Having to watch this on 2x speed says it all in part tbh. The only positives I could find is, despite the faults, and there are many, of this film is that it is one with characters liking the same-sex at such a time in Thailand; there were some reasonable songs throughout (the theme song most notably); Oi was notably consent with consent when debating kissing Ped when he was asleep (said no answer means consent tho when he asked if he could hug him shortly before??- inconsistent stance towards consent- CANCELLED); the overarching message, that was bogged down by so baggage, was that anyone can love anyone, but can't all stand by it. - this message should have been delved into more deeply, to try and help reduce level of marginalisation, but nope, we just got faced with more montages of pointless scenes that did absolutely nothing for the plot, expect to make it that bit more 'Boring' of a 'Love' (not that I felt any from the incredibly poor acting throughout).
Apart from that though, I shall very unlikely be watching it again. For a film that is supposed to be a rom-com, all I got were tonnes of repulsive stereotypes: liking someone the same sex of you if abnormal, consorting w someone of the same sex that likes you is less than advised; agreeing to trick said person into being sexually harassed by a woman to 'cure the feelings' he has (without expecting Oi to run away distraught and traumatised ?? Excuse me, wth!); all the patriarchal verbal diarrhoea about what a 'real man' is, giving a gift to the child that you have physically abused through the other parent with no apology ; not even acknowledging your partner saying they are used to being physically abused by you and not seeking to change (this film doesn't even address women's rights, much less gay rights); no accepting of the femininity that lives in everyone (Ped saying he'd b a tomboy if he had to b a girl in another life); the fact that the ANCIENT stereotype that 'gays are driven by sex and desire' and will take advantage of you whenever they are able to, was exacerbated here- eternally repugnant, and that after all that, there was no apology about the way Kai or Ped treated Oi, about the blatant homophobia that they, and everyone else, displayed, and how somehow it ended up happily??? Dear God, that did it for me. Kudos to Oy for somehow forgiving all of the abuse that Kai and Ped had thrown his way in all the time he knew them, but all that that achieves is the desensitisation to abuse and homophobia especially , which I highly doubt was what the film crew wanted to bring to the audience, but that is certainly what I took frm it.
For this to have been done more effectively, there needed to be a lot more realistic talk about relationships, and the furthering of them, many more prudent apologies upon the realisation of actions (with regards to the outdated attitudes towards sexuality AND gender), and FAR LESS use of hackneyed stereotypes that only worsen the imagine of people that are confident in their own gender and sexuality, and should not be marginalised for it by the greater population indoctrinated by patriarchal societies of the past, and still perpetuated in the present (tho to a lesser extent in some places).
Well- a blatant NO THANK YOU. The only reason I am giving this 1.5 is because perseverance in love, no matter what you have to endure, is a reasonable message to get across. Everything else, dear God. Not internalised homophobia in a supposed LGBTQ+ film -_; do not get me started on the absolutely pointless sex, lack of real discussion; abundance of racial, sexual and pejorative slurs.
I beg, there's plenty of better stuff out there, but if you want to bore yourself to tears, and seethe with the last bit of vigilance you are in possession of, go ahead.
Apart from that though, I shall very unlikely be watching it again. For a film that is supposed to be a rom-com, all I got were tonnes of repulsive stereotypes: liking someone the same sex of you if abnormal, consorting w someone of the same sex that likes you is less than advised; agreeing to trick said person into being sexually harassed by a woman to 'cure the feelings' he has (without expecting Oi to run away distraught and traumatised ?? Excuse me, wth!); all the patriarchal verbal diarrhoea about what a 'real man' is, giving a gift to the child that you have physically abused through the other parent with no apology ; not even acknowledging your partner saying they are used to being physically abused by you and not seeking to change (this film doesn't even address women's rights, much less gay rights); no accepting of the femininity that lives in everyone (Ped saying he'd b a tomboy if he had to b a girl in another life); the fact that the ANCIENT stereotype that 'gays are driven by sex and desire' and will take advantage of you whenever they are able to, was exacerbated here- eternally repugnant, and that after all that, there was no apology about the way Kai or Ped treated Oi, about the blatant homophobia that they, and everyone else, displayed, and how somehow it ended up happily??? Dear God, that did it for me. Kudos to Oy for somehow forgiving all of the abuse that Kai and Ped had thrown his way in all the time he knew them, but all that that achieves is the desensitisation to abuse and homophobia especially , which I highly doubt was what the film crew wanted to bring to the audience, but that is certainly what I took frm it.
For this to have been done more effectively, there needed to be a lot more realistic talk about relationships, and the furthering of them, many more prudent apologies upon the realisation of actions (with regards to the outdated attitudes towards sexuality AND gender), and FAR LESS use of hackneyed stereotypes that only worsen the imagine of people that are confident in their own gender and sexuality, and should not be marginalised for it by the greater population indoctrinated by patriarchal societies of the past, and still perpetuated in the present (tho to a lesser extent in some places).
I beg, there's plenty of better stuff out there, but if you want to bore yourself to tears, and seethe with the last bit of vigilance you are in possession of, go ahead.