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เพราะเขามีหัวใจของหมอ
I breezed through this drama -- the acting is top-notch, the script (with one exception) incredibly well-written, and the characters are not only consistent but also multilayered.First of all: The acting.
There is really nothing to complain about. From the main cast to the small roles, there was no awkward moment or a moment where I would have said that something didn't fit with the character or the scene.
Especially for some of the main cast, whose characters are more of the ambivalent type, they managed to make me like or dislike them, as needed by the respective scene.
The script is overall very neatly written. It gently leads us through the lives of a group of doctors in a Thai hospital; with Doctor Talodgan and his journey through self-doubt and grief at the centre, and several other story lines around him, some just an episode long, others are weaved through more than half of the total runtime.
There is a set-up of an important plot point right at the beginning, and then, especially after episode 5, more and more story lines are gently introduced. There is a lot going on between episodes 6 and 14 -- but somehow the drama never feels crowded or rushed; on the contrary, there is a lot of space to work through the emotions we feel together with the characters as well as space to breathe between events.
The story picks up pace in the last two episodes, where the crime plot and its fall-out come to the forefront and the secrets of the past are revealed -- here most of the long-term story lines are tied together into one.
There is one revelation in episode 14 that in my opinion didn't fit the rest of the narrative, as well as a brief dip into a cliche in episode 15, but that is overall negligible.
"เพราะเขามีหัวใจของหมอ -- Because they have the heart of a doctor" is at the centre of the drama -- which is question of what it means to "have a doctor's heart", i.e. the ethics of being a medical professional. Around it there are other issues that are discussed by Thai society: for example the influence of social media on public perception or how money, political power and social status are still a deciding factor in whether a person gets preferential treatment in society. I also liked how the drama places importance on mental well-being as part of being healthy, and de-stigmatizes seeking professional help in these matters.
The characters are very consistent -- and most importantly, nobody except for two background (but influential) characters is solely a hero or a villain, not even the hospital director. The script gives every character a reason for their actions and feelings as well as the chance to grow throughout the series. I found this the most obvious for Talodgan's friend and colleague, Tonnam, and for the female intern, Fon.
Relating to that, there were many points where the script could have veered into lakorn territory, with jealousy, love triangle or revenge plots. It didn't.
There is a slight romance arc, but it's more simmering in the background, and even the love confessionss are extremely understated.
Overall, the characters are *adults* and medical professionals and act accordingly.
The medical aspect seems to be very accurate -- given that there are several messages about healthy living, organ and blood donations and other medical issues that are relevant for the average citizen, and that medical ethics are at the centre, it's good that the writers and the director paid a lot of attention to this. I loved how they showed the doctors as professionals, and that there is no more drama in the cases than needed. An normal operation is already tense enough, you don't need extra dramatics.
A last note: The background music was sometimes a bit too sentimental, but I loved the percussion part in tense moments, which sounded a bit like a heart beat.
Was it good?
Yes! It had very tidy writing, and the acting was superb. I liked how they weaved character development, a sound plot and messages to the public into one engaging drama.
Did I like it?
I loved it and finished the whole thing in days. I love the unhurried pace, and how every character has their redeeming qualities. Also, the romance was barely there.
Who would I recommend it to?
To anyone who watches dramas for the characters, who can cope with a pace that takes its time to arrive where it was going, and who doesn't need a blazing romance.
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Twists and turns, steeped in Thai spiritualism
"Shadow" is an all-around solid supernatural mystery (not horror) with some gay main characters. It's not a romance, and there are no BL tropes in sight.So, anyone who wants a BL romance should maybe not watch it.
However, those who are interested in a ghost mystery with a lot of twists and turns, to the very last second even, might have a great time with it.
Before I go into my thoughts about the script, let me say a sentence or two about the actors. They were fantastic!
This was only the second role of Fiat Patchata's that I saw him in. The first (in this year's "The Death of Khun Phra") was so different that I almost can't believe that this is the same actor! Both Fluke Natouch and Poon Mitpakdee were excellent; and Utt Uttsada led me by the nose with his portrayal of Brother Anurak.
And Singto Prachaya? If there was any doubt at all that he was brilliant as Dan, any doubt would have been swept away by the last eight minutes of the drama.
