This Vietnamese show isn't exactly groundbreaking, but it definitely keeps you hooked. It’s a quick watch with 10 episodes that only last about 15 to 20 minutes each, and even though it uses all the usual BL tropes, it really works because you can't help but root for the underdog. The romance actually takes its time to show up and then wraps up pretty fast, but the characters still feel way more relatable than in a lot of other shows like this. The story follows Phuc, who moves from Hanoi to Saigon to open his dream bar and live with his girlfriend. Things go sideways immediately when he arrives a day early to surprise her and catches her cheating, so he breaks up with her and leaves. He ends up reaching out to his old childhood neighbors, Cong and his sister Han, who he hasn't seen in years. The siblings are struggling on their own with a massive debt and Han’s poor health. Han thinks her brother works at a convenience store, but Cong is actually a heavy for a criminal gro...
Angus is an Irish 20-something political fascist guy who spends his time spray painting his tag 'HipBeat' around town. When not strolling the streets with spray cans, he rolls around in bed and on ecstasy with his girlfriend Angie. At clubs, Angus is living the punk rock life of Riley, with lollipops in his mouth and butter in his a*s. However, he feels the draw of something deeper inside him. When he chats with a local drag queen, his eyes open up. They further open up when he chats with an old friend who is in an open relationship with his boyfriend. Angus is off to bathroom stalls sex encounters and drugs oblivious to his girlfriend. Then one day, she walks in on Angus in a dress applying makeup. Secrets start coming up, and feelings start getting hurt.
This gorilla style documentary-drama approach did not work for at all. For films like this to work, you have to have a connect with the main character. You need to understand the motivations behind, his past etc and what is it thats driving them to do what they are doing, but at no point was I able to connect with Angus. And to make matters worse, the style of direction with experimental and choppy shots are edited and combined together, which somehow are supposed to make sense to the audience. Half the time I was conflicted d if this was a documentary or drama or what? Too much identity crisis is going on explained through voice overs by Angus. His mood travels from one side to another and doesn’t even care to explain what’s the issue at hand. And when you don't care about what's happening, there is no way you can enjoy the film. I would say avoid. (2.5/10)
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