This review may contain spoilers
The acting made up for plot flaws
I got to know of the actor Fluke Natouch from Until We Meet Again, where his acting captured my attention, so when I found myself lacking something to watch, I searched his past works and chanced upon this. Boy, his acting even back then was good.The plot started strong and interesting, mostly because of the characterisations. The plot premise isn't anything fresh, but it is driven by interesting characters and the interactions between them.
[SPOILER BELOW]
One of my favourite scenes involved Bank asking Golf, "Am I like a girl? Why did Teacher choose me to perform something that is usually performed by girls?" and Golf replying, "Maybe it's because the Teacher felt that you're better than girls." "In what way am I better?" "Like how you were good to/fotr me."
[END SPOILER]
But after the part where they got found out by their family, it kind of faltered. The scenes that followed lacked a sense of congruity and logic got thrown out of the door. It was as if they didn't have enough screentime left to develop the story properly.
[SPOILERS BELOW]
For example:
1) Why did Golf suddenly got sent to America? He was still putting a fight against his father the previous scene, and the next scene we see is him saying goodbye to his class, obeying his father's decision to send him to America.
2) Why did Golf decide to out himself AND his brother in front of the class? He may be gone but he has to stay behind and live with being outed to his classmates. I guess this can be explained as teenage rashness, but this took the 'bittersweet' aspect out of the scene.
3) If the family's intention to send Golf overseas is to break the brothers up, why did they allow Golf to return to Thailand so soon? Why did Bank's mother comment about Bank not being as close to Golf anymore after Golf returned?
4) What's with the girlfriend? What's with the engagement ceremony? Golf seems to still harbour feelings for Bank, but then why didn't he explain the girlfriend situation? Why did he agree to stay at the hotel with her?
5) Why did Bank run off to find Taa (instead of the girlfriends he was closer to) when the above happened? Since when did they grow so close? We've never seen much interactions between the two previously, but we were shown many scenes of the girls showing support to Bank.
6) The coincidence that Golf's kidney is a match for Bank.
7) Lazy writing - accident, final stage cancer without previous syndromes
8) What's with the insertion of the scene after the accident, with Bank returning the ring to Golf, saying that he wants to go back to being just brothers? Where in the timeline was that supposed to fit in?
9) The time lapse between the surgery and the birthday party took away all the sentiments that could have been developed.
[END SPOILERS]
And I guess this is why I didn't feel much for the ending. But this film was still worth my time watching, if only for the acting by the main cast. It felt very natural, reflective of how someone of the characters' age would behave and act. Their acting made up for the gaps in the plot and kept me watching. It's a joy to watch this 6 years on and find that the actors I like right now had a good level of acting even back then. It's even more delightful to know that I can now turn to a part 2 to the story, and hopefully that will make up for the disappointments in part 1.
Part 2, here I come!
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Tragic love
*outline*"some people enter your life in order to create wonderful memories before they leave"
*analysis*
STORY : The most beautiful part of this movie was the heartbreaks - which, mind you, we got loads of. Tons and tons. The leads never really got a break from the climax which lasted months. The confession was heartwarming too, I really didn't see the ending coming. Especially Bank's total change in looks. Honestly, watch the film. You won't regret it. The pacing was organised well, no scene seemed useless in anyway. I do wish we got a little more of the side ships, but I totally understand why we didn't. If we did it would probably turn into a drama or there'd be so many useless scenes. The movie had a clear goal in mind in the making. I just wish there was a better ending. The continuous heartbreak shouldn't have resulted in a sad ending, it only depressed me. All-in-all, it was still an amazing movie.
ACTING/CAST : No favoritism intended but... Fluke's (Bank - in the movie) acting was amazing like always. He hasn't changed at all since 2014, clearly. The only reason this caught my eye is because I noticed a familiar face and I'm so glad I did watch it. I feel like Fluke (Golf - in the movie) sort of added a little more drama than needed to some of his scenes but it was occasional so I still managed to cry. Something I really shouldn't be proud over.