The sets, the camera work, the background music and the colours were appropriately done for setting the mood of each scene; I admit I am not overly fond of the end credits song.
The script though.
The script was *everything* I look for in a supernatural mystery.
It led me from one question to another -- I had so many theories while I watched it, and most of them made a lot of sense at the time, but then with the next reveal, all of them had to be discarded. And it was well-written in that regard: the new information *always* made sense, and in the end I saw that I had picked up on some important hints and foreshadowing, without understanding what I saw at the time.
When the story ended, there were only very few loose threads and unanswered questions, none of which concerned the main plot.
Apart from all the the parallels to "Hamlet", one other thing in the script I adore was that it managed to include some metaphorical commentary on some other topics, for example on Thailand's history and the influence of western culture, on how being viewed as different can lead to self-destruction, as well as how abuse shapes children, and more.
Just a few, hopefully non-spoilery examples:
* The forest spirit whose mutually beneficial co-existence with the locals is cut by the arrival of western (Christian) culture, and is consequently becoming twisted and malevolent.
* The silence of Thai society about the events of 6th October, which they call "Red October" in the drama (I suggest to read up on it, this is *the* scar on Thailand's communal conscience), ultimately leads to more pain and mistrust in the present.
* Trin, Dan and Nai are different from the norm -- and the difference in how they are dealing with it and if they have the good kind of support leads to growth or destruction.
* An abused and lonely child is easy prey for the next abuser, who can use the child's needs and trauma to forge a connection and the illusion of safety and belonging.
"Shadow" is also deeply intertwined with Thai spiritualism and Buddhist believes, and I'm sure I didn't understand all of it. Like with the events of 6th October, the writers assume that the audience are aware of it, and I'm sure that Thai viewers understand much of what is only implicitely said that I don't.
One belief that does seem to be extremely important is the concept of "karma" -- that is different for everybody from birth, and that we might be able to escape, or not.
I also suspect that the Thai and Buddhist way of seeing the world influenced the ending and the overall meaning of the drama -- which might lead to some disappointment by western viewers because it means the story goes towards a different conclusion than westerners might expect or hope for.
So.
Was it good? -- Yes, the script was solid and engaging, the acting excellent.
Did I like it? -- Oh, yes. It had everything I want in a mystery, made me develop theories and ideas and gave me lots of twists, right until the very end. And I *loved* the ending.
Who would I recommend it to? -- To everyone who likes supernatural mysteries, and like to explore the mystery together with the characters. Not to those who are looking for a BL.
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The awards are certainly well deserved. The acting, the soundtrack, the cinematography, everything served to enhance an already incredible story.
Here are some aspects that impressed me:
* The whole drama is not something to watch casually. Every minute is relevant, every twitch or facial twist is an important part of the story.
* I loved how I got to see only bits and pieces of what happened -- and had me mistrusting everybody throughout the series. Especially during the first episodes, which left me reeling with their cliffhangers. And then there was some new bit of info which slotted seamlessly into what I knew but changed all my ideas on what was going on.
* The first episodes made me guess and mistrust to the point where I expected a new twist even to the very end, when in other dramas I would already have been bored by the predictable plot -- I did no longer trust my own deductions nor my knowledge of the genre's usual plots, culprits and tropes.
* Every character is just shades of grey. Everybody's got their motives and reasons for their actions. Nobody is purely good, and still, a lot of them are somewhat likeable. That is something not a lot of dramas manage to do.
* I loved the role smiling and laughing played in this drama. I think the times when a smile, a chuckle or a laugh was really genuine instead of expressing any kind of negative emotion could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
* While the female characters were in the minority (no surprise there), all of them were strong, independent and active characters in their own right. (Apart from the victims of the serial killer, which was one of the few genre-conforming elements.)
* And last: No romance! Always a plus.
If you are a fan of mystery thrillers, this one will be worth your time!
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What I liked best:
* The initial premise is different and interesting, the story arcs well paced and in the end, all story threads are neatly tied up. Even if they ended the series with a glimpse of a new plot, it felt more like a "this is not the end" than a cliffhanger.
* The main character was extremely well acted, I loved the facial expressions (or, sometimes, the lack of them) and how the actor moved his body, we never forget that this is actually a dead body, not a living being.
* The comedy was there duiring all the episodes, and varied between spoofing Zombie movies and the detective genre, slapstick-y routines and just plain hilarious situations.
