Pingusu
This review may contain spoilers
They tried to make a GMMTV-verse but forgot to write an actual story
This is pitiful- this drama had so much potential.What drew so many people to this drama was the unique concept- two people, Talay and Puen are transported into another universe and to go back, they must find their 'portkey'. Along the way they must face the challenges that living in a new world poses and eventually, they fall in love. Pretty cool concept, right? Except that's not what the drama is actually about.
The 'travelling between universe' plot is relevant for three episodes at the start of this show, and then the show becomes a slice-of-life about a few guys trying to make it in the show-biz. Why replace the most compelling part of this show with such mundane sludge? It's as if the writers realised that they actually have to develop the concept and universe beyond the fun details and then panicked when they couldn't come up with anything. The 'portkey' stuff is important for a hot minute and then that becomes forgotten too. Why did Puen and Talay dismiss the fact that they could be each other's portkey? It doesn't make much sense to me.
Another thing i'd like to mention- the pacing feels off. You're telling me that it has been one year and these guys have managed to release two films? Puen and Talay have NO experience actually writing films- you're telling me that they just figured it out? This show might have been better off with less episodes. This show does not have enough substance for a full twelve episodes; six or seven episodes could have been sufficient.
Another gripe i had with this show was the unending commercials. Even the biggest fans of the show can't argue that this show had a product-placement-problem. It felt like i was watching an uninspired heap of commercials- at some points it didn't even feel like a show. The plot of some episodes can be boiled down to; they rave about KFC, use the black inhaler thing and eat an unhealthy amount of MAMA OK carbonara.
The GMMTV-verse thing was fun- at first. It was exciting to see other GMMTV actors and characters featured in the episode but it becomes dry pretty quickly. The show should have focussed on presenting a coherent story and then perhaps sprinkle in a few references in-between.
If everything i wrote before this did not offend the biggest fans of Vice Versa, the next thing i mention definitely will. The acting in this show is....barely passable. No, i'm not talking about the side characters (they were fine)- I'm talking about the main leads. It is fairly evident that the leads, Jimmy and Sea, were rookie actors. They were fine in fluffy scenes, but any scenes that required any kind of passion and emotion were painful to sit through. I'll admit that Sea was decent and even good in some scenes; but Jimmy was so stiff and unnatural- it was difficult to watch. There is no chemistry between them, i simply can't feel any kind of spark or magnetism from these two, which is shocking considering that even when GMMTV's output is below par they still manage to cast actors with electrifying chemistry. However, the acting became significantly better in the last two episodes; if they maintained that same level throughout the series i would have given a higher rating.
This show did not work for me, but for people who don't mind mindles fluff and a plot that goes everywhere and nowhere all at once- Vice Versa is for you.
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Ok first of all the acting was great. I liked the switching between the younger characters and the older characters. Also the song choices were legendary.
I loved the characters because they were so unique and relatable. They were all different people and you could tell who was who.
Overall this movie is great, it gave me severe nostalgia and it made me happy and sad. It made me cry and laugh. This movie shows that friends will always be friends.
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