' aspect of ghost-weddings, but it might just be because it's not a storytelling too common outside of asian culture. You should always try to watch something whit a perspective related to the culture it comes from.