* The mysteries were not too simple, but simple enough for a comedy.
* Some K-Dramas I've watched have a weird slump in pacing or story in the 9th to 11th episdes. This one doesn't, every episode was interesting or funny enough to keep me watching.
* There was no romance between the two main characters, only a hint of interest on the woman's side, which is not even recognized by the zombie detective.
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Things I liked most:
* The female characters! Although they were still in the minority, they were fantastic! The two main female characters were an equal part of the cast -- in most cases the female forensic doctor was the one who found the deciding clue, even. Both were shown as professionals, with interesting personal lives, own ambitions and well-rounded personalities.
* The team! We get to know all five (hm, six) people of the UDI well, and how they learn and grow together. They start as distant, even uncomfortable colleagues -- and in the end, they work as a well-integrated team. Some of them get some character development, some don't really need it.
* The supporting cast! Even they got a personality, some are more mysterious, some antagonistic, some familial. All of them clearly have their own motivations and goals.
* The acting! The directing! The soundtrack!
* No Romance! Well, over the course of one or two episodes, the male part-timer wonders if the female lead might be interested in him, and it seems he wouldn't have rejected any advances -- but! That fizzles out and is never even thought about again.
(Although, as I read through the other reviews, I see Orangevine's who states that "There is also a love triangle (with the caveat that one must be well-versed in Japanese romance tropes to spot it)". I'm obviously not well-versed, so I don't see it.)
* Minimal gore! We see blood, contusions, discoloration of the skin, some wounds, the occasional part of an organ preserved in formalin. Faces of the deceased are never disfigured, there are a few scenes where we see how the scalpel starts to cut, but never any opened bodies or any inner body parts while the autopsy is in progress.
All in all, it's remarkably respectful of the dead (compared to US productions) and there's never any kind of voyeurism.
* A fascinating insight into Japanese culture! Concerning death, and how the deceased and those who have contact with them are regarded and what it means for the politics around them.
* Last but not least: The cases! Not every case is a crime, but they are all interesting. The first one is noticably from before CoViD. The seventh had me in tears, that one hit close to home for me. The overarching plot was also intense, and was the main focus of the last three or so episodes, and tied all the personalities and their development together.
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This show is a fantasy for all of us who belonged to the "nerds", the "weirdos", the "fat" people or whatever group we belonged to and thought we would never have a chance to get the popular guy -- to make our secret crush our one true love.
First of all:
1. Toh is a very special kind of guy. His brain works differently to "normal" people. (I think people nowadays call that neuro-divergent.) He's also a rather campy gay man, which marginalizes him further and colours his world view heavily. This makes his actions hard to watch, although for him, they all make perfect sense.
2. Toh's friend group is loud, queer, a bit weird -- the whole show is made of camp.
If you can accept that and roll with it, you will have a very good time with this show. If you can't, then you should probably watch something else. I get that these over-the-top kind of shows are not for everybody.
Second:
1. What I loved most is the friendship between Toh, Daisy, Som and KaoJao. They are all supportive when it counts, pushing the other when it's needed,and not above teasing each other. It was also great how easily the two gangs mixed, the weird one and the popular kids. Toward the end, they were still very much present, and that's not something you always have, that the couple(s) don't forget their friends.
2. The second main thing I loved was: Those characters who are different (nerdy, queer, chubby ... just "different") usually only get supporting roles, mostly no love interest, and are often there mainly for comic relief. In this series they are the main characters! And they all get a love interest! AND, and this is the thing that made me give ten stars, none of them is required to change for that to happen. How often have we seen that the "ugly duckling" turns into a beautiful swan in the end? Not here, Toh remains his usual self, glasses, bowl cut and short trousers included.
Third:
* Kudos to the director: There are so many ensemble scenes, and even if they are not in focus, I haven't seen one actor fall out of character. It's a joy to watch the reactions and interactions in the background.
* Colour, audio and overall cinematography was fine. The background music was always there, as if whoever was in charge of it had a "horror silentiae", and sometimes too loud. I do love "แอบหลงรัก ", §ดั่งดาว" and, yes, even "Ooh My Loove".
* One thing that threw me out of my enjoyment of the explicit scenes was that they opened the condom packets while still dressed -- where are you going to put it then? (Also, I'd really like some lube sometime...)
