This audiovisual product represents the harsh social, economic and political reality experienced by the Thai population. It talks about its problems and contexts, generally adverse, and becomes a reflection of that Asian country.
The film shows topics such as illegal immigration for political, religious, ethnic or sexual orientation reasons; political, administrative and police corruption; police violence and crime, physical elimination of activists and members of the LGBT+ community, border militarization, dysfunctional families, bisexuality, racism, racial discrimination, politically motivated murders, homosexuality, economic problems, prostitution, political activism, stripper , violation of Human Rights, phenomena all reflections of Thai society. I highly doubt that for one reason or another any member of Thai society escapes seeing themselves reflected on the screen.
And facing all these problems there is Sorn (Ud Awat Ratanapintha), a Burmese refugee who, with the hope of a better life, seeks refuge and forges a new identity as a sex worker in Thailand. The protagonist will end up involved in a client's risky plan that endangers his life and that of other people. The diversity of conflicts he faces, his psychological complexity and emotional evolution, add layers to the narrative and weave an intriguing web that keeps the viewer in suspense during its hour and 36 minutes of duration.
The artistic maturity of its main performer protects a remarkable wisdom forged through the experiences lived on the film set. His ability to convey emotions, in a genuine way, cements his position as a leading actor in the Thai film and television scene. Far from seeking grandiloquence, you immerse yourself in your characters with the simplicity that characterizes those who understand that true art lies in authenticity.
From her first appearance on the big screen with the feature film 'Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy' (2013) or as a girl with dramas such as 'Hormones 1' (2013) and 'Hormones 2', in 2014, to her participation in television productions such as 'Cat Radio TV Season 1 and 2', '#HATETAG' (2021), 'Bad Genius' (2022), 'Quarantine Stories' (2020), of which in addition to being an actor he is the director and screenwriter; or in the 2022 documentary JMJ: Lesson 25, in which you participate as an actor and director, you have shown how versatile and capable you are of connecting with the public.
With 'Doi Boy' it is not the first time that he has faced the challenge of playing a leading character. Also in the drama ThirTEEN Terrors (2014), and the special Project S Let's Say Goodbye, from 2018, he had already been placed in front of the responsibility of leading plots. However, taking on the lead role in a film like this involved new challenges, and for the actor, it was a crucial step in his career.
Pae Arak Amornsupasiri as Ji, and Aelm Bhumibhat Thavornsiri, who plays Wuth, are the other two main characters.
The way in which social criticism, border problems and issues related to sexual orientation and male prostitution are represented in the film is not coincidental. In his first work, the documentary 'Boundary' (2013), its director, Nontawat Numbenchapol, already addressed the reality of the local population on the border between Thailand and Cambodia never before recognized in Thai cinematography.
Interested in social issues, in his second documentary, 'By The River', he visualized the situation of the villagers of Klity affected by lead water contamination. With this documentary, for the first time a film of that nationality won the Special Mention at the Locarno International Film Festival.
'Doi Boy' is not the first film with which the filmmaker analyzes issues related to sexual or gender identity. With the hybrid docu-fiction #BKKY, from 2016, this renowned documentary filmmaker and cinematographer visualizes stories of 100 teenagers interviewed in Bangkok about their loves, their dreams, and their coming of age just after graduating from high school. With it, he won the Jury Prize for best feature film at Lesbisch Schwule Filmtage Hamburg, Germany.
Despite a solid premise and good performances and general direction, the film does not reach perfection because it is based on an underdeveloped script, with aspects that deserved further exploration.
Beyond its positive aspects, Doi Boy can be perfected, like any artistic creation. The absence of unique characters like Sorn, Ji and Wuth and the practically non-existent presence of stories like this in Thai and Asian cinematography in general could work in its favor. However, these same positive qualities cause the film to be undervalued by followers of the BL genre, but as a thriller and drama it works well.
'Doi Boy' is a forceful justification to talk about Thailand far beyond the false and illusory representation, both in cinema, television and other national media, of a country as a sexual paradise and freedoms for members of the LGBT+ community and the rest of its population, equally discriminated against for political, ethnic and racial reasons. The film is a reflection of what hurts millions of human beings both in that nation and in the world. That is why I am grateful that it does not have a made-up ending and shows reality as it is until its ultimate consequences: those gray areas of the existence of the Thais shown in 'Doi Boy' are not really reflected in the BL dramas from that region of the planet.