Wang's 20th birthday is approaching and he lives with his single mother Mol, who happens to be a famous series director. His father died years ago in a drunken accident. Wang idolized his dad and the loss is unbearable. Unfortunately the mother doesn't like to talk about him, since they were actually divorced before he died. Wang knows from old photos that his dad used to have a best friend called In. Wang's dad always aspired to travel and that dream is also inherited within Wang. Mol doesn't like the idea of him traveling, even though she is flamboyant and extrovert person. The duo share an amazing love hate relationship since they have been each other's support. One weekend when the dup are going for a work/holiday travel, they get lost in the wilderness and find a house. Mo recognizes him as her old friend In and is ecstatic about a coincidental reunion with her best friend. In invited them both over to spend a few days there with him. Turns out In and Mol were best friends form college and In is the one who introduced his best friend Siam (Wang's father) to Mol. The trip were extremely close but after their wedding In moved away and gradually they all grew apart. But Wang is very curious about In and also wants to know about his father. He persuaded In to tell him exactly who his father really was. But In avoids the topic until he can't and the secret is what we had expected all along. In recounts how he met Siam, how Siam was always there for him and how slowly In started to backoff from their trip group when Mol and Siam started dating. But after Wang was born, one evening Siam comes to tell In the truth that he loves In. In, who has also always love Siam cannot bear to see his friend Mol's life be disrupted so he walks away from Siam and severs all ties with him. He refuses to take his calls until one day he is told that Siam is dead. Now filled with guilt, he has become a total recluse. Meanwhile Wang is falling more and more in love with In and confesses to him, who doesn't react. But when Mol finds out, she throws tantrum and refuses to accept this. A lot of drama unfolds and finally Wang sees everyone's point of view, mostly his mother's; who has single handedly devoted her life to taking care of Wang. He cannot do that to her, and despite his wishes, he returns back to Bangkok completely heartbroken but having matured and grown having fallen in love with someone.
The series is very intense to say the least, which gets more and more obvious in the latter episodes as the ayers are unraveled about Siam and In's past. After a long time, I was seeing characters who are all so well developed in details, that slowly all their words and actions make sense and you realize where they are coming from. The film may not have a traditional gay romance, but the back story and the longing in Wang's eyes for love is all there. In fact, In is also in love with Wang, but he knows that this may not be right thing to do, at least not for Mol, and to understand and empathize with his reasons is not difficult. He is still reeling in guilt that it was him backing off from Siam that forced him to take alcohol and get into an accident. And he will never be able to forgive himself because he thinks he is to be blamed for Siam, for Mol and even for what Wang is going through. I could 100% related to In's character. This is a character which is so complicated and the actor does an absolutely incredible job of keeping in simple yet very effective emotions, reactions and behavior. He was fantastic.
The show starts with nice fun banter between mother and son that is important to establish how well their chemistry is and what they mean for one another. Things become more solemn after In comes into picture and layer by layer we know the secret. What actually really happened is something we don't get know until last episode, but most of us will have guessed what happened. The compelling tension comes from those cryptic chats, nervous reactions, and reluctant confessions. The storyteller creates suspense by slowly drawing the truth out of the traumatized protagonist. You get to see some amazing chemistry and a snappy back and forth rapport. I really think these actors must have done some workshops before the shoot otherwise this would not be possible. As mentioned the beginning, a lot of these episodes have a LOT of talking and after some point it just gets too much. It could be edited and I still strongly believe this would have had a much stronger impact as a film. I also need to mention the soundtrack of the series which just fit perfectly. The finale is when everything breaks loose and all three of them break down in their own way. That episode has a phenomenal display of raw feelings and emotions. Mol and In don't budge from what they have decided, but its Wong who grows up. From being that teenager who wants to travel the world, to knowing the truth about his father, to falling for In (maybe because he sees his dad in himself and wants to complete their incomplete love story). For people looking for some romance, you will be disappointed because it just doesn't exist. What the series shows is the pain of loss and love and moving on.
I loved this message in the end
Parents - You can only give birth to them but you don't own them
Youngsters - You have to bleed first before you learn
Wise People - Don't let your cowardice get better of you. Pick a side or throw away what you believe in.
These three statements represent our three leads. I have mixed feelings about the show, because it is a sensitive subject dealt with maturity and handled in a way that most of us are not used to in Thai gay series. But the total lack of romance and some very lengthy conversations (almost to a boring level) kill the flow of this dreamy project. You will need to be really patient to enjoy this show, but if you do, I am sure you will be rewarded. It's a story of a bird trying to convince another to leave the cage. The door is not locked, the air is much nicer up there, but how could you convince a bird with no wings to fly? (7.5/10)
Comments
Honestly for the first half of the show I was totally hooked (and was thinking that would make a strong recommandation ;) The characters are well written but mostly the amazing chemistry and built up tension become so intense you could cut it with a knife. Then come the first compelling drama crying scenes with fantastic acting and I thought it was going to be one the best series ever.
Problem is from this point they nearly only delivered heavy crying drama scenes. You can't have Christmas everyday, else you'll ruin the magic and will only fear the oversized meals. That's exactly how I felt: too much. The never-ending talk and crying killed it for me to the point I didn't care and just wanted the show to end (as) quickly (as possible). Especially since the "big reveal" is what everyone had anticipated long ago. I almost wished one of the characters would die to make the plot move. Or at least so one of them would stop talking...
Thankfully the ending is quite interresting with different evolutions (or not) for each character.
Maybe my problem was watching all the episodes in a row when it's supposed to be on a weekly basis. That would probably had made the whole thing more diggest and I would have liked it from beginning to the end. Because the actors do a fantastic job, the filming is amazing and the message is a strong one.
And I agree with you on most things as well. Some of those conversations and monologues went forever and ever and the whole suspense was anticlimactic because everyone knew it. I still believe that a film on the subject would be much crispier. hey really should reedit the show and make a 2 hour film of this.
Ending is the saving grace, even though there is n happy ending, but its the evolution of the characters that is important; which is almost reflective of how t things would pan out in real life.