Fourth, and that's the last one:
And I have to talk about it because I like to rant about the prevalence of top/bottom-tropes in Thai BLs, this was actually toned down a lot here. It was still there, and I wish we could get away from the "pushy" top. (Even though Sky was quite sweet later on, I'm not too happy about how he pursued Jao in the beginning and the grabbing around the neck/chest thing.)
Still, there was no feminizing a partner who was not like that in the beginning, that's good. Also no infantilizing whatsoever. The use of "wife" was mainly used to describe the roles during sexual activities, not as a character trait. Partners in two couples offered to switch roles if the other wanted it.
"Tops" were also at times insecure, emotionally open and one of them not really adept at flirting.
I also firmly believe that the bandana in Nuea's right backpocket (in episode 7) was intentional, and you can pry this headcanon out of my cold, dead hands.
Overall, a firm recommendation from me, if just because of the great representation of characters who are otherwise never in the spotlight.
[This is a slightly edited version of the review I posted on Viki.]
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All in all, it did not wholly deliver on its promise.
The premise I liked, four young people who have to come to a decision and their own standing point regarding their position towards platonic and romantic relationships -- and issues of belonging to a group versus being who you are. Even the love triangle made sense within these topics.
The execution, though, is stilted and at times too slow.
These are definitely directing choices, not the problems of the actors -- as soon as they get to do something, they start to shine.
For example, I don't understand why the actors stand right in front of each other in most conversations, with their arms hanging down without movement (and the whole drama is conversation-heavy) -- alternatively, they talk while walking next to each other at a snail's pace. I suppose the director wanted to convey some kind of awkwardness -- which is a good idea, since the characters definitely don't feel comfortable for most of the time, but it just gets boring after a while.
Also, the characters (with the exception of Namgoong) all have similar mannerisms (or, if I want to be a bit mean, the same mannerisms) -- including the teacher, which I mistook for another student in several scenes.
There were also some minor issues:
* At times, the background music did not quite fit the mood -- I'm also not a fan of the "plink-plink"-kind of music.
* The scene with the adult toys in the beginning was never resolved, and did not fit in with the rest of the story.
* I could have done without the kiss at the end -- it feels as if the writers or the director said: Oh, the audience also wants a kiss, so lets add it somewhere. A hug or some light cuddling, or even sitting very close to each other would have fit the overall mood better.
* I'm also not too sure about the female character, but since she had her own story arc and character development, I'll let it slide.
The plot itself, with its theme of exploration and the awkwardness of navigating relationships in adolescenece, is fine, and surely of interest to many. It's just that the way the series is brought to the screen cannot convey all the depth and the emotion it wanted.
Maybe if the creators had been clearer of the intended audience and made some bolder choices for directing according to that, it would have been more on point.
Overall, I found it okay to watch, but not worth a second time.
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What do you want?
"Confetti" is a good example why you don't always need an external conflict to tell an engaging story with depth.Interesting characters, a relatable premise, a screenwriter and a director who know what they want, and, of course, outstanding actors -- if you have that, then even the most mundane plot can feel new and fresh. "Confetti" has all of these in spades.
Although the life circumstance of our main protagonist Yuki -- a kid who is growing up in a 大衆演劇 "taishu engeki" or "poular theatre" troupe -- are quite unusual, the central question for him is one most teenagers ask at a time in their lives: "What do you want?" With the end of middle school (and thus the end of compulsory schooling) growing nearer, he has to make his first life-important decision.
What I loved about the film is that it combines Yuki's unusual background with everyday topics in Japan: absenteeism in schools, parental expectations, exploitation of idols, the modern vs. the traditional arts and more. And quite a few of these themes are not addressed directly, but often just in a glance, a smile or a frown, a few words that are just said as an aside. What's not being said is just as important as what is being said in this film: and this is where the quality becomes very obvious. Because for something like this to work, all creative forces need to be in alignment about what story they want to tell -- and since they decided to tell their story mostly in the glances and side remarks, I'll leave the reading of this story to the attentive viewer.
Another thing that I loved: We get to see glimpses into the world of Japanese "popular theatre". I surely had never heard of it before, and liked that the film took us to see the genre and the inner workings of a theatre troupe. I would not be surprised if the actors for the troupe were a real 大衆演劇 group and the venue and the props were actually used in real life.