MUSIC : I actually didn't hear much music so I put the rating a little down for this. Otherwise, the rating would probably be at, at least, a 9.
REWATCH VALUE : To be honest, I don't really see myself watching this again despite the fact I quite liked it. It just didn't make a great impact on me for me to miss the characters like I do for some other Thai BLs.
*recommendations*
'Until We Meet Again' for some more Fluke Natouch Siripongthon. He's just such a good actor. He plays the male lead in this BL too, his character is very similar to his role as Bank in 'My Bromance', and his acting hasn't changed a bit.
And :
Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
Also, please vote to show your view on other dramas :)
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Multiple Missed Opportunities
This movie offers a charming yet an uneven viewing experience. Although there are a lot of heart warming and emotional moments, it leaves a lot to be desired at the end. Truly a lost potentialThe basic plot is rather simple. Golf, a miscreant at school finds that his father has remarried is now has to share his house with his step-brother Bank. Initially Golf mistreats Bank but slowly starts developing feelings for him. As the story progresses, we find Golf and Bank interacting with each other and the feelings blossoming between them. And as is customary in almost all love stories, there is initial jealousy followed by confession.
This movie lacks in the execution of the plot and rather falls for the cliched BL tropes. There is the initial jealousy when another guy shows interest in Bank. Post the confession, there are a few moments of tenderness and affection but the movie sways again to the familiar tropes of misunderstanding and societal pressure. This is followed by the mandatory third act breakup between the main couple and silent suffering. But I was certainly blind-sided by the last 15 min as the movie decides to take a hard turn. The movie also suffers from uneven pacing and terrible editing, thereby creating confusion. Also, the characters while charming, could benefit from deeper exploration.
In conclusion, “My Bromance” is a decent movie that suffers from uneven packing, choppy editing and reliance on cliches. Those seeking a more profound and emotionally resonant experience might find it lacking.
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A very engaging plot
A very engaging plot, which would be enough for a small series ... The whole work, even if it is certainly not perfect and has a decent rating on IMDb as well, needs to be seen with Asian eyes, which many cannot do, and I am not surprised. But if you try this, and get over the Asian naivety and, as someone already says, "unprofessional amateur" (= Asian again) processing, you will get a very strong story that you can think about for a long time, which is the feeling at the end of many other films I don't have it, and that's what I appreciate most about the film ... and also the memorable classmates and sensitively chosen pleasant music ...Was this review helpful to you?
A Classic
When watching, I felt a strange sense of familiarity about this movie, and it wasn't until I reached the couch scene when it hit me: I had seen this movie years ago, but blocked it out of my brain due to the ending. Back in the day, I was a traumatized little gay guy in college and, during that time, I watched so many Asian BL movies that were so tragic I couldn't help but to force myself to forget them all. Nowadays, I noticed that I actually liked this movie the way it is; a beautiful yet tragic story.First of all, WAY better than the drama series. BY A LOT.
~Story:
This has to be one of the works that established the BL genre in Thailand because it has EVERYTHING that makes up a BL today. This movie is what you would call a "classic." When you look at it from that perspective, you realize the plot is quite simple, but what really makes it good is how complete it feels. All the important things have been laid out on the table for you, leaving nothing behind. This is one of the things a lot of dramas today are missing and it is a shame. Everybody is trying so hard to come up with a super complicated plot that doesn't amount to anything at the end, when instead, you should just get to the point without beating around the bush so much.
~Cast:
I don't have a lot of complaints. The older movies always seem to have a questionable acting, but this one was a little more decent and enjoyable. Let me talk about some of them, though:
-Golf: He was pretty okay, I think. He was, for the most part, believable, but I did notice his acting was a little restrained whenever he was yelling in anger. That part felt quite fake, but everything else was passable.
-Bank: It's so funny to me how the actor made no difference between his roles as Bank and Pharm from "Until We Meet Again." You can tell he has this specific way of acting, which is not bad, but I want to see him expand a little more from the usual.
