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...
Matteo and Riccardo are a couple and they are about to celebrate their sixth month of relationship. As they go on a hike, Matteo has an episode where he feels unwell. It is soon revealed that Matteo is HIV-positive. Surprisingly Riccardo doesn't leave and says he will support Matteo. But despite Matteo asking him also to get tested, he doesn't because he is likely afraid to get to know his own status. Matteo, meanwhile, in unsure about what treatment to take. When Matteo suddenly heads off to visit Enzo, Riccardo is initially suspicious, but he soon learns Enzo is Matteo’s uncle. Enzo helps both men process their feelings and gives the couple perspective about managing both the illness and their relationship from his experiences of all these years. He explains them how times in 80s were different for lovers and especially if you got HIV.
I think the film maker was trying to start a conversation around this topic, because believe it or not, with medical advancements, HIV is not that much talked about today but the fear still remains. Many things around HIV have changed today. The medicine has changed, and the illness can be managed. But, I feel the makers failed to bring forward the point. The only talk we hear is from Enzo from back in the day. Even though Riccardo doesn't run away by the news and knows that with undetectable status he is clean with Matteo; but at the same time he is sacred to know his own status. The film is filled with many affectionate and passionate scenes between the two actors who actually do a fantastic job, but then overall as a film, I was very underwhelmed and was expecting so much more. There is literally no conflict or drama here, despite having a strong subject in hands. (5/10)
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