Let me take note of some technical aspects:
The screenplay is written concisely and every scene and every line has its own value. When Yuki speaks a few lines while sitting alone in his new classroom in the beginning -- and it's picked up again by a theatrical actor in the last minutes. When themes are gently introduced, and their importance is only revealed bit by bit.
The directing and the acting support the screenplay: A gentle nod, a crips bow, someone leaving and another standing by the door. None of this seems obviously out of the norm. Fit together, it makes for a cohesive whole where nothing is forced but everything can potentially be important.
And where these decisions would make another film feel slow-paced, this is strangely not the case for "Confetti".
I have to mention Yuki's actor, Matsufuji Shion, who has one of these round faces that don't naturally lend themselves to expressive acting -- but he does it anyway. His emotions are always very easy to read, his confusion, his melancholy, his joy. Very, very impressive for a 15-year-old!
Was it good?
I my view, this film is a little gem among Japanese films -- it's not pretentious at all, or flashy, but neither is it boring. But it tells a beautiful story about growing up and trying to find the answer to "What do you want?"
Did I like it?
A lot! Really, this is one of the films I'll definitely watch again.
Who would I recommend it to?
To those who like coming-of-age stories, definitely. To those who like to watch a film with their eyes and hearts as much as with their ears.
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Good message lost in slow and light story-telling
I had started to watch this drama back when it aired in 2024 but dropped it relatively quickly because I didn't feel that there was much story. I now picked it up again and watched a few minutes here and there -- and once I got into the second half, I even enjoyed the series.The first six or so episodes tells us how a star and a normal guy get together -- and the second half deals with the consequences. Where the first part is extremely predictable, the latter part had potential to become much more interesting, but it didn't: It still remained mostly light and soft, and because of that, it felt a bit superficial.
I do have to commend the writer for their dedication to their vision: None of the conflicts lasted long, the relationship between the two main characters was extremely stable and notable for their good communication.
Unfortunately, combined with the length of twelve episodes à one hour, that means that the whole thing starts to feel quite slow and even a bit boring. What's more, the incredibly important message gets lost in between the sweetness of the main couple.
Because this drama picks up a topic that I think fans in our modern world should be aware of: How social media blur the lines between the public persona of a celebrity and them as a private person even more. How fans think a celebrity is a commodity they can "play with" instead of a human being with feelings. How celebrities are dependent on their fans' goodwill. How "ships" and the heteronormativity of society impacts celebrities' lives and livelihoods.
And also, for the second couple, the topic of (internalized) transphobia, with a trans woman who, for once, is shown as a human being instead of as a comedy plot point (and she's played by a trans woman too!)
These themes are all there in the plot -- they just could have been used for more emotional impact. Since the main couple's relationship is so stable, the external problems could have made for an exciting contrast: Let the problems spiral for much longer, let the stakes rise higher -- so that the sweetness of the couple has something to balance out. And would that not have made the win in the end much more satisfying?
Alas, the writer had other ideas, and if they don't align with mine, then that's that. However, even so, there are a few aspects that did not help.
For one, the first five or six episodes were too slow in story telling, especially as it's mostly set-up for the actual plot. Also, some scenes don't have any impact for the later story (e.g. when a character repeatedly shows up in the "wrong" clothes for his internship), some scenes just went on slightly too long.
I also don't think the directing was particularly inspired. While most of the actors were showing a slightly-above average for newbies in a Thai BL, they obviously needed more and better directing -- often I found myself thinking "This is too static." or "Why are they just standing around?" More movement, more interesting camera angles, different placements of characters, even more interesting lighting would have helped a lot. As soon as the actors get something to do, their performance becomes much better, and the scenes much livelier and much more engaging.
And as a last point, I need to talk about Krommatha's characterization because that was the one point where the drama dropped the ball. The screenplay tries to tell us that Krommatha and Fueang don't follow the usual heteronormative seme/uke dynamics. They even talk about who will top and who will bottom during sex -- a scene that quite a few viewers loved.
But from the very first minute we meet Krommatha, it's obvious that *he* is the bottom/uke. From his pastel and wide-cut clothing and his softer haircut to his teenaged-girl behaviour when he talks about his crush with his friends, he is the stereotypical BL bottom. Dear writers and producers, if you're not going to commit, don't give me lip-service.
