The Promise (2022)

The emotions!

It feels a bit choppy at times as there are only two parts, but it gets the story through. It sets the mood for the full series. The amount of raw emotions shown by both main actors is amazing. It's a cry fest though. The fact that it is based on a true story made the whole thing even more painful to watch. I can't even imagine how torturous something like this must have been for the real life Nan (or Phu). There is not really much else to say about it, but I am definitely excited about the full series that is airing in March. I can't wait to see more of Phu and Nan, eventhough I really want to shake some sense into Phu before that.

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A Sad Story But Remarkably Real

This is a great case study of unrequited love on both sides with neither one having the courage to say what they really mean. It is profoundly sad and so much time was wasted on misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and LACK of communication. But oh the tenacity to right the wrong is beautifully portrayed and full of sentimentally. The acting is well done, more so in Phupha episode with the Nanfah seemingly a bit belabored. Yet, it has such profoundly moving scenes in it that I was profoundly moved. These two are very sort but accomplish a lot of emotions in a very short period of time. Just a remarkable human story. Sometimes told with subtly; and sometimes with symbolism. But all so meaningful.

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An Emotionally Beautiful Beginning

I watched these two episodes prior to starting The Promise which I just finished. I loved these two episodes. They're relatively short, but they give a glimpse of each of these young men's thoughts, emotions, and feelings, giving more history on their relationship prior to the drama. They're beautifully done. The actors do a wonderful job with their characters and the stories are, for the most part, well told and streamlined, Phupha's more so than Nanfah's.

I felt like it really drove home the fact that a lack of communication can have serious consequences. Their failure to communicate caused them to lose so much time. Incidentally, I loved the old fashioned pocket watches. I thought the symbolism was beautiful and well thought out. I was very impressed by the amount of emotional impact they were able land in such a short period of time. The story is so heart wrenching and I think it does teach good lessons in the importance of communication, both in expressing yourself and not bottling your emotions and taking the time to listen and understand without making assumptions.

Here's the drawback though. These two episodes have a very different feel from the drama. They're mature, emotional, moving and I expected the drama to have that same tone. I was very wrong, unfortunately. It's clear that these two episodes and the drama were not filmed concurrently as sets are completely different from one to the other. For example, the dorm rooms are totally different as are the rooms at their condo. The characters don't feel the same either, mostly I think because the drama is almost trying to be a bit of a rom-com and the comedic aspect of their characters feels jarring since that wasn't a part of these episodes. Additionally, much of the backstory established in these two episodes is different from that in the drama which I've found disappointing as some of those changes I felt have limited the emotional impact that was established. There are minor changes, like in these two episodes, it's mentioned that Phu and Nan are in the same faculty, but different majors whereas in the drama, they're both advertising majors. And bigger changes as well like the whole reason Phu disappeared in the first place. I find it disappointing because there's absolutely no reason the stories should vary at all. Maybe it's because there were two different directors and screenwriters, maybe because things just weren't double checked, or maybe they just didn't care enough. Who knows, but I much preferred the tone of these two episodes as opposed to the drama thus far.

I don't regret watching these episodes in the slightest, I just wish they meshed with the drama better in terms of tone, story, and character representation. Having completed the drama, I can safely say that these episodes far surpass the drama in basically every way. I absolutely recommend watching these two episodes, I do not recommend the drama. Rather, I would regard these two episodes as their own separate entity and consider the ending as being left open. It's better than the drivel the drama turned out to be. If you do want to watch both, don't watch them one after the other. The differences between the two mean that they don't really add much in the long run and it's better not to consider them as a unit. It's a pity the drama didn't live up to these episodes because they are beautifully done.

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Many times love is there, in front of you. All you have to do is open your eyes and see it

