I was hoping she'd kill that busybody bank spinster.
Overall, I have no idea what to make of this. I watched all the way through, though I considered dropping out at points. I don't know what to make of the FL, or the film, so for the time being, it's a 6/10 from me.
If you're still around, I'd love to read what you see the message as being. I just finished watching, and was wondering that very thing. The film left me with lots to ponder, but my biggest question was "what is the overall message?"
Not a fan of this flick, but HUGE props to Nakamura Ataru, who plays the bar owner and mentor to our trans hero. It's appalling that she is not listed above as first supporting actor in this film, but rather shoved off to the second page, among "see all." She is essential!
It bears mentioning that one of my fave JP actors, Saitoh Takumi, is sadly misused in this film. I felt embarrassed for him.
The MDL rating here is as ridiculously high as the ratings for countless other bad flicks/dramas on MDL. It's a feel-good rating awarded out of all proportion, by an audience that sees what it wants to see on screen, rather than what is there, or just as importantly, what is NOT there.
Sadly, this flick starts strong, but about a third of the way in, explodes like a Roman candle in 20 different directions, and each fizzles out into...not much.
Most bizarre is how the sex-change operation at the heart of the story is handled. Apparently, we are to believe one can perform tremendously complicated sex change surgery after reading a few books and smoking a lot - no hands-on training required! Nor is there any need for the equally complicated recovery and ongoing aftercare procedures mtf trans surgical patients must undergo for successful and safe outcomes.
Doc just lops off that "wiener," rearrange a few innards, and off to Tokyo the patient goes, free and clear! (Where, by the way, despite having left with one suitcase and no money, the patient is guaranteed a one-person apartment, stuffed with all manner of pastel-colored furniture, painted walls, and cute accessories, lit up like a runway.) No biggie, see. MTF transition surgery and aftercare are FUN!!!
Before I continue, I should say that early on, during that first third of the film I mentioned, the musical numbers inside the nightclub are delightful. The first, delightful, fantasy musical number outside the club is pure, joyful magic, but those that follow become evermore camp and pathetic.
Yeah, I was all on board until that Roman candle explosion at the one-third mark, where it all began to go wrong. By two-thirds, I was considering dropping the thing, but held on, hoping for a turnaround that never came. By the end, I felt embarrassed for all involved.
The family relationships and reactions as our hero "came out," were presented in an equally absurd manner. Our trans hero seems to have believed no one knew she was trans, even though she had long been wearing her hair in a female-coded style, and walked, talked, and presented as a young woman. All of which made Dad's supposed outburst at the restaurant laughably cringe.
I could go on, but I won't. This is a flick for people who want the journey of a trans person from a physical man to a physical woman, and all the angst, sorrow, and desperation that precedes and follows it, to be presented as a fantasy flight through the cotton-candy skies of Disneyland. It is insulting to trans people and anyone who knows them.
Yokohama Ryusei is damn good looking. It's a treat to see a handsome actor who appears to be free of plastic surgery. (I'm looking at YOU, Korea!) Oh, and he's a damn good actor too. :) If those two supporting actresses think they're getting at him, they'll have to get through me first.
Ryusei's characterization of Keiichi anchors and carries the film. Yoshioko Riho is very good, too. Others, meh...not so great.
The film is a mix of well put-together elements and a lot of not-so-well put-together ones. Many times, it has the feel of a TV movie, with its plot holes and cliches. Overall, I come away with a positive feeling, though, mostly due to Ryusei, whom I have not seen before. I'll be checking his bio for more of his work.
Damn, that's some impressive casting...and impressive acting!
I just watched the trailer on Netflix, then came here to bitch about this being yet ANOTHER show in which a mtf trans character is played by a woman, which has never worked for me. I was all set to wax indignant, when low and behold, on checking Mochizuki Haruki's bio, he is a dude!
Bravo. Looking forward to this watch.
On edit: Boy, did I ever change my mind about this film after seeing it. It's bad.
I'm so happy that this is doing extremely well in Korea. Hopefully, Jihoon will get offers from KDramas. He is…
I agree about Jihoon. I have found him to be extremely compelling in other shows I've seen him in. His eyes convey depth and a wounded courage. I can't think of a better way to word that. :)
looking at that comment again, makes me want to add an addendum. It’s such a fujoshi thing to assume everyone…
"Abang Adik?"
If that's the Malaysian film you're referring to, I've seen it and it's #30 on my Top 30 Feature Films list here. However, the characters in AA are not in-laws.
Which leads to another aspect of the film. Let me know if you're interested in discussing it, and I'll reply behind a spoiler button. :)
looking at that comment again, makes me want to add an addendum. It’s such a fujoshi thing to assume everyone…
Thanks for the tip! I checked it out on IMDB just now, and it turns out I watched it a few years ago. I recall not buying that the wife's "straight" husband went gay because his dying wife wanted him to...? Never bought the gay thing at all. Also, I remember she never seemed to get sick. let alone on the edge of death, yet one day she croaked.
If I ever hear that the concept has been reworked, rewritten, and remade, I'll give it a shot.
So, the tall goofy one and Lambert's orange-haired senior from work just took off and hooked up over lunch, leaving Lambert sitting there...? That felt..odd.
Why are u so desperate to him to come out of the closet lmao? Lol
I didn't say I was "desperate" for him to come out of the closet. But, he has the same right to live openly as who he is as any straight actor.
An A-list actor/celeb like Lee Je Hoon coming out would send much-needed shock waves through Korea's culture of homophobia. Perhaps some cracks would form in that monolith of prejudice. That said, his coming out might end his career. In which case, LJH could pack up and move to Hollywood. I doubt money is an issue for him, but he could keep working and be in high demand in the West.
