Innocent Lies (2022)

Brutally horrible drama ahead.

The salacious nature of the bondage plot-line is supposed to be the titillation to draw watchers into this drama. Unfortunately, it was just another cringe-trending moment, to mask a really badly produced drama. There should be hate, joy, love, and lust among the mains triangle, but, with no chemistry to speak of between all three mains. The characters couldn't rub a real feeling moment between them if they'd tried.

Everything, was flat, even the side characters appear to have no lasting purpose. The editing was off; the story was all-over-the-place; the characters made no sense; leads had no chemistry; so brutally horrible I stayed for the bad-drama cult-film aspect. Will I recommend it to the rest of you? Certainly, not. If you proceed under the guise of 'bad cinema' - Deities help you.

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Plotline isn't the best but there is a depth if you look for it, and the cast made it work.

While I can't say I'm a diehard fan of Mik Thongraya, I have found that he's one of the actors whose lakorns I've watched the most over the years. With each of his dramas in which he's the main male lead, he's gotten better and better at portraying his characters and 'Gun' is no exception. Yes, Gun comes off as temperamental but when the viewer is able to grasp his view on life, his internal struggles, and his insecurities I would say that Mik has captured all the complexities there is to "Gun".
Gun married his ex-wife for love and devotion, what he got in the long run was an ambitious, unsatisfied, and self-serving woman who used their child to tug at his heartstrings at every turn. "Gun" is probably one of Mik's most emotional characters to date considering the events that has transpired upon 'Gun's' failed first marriage and how he now views the world and those around him.

This is the first lakorn I've watched starring Pupe Kessarin and the young lady has heart in spades. 'Wimala' isn't the strongest character out there in lakorn land and has a tendency to want to run away from her problems (at least once) but her compassion for those around her, especially 'Gun', can melt any ice-cold glacier. I would say that Pupe Kessarin is one of the young Thai female actresses today that can make good use of the line, "Eyes are Windows to the Soul". You can tell when 'Wi' is stubborn, and you can definitely tell when she's in love and when she is compassionate or passionate about someone or something. Pupe can convey her emotions at the drop of a hat and when those tears begin to flow, boy do they flow. Her being so pretty is just a bonus, on her good days, she's a Thai version of a young and fresh-faced Katie Holmes. On her best days with full face makeup and complete styling, she's a young and pouty lipped, Thai Jessica Alba, at least, for me. I like Pupe a lot and will definitely look out for her and her works in the future.

Mik and Pupe's onscreen chemistry as 'Gun' and 'Wi" isn't the 'firecracker loud, toot their horn and bust out the champagne, let's celebrate,' kind, but at the same time, it's soul deep and soul stirring. Every time they stare into each other's eyes, I get butterflies and my heart melts for them. Wi has all the qualities Gun was looking for in a life partner. Something he was denied of, with his first wife in the long run. Every time Gun's eyes go soft for Wi and every time she stares back at him in wonder within their most intimate moments, "The Little Mermaid's" song, 'Kiss the Girl' plays in my head. LOL. (Mik has gotten so much better with expressing emotions through his eyes in this lakorn that's why!) 'Gun' is endearing when he wears his heart on his sleeve. He gets to be the kid at the candy store instead of the businessman, once bitten twice shy and it's a bonus that only 'Wi' could summon up that 'soft look' from him. I like how 'Wi' is very compassionate with 'Gun' when his demons come out to wreak mental havoc with him and is able to calm him down, even in the times that she doesn't fully understand, giving him a safe place to fall back on. Mik and Pupe's onscreen chemistry didn't feel like a lightbulb. When 'Gun' and 'Wi' were hurt, angry, confused, frustrated, sad, happy, or deeply in love with one another, it shows, and it is felt. (It isn't just, "Okay, it's a love scene!" "Done! Now turn off the emotions...)

Where to start with Preaw? She's definitely beautiful. This is probably not her first drama that I've seen but I don't recall them by name. However, if a woman can make you hate her antagonist character with every fiber of your being... (no, not for her need and addiction to inflicting pain upon herself and enjoying harsh measures of BDSM as a bedside manner) but how she plans everything out to serve herself and her wellbeing...then Preaw did her job as 'Orn' very, VERY well. I mean to be able to stir up enough compassion in 'Wi' to where she wanted to give you back your 'ideal family' because she also feels your ex-husband's pain of separation of from his child, even at the sacrifice of her own happiness is saying a lot. I hate 'Orn' with a passion and now, if Preaw were to have a future protagonist role, I don't think I can watch and not feel 'Orn' lurking somewhere in the depths. Hahaha.

The push and pull of the threesome in this somewhat emotionally heavy lakorn is, as tense and volatile it should be.

SoWayree 1 Couple: (Special Appearances)

Honestly, Kem and Mookda have major chemistry but SW1 was not able to draw my attention for the long haul (just parts and certain episodes), however after their couple appearance in BW, I may go back and watch cause Parin and Mita together, are cute, and have grown so much as a couple and are a lot wiser in here. :)

I can tell a lot of thought went into the plotline to make it all come together and connect even with SW1 but feel as if still a lot more could have been done to give this lakorn more substance, overall.

For the major lakorn fails, I must say it's all in the technicalities for me. For example, when 'Wi' gets her arm grazed by a bullet and lies on the hospital bed gazing at a snoozing in the chair 'Gun'. In order for her to get a better look at him and process her thoughts about him, she turns to her side. Her injured arm side, LOL. Or when Mik as 'Gun' has done more than a few takes of carrying Pupe as 'Wi' and has sweat stains under his arms and it shows in the final cut that makes it through to the episode. >.<
(I must say, Mik sweats very easily. >.<)
Or how if you pay attention, you can tell that some scenes that go together in an episode was shot at different time periods because of state of the ladies' acrylic nails including style and color. Hahaha...yes, I have some invested interest in how films are made.

My final thoughts are that while Buang Wimala isn't for everyone, it's here for those who are willing to give it a go. No lakorn is Perfect in my viewer experience but I can't think of better actresses and actors to play the said roles in this lakorn. I also want another go with the Mik-Pupe Love Team. As this is their first work as a love team, I definitely feel and see potential there for further development if and when they are given the opportunity to work together again. In all of Mik's lakorns concerning his opposite lead, I feel as if I've not seen him be able emote so much with his eyes, until now. If and when I watch this lakorn again, it will be for the cast chemistry and the soundtrack, for sure.

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