What I did love about Fueang and Krommatha was that the screenplay showed us how much a new couple (both of them, not just the top!) in their honeymoon phase is obsessed with getting it on and generally being all over each other, even if it's just sitting closely together in a more public setting. I missed that in some other soft-and-gentle Thai BLs.
Was it good?
It had a good story to tell, but was hindered by slow story-telling, static scenes and the writer obviously committing to the "soft and light" style instead of tightening the pace and heightening the potential external conflicts.
Did I like it?
Not really. It was okay, but I like its potential more than the actual drama.
Who would I recommend it to?
Maybe to those who want light and "green flag" stories?
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Solid gentle romance
GMMTV BL romance dramas tend towards the easy fluff, occasional with a bit of depth but definitely made for mass consumption by girls / young women. There are exceptions, but "My Magic Prophecy" is *not* one of those exceptions.On the contrary, it leans hard into the sweet-sweet romance between the main couple, even ships them off to a faraway place so they can be domestic together and gently explore both their mutual attraction and address any traumatic experiences of the past.
So, anyone who wants a deep exploration into belief systems beyond motivational quotes or who wants a gripping thriller about chasing a murderer or a heart-wrenching story about friendship and betrayal? You are in the wrong place.
Both the crime part and the romantic parts of the drama are almost ridiculously simple; I knew the culprit two episodes in, and the romance is nothing but predictable.
As always, in these cases, I do mourn the potential for a drama with more depth -- especially the friendship between Thap and Karn is woefully underexplored for its impact to the plot -- and there are some minor points that are teased but never even mentioned again, for example why the family would fall apart without Thap.
Although I have to concede that this drama never pretends to be more than a simple romance, and it makes it rather clear in the first episode already.
For what it is -- a gentle romance -- is was good. The characters get just enough backstory and character development as to be not boring, the surrounding plot (about who wants to kill Thap) and the romantic plot fit nicely together. I didn't feel that the story went around in circles (unlike "Memoir of Rati") or dropped sudden plot or backstory on us (unlike "Sweet Tooth Good Dentist"). The villagers are predictably cliched and the secondary couple's story line stays a quick outline, never to be fleshed out enough.
So, overall, in my opinion, this drama has a solid, though not outstanding, screenplay.
Both main actors were fine, and First Kanaphan's acting was subtle enough to offset some of the clumsy writing for his character. Everybody else didn't have a lot to work with, so I can't say how good they were.
Technically, it comes up to the usual GMMTV standards -- although I wish they would stop following the trend of using the smallest depth of field possible -- at times it's so bad that *nothing* is in focus any more for a second of two. I also find it exhausting when they constantly switch the focus from one person to the other in one single shot -- why not increase the depth of field that I can see both characters and their facial expressions simultaneously?
The usual product placements were also there but mostly integrated into the story.
One thing I did like was the mostly balanced relationship dynamics -- this is not a story about the (emotionally) strong top healing their (traumatized) bottom -- they both have their difficulties, even if those are very different: one is still grieving his parents and the other is threatened by outside forces. I found the relationship and character progression mostly solidly written (within the constraints of the genre, of course).
Was it good?
It's a very typical GMMTV romance; and among those, I'd place it in the upper third.
Did I like it?
As always, I waited for the right mood to come along. It was nothing outstanding, and I will have forgotten most of it in a month or so, but I cannot say I was bored or annoyed.
Who would I recommend it to?
To those who love simple and gentle romances.
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The Emperor's Country
This film is *terribly* well done.I hated the first hour, I freely admit it, because it was definitely on the far side of "too much". I am always the first one to point out that Japanese manga adaptations have their own style and that's how it is; and if you know what I mean by that, imagine it ten-fold that and you have a good approximation for how this film is done. I really struggled with the shouting and the overdone reactions and the wigs and ... everything, really. But for some strange reason, I also could *not* put it down.
It was all worth it for the ending -- I won't say anything to not spoil it, but let it be known that I had to get up, paced there for several minutes and then shouted "That's so clever!", and I meant both Teiichi's actions *and* the writing.