Either way, it would spark a HUGE discussion on the issue, and that would be a good thing.
It's beyond stupid how entertainers stay in the closet long past the point where it is obvious to all that they're gay. This is especially true in the Kpop industry. Many go to the extreme of marrying to maintain a facade that fools only the most dim-witted and ruins another innocent person's life.
The message is "I know, and you know that I'm gay, but being gay is such an unspeakable horror that we will both pretend otherwise to avoid saying it out loud and causing your heads to explode. Let's just continue pretending." That message is part of a fiercely homophobic culture that kills.
1 
1 
Overall, I have no idea what to make of this.
I watched all the way through, though I considered dropping out at points.
I don't know what to make of the FL, or the film, so for the time being, it's a 6/10 from me.
I just finished watching, and was wondering that very thing.
The film left me with lots to ponder, but my biggest question was "what is the overall message?"
It bears mentioning that one of my fave JP actors, Saitoh Takumi, is sadly misused in this film. I felt embarrassed for him.
The MDL rating here is as ridiculously high as the ratings for countless other bad flicks/dramas on MDL. It's a feel-good rating awarded out of all proportion, by an audience that sees what it wants to see on screen, rather than what is there, or just as importantly, what is NOT there.
Most bizarre is how the sex-change operation at the heart of the story is handled.
Apparently, we are to believe one can perform tremendously complicated sex change surgery after reading a few books and smoking a lot - no hands-on training required! Nor is there any need for the equally complicated recovery and ongoing aftercare procedures mtf trans surgical patients must undergo for successful and safe outcomes.
Doc just lops off that "wiener," rearrange a few innards, and off to Tokyo the patient goes, free and clear! (Where, by the way, despite having left with one suitcase and no money, the patient is guaranteed a one-person apartment, stuffed with all manner of pastel-colored furniture, painted walls, and cute accessories, lit up like a runway.) No biggie, see. MTF transition surgery and aftercare are FUN!!!
Before I continue, I should say that early on, during that first third of the film I mentioned, the musical numbers inside the nightclub are delightful. The first, delightful, fantasy musical number outside the club is pure, joyful magic, but those that follow become evermore camp and pathetic.
Yeah, I was all on board until that Roman candle explosion at the one-third mark, where it all began to go wrong. By two-thirds, I was considering dropping the thing, but held on, hoping for a turnaround that never came. By the end, I felt embarrassed for all involved.
The family relationships and reactions as our hero "came out," were presented in an equally absurd manner. Our trans hero seems to have believed no one knew she was trans, even though she had long been wearing her hair in a female-coded style, and walked, talked, and presented as a young woman. All of which made Dad's supposed outburst at the restaurant laughably cringe.
I could go on, but I won't. This is a flick for people who want the journey of a trans person from a physical man to a physical woman, and all the angst, sorrow, and desperation that precedes and follows it, to be presented as a fantasy flight through the cotton-candy skies of Disneyland. It is insulting to trans people and anyone who knows them.
Highly NOT recommended.
4/10
It's a treat to see a handsome actor who appears to be free of plastic surgery. (I'm looking at YOU, Korea!)
Oh, and he's a damn good actor too. :)
If those two supporting actresses think they're getting at him, they'll have to get through me first.
Ryusei's characterization of Keiichi anchors and carries the film.
Yoshioko Riho is very good, too.
Others, meh...not so great.
The film is a mix of well put-together elements and a lot of not-so-well put-together ones. Many times, it has the feel of a TV movie, with its plot holes and cliches. Overall, I come away with a positive feeling, though, mostly due to Ryusei, whom I have not seen before. I'll be checking his bio for more of his work.
7.5/10
I just watched the trailer on Netflix, then came here to bitch about this being yet ANOTHER show in which a mtf trans character is played by a woman, which has never worked for me. I was all set to wax indignant, when low and behold, on checking Mochizuki Haruki's bio, he is a dude!
Bravo. Looking forward to this watch.
On edit: Boy, did I ever change my mind about this film after seeing it. It's bad.
I have found him to be extremely compelling in other shows I've seen him in.
His eyes convey depth and a wounded courage. I can't think of a better way to word that. :)
Looking forward to watching this.
If that's the Malaysian film you're referring to, I've seen it and it's #30 on my Top 30 Feature Films list here. However, the characters in AA are not in-laws.
Which leads to another aspect of the film. Let me know if you're interested in discussing it, and I'll reply behind a spoiler button. :)
I checked it out on IMDB just now, and it turns out I watched it a few years ago. I recall not buying that the wife's "straight" husband went gay because his dying wife wanted him to...? Never bought the gay thing at all. Also, I remember she never seemed to get sick. let alone on the edge of death, yet one day she croaked.
If I ever hear that the concept has been reworked, rewritten, and remade, I'll give it a shot.
Thanks again.
What's weird to you is none of my business.
But, he has the same right to live openly as who he is as any straight actor.
An A-list actor/celeb like Lee Je Hoon coming out would send much-needed shock waves through Korea's culture of homophobia. Perhaps some cracks would form in that monolith of prejudice. That said, his coming out might end his career. In which case, LJH could pack up and move to Hollywood. I doubt money is an issue for him, but he could keep working and be in high demand in the West.
Either way, it would spark a HUGE discussion on the issue, and that would be a good thing.
It's beyond stupid how entertainers stay in the closet long past the point where it is obvious to all that they're gay. This is especially true in the Kpop industry. Many go to the extreme of marrying to maintain a facade that fools only the most dim-witted and ruins another innocent person's life.
The message is "I know, and you know that I'm gay, but being gay is such an unspeakable horror that we will both pretend otherwise to avoid saying it out loud and causing your heads to explode. Let's just continue pretending." That message is part of a fiercely homophobic culture that kills.