Now, I do wish the script had more dialogue between characters. Watching the movie felt as if the director was letting the scene speak for itself, but I needed some more dialogue to fill some gaps.
~Pacing, Editing, and Direction:
Like I said earlier: this is a classic. The vision was there and the director and screenwriters were able to tell a visual story that was cohesive and nicely flowed. All the classic element of BL are here for you to enjoy.
Sis, this show has everything: Love, hate, highschoolers, school drama, conservative families, ass grabbing, truths, lies, and so much more for your enjoyment. I totally recommend this over the drama because that one was absolute garbage of a production.
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An obsession that haunts human beings: seeing people who hate each other love each other
Golf (Teerapat Lohanan) is an 18-year-old young man who lives in a wealthy house but with a dysfunctional family, whose parents have barely taken care of him. Her mother has died and she now lives with her aunt and her father Vut, who is constantly on business trips and whom she blames for her mother's death.After being orphaned, he has changed his behavior from being an athletic and active young man to behaving aggressively and temperamentally. His friends describe him as a playboy and foul-mouthed. From his father he has only obtained little love and inattention, but a lot of money that does not fulfill his life. Circumstances have caused Golf to feel resentful towards his ancestor and this animosity has an impact on his personal and student life.
The Thai film 'My Bromance' ("พี่ชาย My Bromance", Phi Chai My Bromance) revolves around this axis, filmed in 2013 and released on February 20, 2014, which tells the moving story of two teenage stepbrothers who go from hating each other. to love each other passionately against all odds.
Set in Chiang Mai, this romantic youth drama with a BL and LGBT theme, has its turning point when Bank (Sripinta Pongsatorn), a gentle, kind and sweet-tempered young man, ends up moving to Golf's house, since the father of He and Thara (Chiangmai), his mother, have just gotten married.
Bank, a teenager four months younger than Golf, hopes to be accepted into his new family. However, his new stepbrother will make his life impossible, as he does not accept his father's new marriage or the fact that he now has a younger brother.
Directed by Nitchapoom Chaianun, the film follows the toxic and sentimental relationship that arises between these two young high school students who, due to their parents' marriage, begin to live under the same roof as "brothers." Despite initially teasing Bank, he and Golf can't help but get closer. Before accepting each other as stepbrothers, they must learn the art of living together, overcoming environmental obstacles and falling in love little by little. Will the feelings of love between siblings grow beyond that?
However, despite the abyss that separates them because they are socially considered "brothers" and their enormous differences in characters and personalities, both will begin to feel an irresistible attraction that will soon become pure fire and unbridled passion. Neither the continuous rivalry between the two nor the opposition of those around them will be able to prevent them from ending up lost and secretly in love, which will put their forbidden love to the test.
The synopsis of the film already tells us several keys to success, as previously demonstrated in other filmographies and generations 'Grease', 'My Fault' or 'Three Meters Above Heaven'. A teenage romance with hints of forbidden love on all sides, first because the family members resist the idea of the boys being homosexual and, secondly, the refusal to accept that both violate their status as "brothers."
Marked on the component "hate and love, between which there is but one step", the film narrates an obsession that haunts human beings: seeing people who hate each other love each other.
The chemistry between Golf and Bank is super special, it transcends the screen, and is totally enjoyable and emotionally impactful. It is a very passionate story of young love, which is the most intense, and above all loaded with a lot of action, in addition to being very visually beautiful.
If there is something that really stands out in 'My Bromance' it is the team formed by Teerapat Lohanan and Sripinta Pongsatorn, who give us great performances of their characters and share enormous chemistry on the big screen.
The first, within his leading role, performs a masterful characterization of Golf, taking into account that it is a complex interpretation on a psychological level. Perhaps at first he seems to us only a young man marked by the circumstances that have led him to disrupt his own life and he shows us an obsessive and somewhat egocentric and even selfish personality by not accepting his father's new relationship, which is why he comes to hate his stepbrother, but how with the passing of the minutes a change occurs in him that floods us with inspiration and hope.