This film is set in an oligarchic and patriarchial society, both in the "adult" and in the "school" part of it -- it reminded me of the Kaiserreich society of around 1900 (go and read "Der Untertan" and "Unterm Rad", if you haven't yet!), others might think of England's Edwardian public schools, Japanese viewers will probably think of their own Imperial era. That oppressive, hierarchical society, governed by ties of obligation and old history which span generations, with its homosocial enviroment and the (homophobic) (or do I mean homoerotic?) bromances, the sizzling rivalries and the masochistic self-degradation towards the powerful -- and then, for a minuscule moment, a glimpse of a dream, of change, of humanity -- or maybe not?
All of this is perfectly distilled into the set designs and the costumes, into the use of light and color, into the pace of the ceremonies with the ritualistic stand-bow-sit and the hard-and-short applause, into the perfect timing of every single actor, and even into the kumi-daiko with half-naked men.
With this in mind, it makes a lot of sense that the female characters barely have screentime, that the younger sister (who is maybe about 13?) carries a teddy bear whereever she goes, that in his moment of victory, Teiichi leaves his girfriend(?) and runs towards his number one lackey to embrace him. Actually, that makes it even more clever that the girlfriend(?) is the only voice for egalitarianism in this film.
It would take a while to talk about all the different layers of meaning that hide behind the manga-esque facade, so I'll just point out that there are many, and leave it at that -- I think every viewer will find their own preferred reading.
And in the end, even on the day after finishing this film, I sit here and ask myself "Who is the real Teiichi?" and "What the heck is Dan hiding?"
Very much worth it.
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I also feared that this would be one of those films that romanticise country life to the point of making it almost unrecognisable. It's not the case -- yes, the hardships are mostly glossed over, but at least all of the locations and tools are real, and there are a few hints to how difficult it is for organic farming to be recognized by the old guard.
I would have liked to see the women shown as more than "kind and supporting their men", especially after that impressive first scene, where a woman dramatically arrives in a snowstorm at the milk farmer's home and is proposed to immediately. It's unfortunate that this has no impact on the story whatsoever (and I don't think we ever get to know why she came there at that time) -- and I wish the writer (who is also the director) had been more honest and either written out the female characters entirely or given them more to "do". It's especially jarring as each and every one of the five farmers get a unique character and an interesting backstory.
Overall, despite the shortcomings, it's not a boring film, which is mostly because of the the beautifully filmed landscape and the outstanding performances of the high-class actors.
Was it good?
It was a good representative for its genre, not too preachy and with beautiful landscapes and excellent acting.
Did I like it?
I'm not a fan of the genre, I admit, and if not for JFF Theater making this available, I wouldn't think to seek it out. That said, I enjoyed it for what it was.
Would I recommend it?
If you like films about community, good food and a beautifully filmed country side, then this is absolutely a film not to be missed.
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This review may contain spoilers
This series swings wildly between "meh", "heart-rendering" and "horrible", unfortunately. Overall, the actors were decent to excellent, the music was so-so (not that good for a series about a singer-songwriter), and the whole vibe felt distinctly Korean. The last point means that I feel already a basic disconnection to the story and its characters, so the not-so-good aspects weigh much heavier than they might in a Japanese or Thai production.The series can be divided into three parts, which all have their own level of quality.
It starts out slow and average, with a meet-ugly and a rejection, and then two young men who grow into a friendship with a one-sided crush. It's all terribly predictable, and really nothing to write home about, but done well. Only Baram's reaction to the rejection felt overdone -- which might be because we don't have a connection to the young boy yet. The worst point is when we get an undefined time skip from high school to -- when? The two other band members, a woman and a man, call our couple oppa/hyung, and the woman has her own bar. So, how old are they supposed to be, exactly? Somewhere in their mid to late twenties, I guess?
From episode 3 or so, the quality of the screenplay increases significantly, and the story gets more captivating: There's plagiarism, extortion, the fear of being outed, the heartbreak of being rejected: This is where both main actors shine; they show their feelings in subtle movements of hands, eyes, lips. Even if the reasons for the second heartbreak are a bit cliched, the execution tugged on my heartstrings and the resolution felt perfect.
Alas! The drama doesn't end here, and takes a deep dive. Our couple regresses into 12 year olds who can't even say the word "kiss" and ponder if they are "really" dating. For two men in their twenties, this is not believable at all; and whenever this happens in a (BL) romance, I am taken right out of the fantasy.