At times told with subtlety, other times with symbolism, 'Phupha | Nanfah' tells us a story of an interrupted love and reconciliation of two best friends in love, who due to misunderstandings and lack of communication will not dare to confess their feelings.
Directed by Choi Sittichai ('21 Days Theory') in 2022, the story tells a story based on real events, collected in a novel of the same name written by Thanyathorn Siwanukroh, and adapted by screenwriter Eakarong Coompromboon.
The beautiful soundtrack, composed by Sompob Pokepoom (Boy), is performed by the actors who play the main characters. These manage to convey to the viewer that tension between friendship and the love of a couple that is not always easy to manage.
With good production values, beautiful photography, vibrant cinematography, precise artistic direction in creating a heartbreaking and nostalgic atmosphere, a successful placement of flashbacks to mark the two timelines in which the story is told: past and present, and the electrifying chemistry of the two main actors, ''Phupha | Nanfah' tells the difficulties that occur when one of the lovers believes that love is not possible and chooses to put distance between them.
The story focuses on Nanfah/"Nan" and Phupha/"Phu", two young university students who, in addition to being single, physically attractive, enigmatic personality, dreams, professional goals and adventures, share a dormitory and have built a solid friendship.
The two promised each other that they would never leave each other's side, but Phu has developed feelings that go beyond those of one friend for another, and assuming that Nan does not reciprocate his love because he is in love with a fellow student, decides to break the promise, lie to his friend about his whereabouts and walk away from him.
Divided into two episodes, each focused on one of the protagonists, the miniseries tells the love story from their respective perspectives. The first, titled 'Phupha', introduces us to a heartbreaking but romantic story.
Through a fascinating emotional arc told in just over thirty minutes, we discover that in the present, Phu runs a coffee plantation with his uncle. Through a photograph in its frame that breaks the glass when it falls to the floor, as a symbol of their broken relationship, this character remembers his university years and his friendly relationship with Nan.
In this way, we travel to the past to observe an emotionally charged story, with heartbreaking confrontations, and powerful performances by Wattikorn Permsubhirun (Kiak) as Nan, and Kittikun Tansuhas (Kun) as Phu.
The viewer can appreciate how, despite their times not coinciding due to studying different careers, although they do study at the same faculty, both young people seek to enjoy moments in each other's company.
Their close relationship causes others to speculate about the nature of it, but both will deny having romantic feelings. Gigi (Heidi Amanda Jensen) interested in winning Nan's love, is one of those interested in discovering the essence of the bond that unites the two boys. On the other hand, Deena (Marima Suphatra Kliangprom) has set her eyes on Phu and hopes to get closer to him to win him over.
The relationship between the two protagonists becomes much more strained when Nan asks a reluctant Phu to help him learn the rudiments of the dance so he can participate in a competition. Seeing in this a possibility to strengthen the relationship with his platonic love, Phu finally agrees to be his rehearsal partner and attend professional classes together.
Through misunderstandings, and lack of communication, Phu perceives that Nan's interest in participating in the contest with her friend Deena is because she is in love with her, and this suspicion will generate jealousy, anger, arguments and new tensions.
Through his actions and a gripping inner monologue, the viewer easily comes to understand that Phu doesn't just see Nan as a friend. The episode satisfactorily shows a boy in love and tormented by realizing that his infatuation is not reciprocated, while Nan, unintentionally, breaks his heart, when in truth she also wants to share time with the boy with whom she has built a great friendship.
The audience will live, along with Phu, his intense journey of ups and downs, anguish and heartbreak, as well as incomprehension on the part of Nan as she cannot understand Phu's reactions to her actions.
Both actors are magnificent, one conveying his secret infatuation, jealousy, desperation, and rage resulting from unrequited love. It seems as if Phu's love for Nan flows like the grain of wood. Meanwhile, the other convincingly conveys the nostalgia, melancholy and pain of not being able to hug and laugh with his friend, the impossibility of putting his nose close to his friend's neck to smell the aroma of the freshly sprayed perfume, of capturing it with his hands to preventing him from getting out of bed and forcing him to lie down next to him again, the anguish of not knowing..., the suffering of waiting for the longed-for reunion and the long-awaited reconciliation.
The distressing tension between the two grows even more when Nan introduces Phu to Deena so they can meet, so the troubled lover assumes that Nan is looking to match him with someone else since she has no romantic interest in him. Later, Phu watches from a distance as Nan and Gigi talk and hug. Although Nan has no feelings for Gigi, Phu misinterprets Nan's action, so he decides to break his promise and walk away from him, but not before lying to her about where he is heading and the reason why, according to him, he unexpectedly must leave for Australia.
The second episode, 'Nanfah', which presents us with two young people who are no longer friends, because contrary to their promise, each one has taken different paths, masterfully portrays the suffocating anguish of a friend in search of the other, a friend in need of reconciliation and reunion.
Between them there is an abyss of silence and incomprehension. In the present, Nan still does not know the real reasons why Phu broke the promise and is no longer part of her life, so she tries to bridge the distance that separates them through constant messages through a computer screen or mobile. But his words and tears are met with only silence in response.
In his memory, he travels to the past, to the exact moment he discovers Phu's absence, just on the day of both of their college graduations. He remembers that Phu had promised to confess something important to him after finishing the formal act, a confession never expressed due to his departure.
In this way, the dramatized story tells how, through conversations held with the janitor of the building where the two young people sleep, Nan will suddenly understand the reason why Phu has abandoned him. This truth takes shape in his mind, and will prompt him to travel every year, for a decade, to the Australian city of Melbourne where he believes he will be able to find Phu.
That is, during his pilgrimage, Nan has discovered that Phu has secretly loved him for years, and that misunderstandings and lack of communication between the two are the cause of the separation. Therefore, at this time, Nan is not just looking for a friend. He is aware that he also loves Phu and wants him to return to his life.
On this journey of desperate search, Nan will find an ally in Khunkhao (Seagames Teerapat Angkanit), a young man of Thai origin born in Australia, who will develop unrequited feelings for Nan.
With an open ending, 'Phupha | Nanfah' leaves tensions and undefined relationships to be taken up in a series filmed in 2023 by Kongkiat Khomsiri, known, in addition to his work in horror and action films, as one of the directors of 'KinnPorsche' , and written by Thanyathorn Siwanukroh, who is also the screenwriter of the adaptation.
Kuk and Kiat once again shine as Phu and Nan, respectively, while the character of Khunkhao, with an unexpected turn that will pleasantly surprised everyone, and Deena and Gigi, return to provide diversity and color to the remake.
Like 'Phupha | Nanfah', its prequel is an ode to love and true and sincere friendship.

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A close look into complex emotions

Strictly speaking, there was nothing complex about the emotions shared by the leads. But time and circumstance complicated it way more than they could handle at times. It doesn't help us handle it any better that this is based on a true story.

Phupha and Nanfah are very simple and straightforward characters, but their actions sometimes confused the other person enough to create a whole bunch of misunderstandings that were entirely unnecessary. But this was more a story of reconciliation than the mistake, the impact of time and distance on the relationship between two people, which ended on unclear terms.

They managed to pack a whole lot of emotions in just two episodes, and though the story and a lot of the details felt a tad uneven, this is first and foremost a look into the thoughts and feelings of the leads on their broken connection. In that, it excelled.

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