Refusing to issue a single spoiler, it remains to say that the film has continuity in 'My Bromance: Reunion' (2015), 'My Bromance' (Channel 9/Line TV, 2016) and 'My Bromance 2: 5 Years Later' ( Line TV, 2020). About these related titles… we will be talking soon.
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The plot is far too sparse; acres of character development being leapt over in large Superman-like bounds. I can understand why this was later slated for a televisual adaptation. Far more time needed to be spent on characters and background to make this work. In some cases, as with the boys' absent parents, this lack of insight worked as it further highlighted the boys' isolation and feelings of abandonment. But in others, it made people's behaviour inexplicable and led to some confusion.
Others may find the ending tragic (and it is). I just find it bemusing and somewhat random. Overall, this is a sad film about very sad people. But that's Thai BL.
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Spirinta
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This review may contain spoilers
I won’t write too much as English is not my first language and I don’t wan’t to hurt your eyes.I just watched the movie, and I have mixed thoughts about it. During the first 30min i thought is was odd, the story was going really fast and it surprised me. I had trouble getting into the story because the scenes were organised strangely and the characters not very well developed, resulting in me having troubles feeling the same as them when they were crying or angry, because i didn’t get the time to know them or sympathize with them. But at a certain point, I thought they were kind of sweet together, and I really loved the values of friendship in the main group of friend. Their behaviour is something rare to find in movies or dramas. So because of that, from the campfire scene, i started to finally get into the movie and enjoyed what was happening. Still, approaching the end, the plot with Tom started to get a little bit messy again, and the story was going everywhere with it’s plots. I was a little confused, so again it was hard for me to cry with them. But i must admit that the ending scene almost got me.
My overall feeling after watching this movie is good. The chemistry between the actors was really existing, and it left me with a good feeling in the end. The actors also helped a lot because if find both Fluke(s) very attractive.
That is why my opinion on this movie is two-faced. I liked it, but at the same time i thought it was terrible. And to maybe understand what i mean you have to watch it. Because in the end I’m happy i did.
I fell for Fluke Teerapat from Sotus and I went and watched a lot of his work. In this movie he is quite good as well and it’s interesting to see him in this position. I really like this actor. I know a lot of people often talk about the other Fluke (Natouch) more (because of until we meet again etc) but too many people are sleeping on Fluke Teerapat. Well that’s it for my first review on this website!
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Saudara? atau?
Mengisahkan Golf yang biasa hidup sendiri karena Ayahnya sibuk bekerja, suatu waktu tiba-tiba Bank datang sebagai saudara angkat baru untuk Golf, itu membuatnya agak kesal dan seperti tidak menyukai situasi ini. Awalnya Golf agak acuh, cuek, dan bahkan membuly Golf seolah-olah dia seperti memberikan peringatan bahwa Bank tidak bisa diterima di dalam kehidupan Golf, namun seiring berjalannya waktu, sebagai saudara yang tinggal di atap yang sama ; perlahan mereka menjadi akur dan malah mempunyai perasaan yang spesial, akankan kisah mereka baik-baik saja?. Masalah dalam bL ini cukup unik dibanding bL sebelumnya yang aku tonton karena relasi antar main-role ini diikat oleh bentuk persaudaraan, memang benar mereka bukan saudara kandung, namun tetap saja kisah cinta spesial diantara saudara mungkin merupakan suatu hal yang sulit dimengerti. Scene dalam film ini menurutku cukup disajikan dengan epik dan cinematik, dengan perpaduan warna yang cukup serasi dan bersinambungan, ceritanya jga menurutku bagus untuk ditonton, makna cerita ini juga bagus terutama dibagian akhir film. Aku merekomendasikan bL ini untuk ditonton.Was this review helpful to you?