Luckily, it gets resolved relatively fast, but the quality never recovers from that in the last sugary episode.
Was it good?
It would have been okay to quite good if not for the last one-and-a-half episodes.
Did Iike it?
Hard to say, with the wild variation in writing quality.
Who would I recommend it to?
To those who generally get on with K-BLs, and who don't mind if their main characters occasionally behave like 12 year olds.
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Nothing is ever explained -- why is is so cool to ride on the lady's tricycle that even the student who has just arrived knows about it? Does the school teacher ever teach? Why does the guest house owner not remove the wheel of the tricycle when he checks for punctures in the tire? (That last one hurt to watch.) And what about that other hotel? Nothing is connected, even though it seems to want to be until the last minute. This is not simplicity, this is faked depth.
It did have its surreal moments, with the hotel where guests worked on the vegetable fields or how the woman pulled her heavy suitcase along the sandy beach -- but these moments were far and inbetween.
I don't really have anything else to say, the film deeply annoyed me. *And* it bored me to tears.
If you want to see a cool film set on an Okinawan island, go watch "Nabbie's Love".
Edit to add: This film has won the Manfred Salzberger priye at the 2008 Berlinale and was a nominee for the "World Cinema - Dramatic" categegory of the Sundance festival, so there are certainly people who think the film is excellent. And as you can see from Elisheva's comment below, there are viewers who like the film. Please don't follow other opinions, make up your own.
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Was the film good?
Yes, it was a coming-of-age film done with precision, and tied together local history of the place with a positive message.
Did I like it?
I don't get on with the performative SNS of the modern age, and that impacted my enjoyment massively. But I understand that this is my own problem. Now, some days after watching, I find that this *was* an outstanding fim.
Who would I recommend it to?
To people who like coming-of-age stories.
The thing is that I really struggled to get through the first half of this film. Modern socmed and their empty performativity, that is nothing I know or care about. So, to see Masao and his friends fake being handball players and fake caring about their hometown just for likes from people they don't even know, that felt strange to me. How can they love this kind of empty praise? How can they not feel ridiculous when they do this? On an intellectual level, I know that this must be addictive. but I don't (want to) understand.
I also did not understand Masao's gloom and doom attitude, when everybody else around him had already picked up the pieces after the devastation of the 2016 Yumamoto earthquake. On an intellectual level, I know that this film was done very well.
I could see the quality of the story telling and of the actors. I liked that the film was so grounded in the history of the 2016 earthquake and its aftermath (I'm reasonable sure that the places we saw are original locations, especially the temporary shelters). I liked the background characters, the grandpa with the wolly hat, Masao's brother and his girlfriend, Masao's parents -- all of whom were sweet people, who had no idea of what happened with Masao's "dutch ball" and the "SNS". I liked that the boys were realistically boys, not sanitized at all -- rough and hormonal but never mean.
I just wasn't able to bring up a shred of interest, but I know that this is solely my own problem, not a problem with the film itself.
Luckily, this changed in the second half. Or rather, about 35 minutes before the film ended. It was only then that the film showed us its core theme. And the theme surprised me in the best of ways. Earlier, a girl had asked Masao "What are you "striving" for?", and he didn't have an answer. And if the film had followed the usual path for a film like that, the boys would have banded together to win the nationals as underdogs, and would have worked hard and harder, with a lot of "ganbarimasu" -- and they would have beat the odds, or at least they would *almost* beat them etc. etc.
Thing is, this does not happen here. Not quite. Yes, the boys band together -- but they immediately quarrel about trivialities. Yes, they take part in the nationals -- but the focus is on the audience, who came to cheer them on, because, as two elderly people said in the beginning: "It feels good to cheer someone on." -- "Yes, instead of being the ones cheered on." And when Masao leaves for the game in the morning, he tells his mother: "I will have so much fun!"
And I think this is the core of the film.
"To "strive" to enjoy life." Don't live in gloom and doom, after something bad has happended. Live your life to the fullest, find joy in the trivialities. Do what you like, whether it's being a funeral dicrector (like Masao's brother), a hostess (like Masao's brother's girlfriend), or a handball player. Show the world that peace sign and smile into the camera, not for others to cheer you on, but for yourself.
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