Laws of Attraction (2023)

I'm so entertained

I know, it's only been two episodes. So why am I writing this review? Although some of my ratings aren't too positive, I would give this series a 10/10 at the moment (but I'm keeping some space for improvement).

With the last couple of series, I had to skip a lot of the first episodes because it dragged on, made me cringe, or because I simply disliked the characters. But not with this series! I don't remember when I have been so entertained by a series for the whole runtime of an episode. Especially in the first episode, something happened every single scene. I was getting whiplash from the back and forth, action and revelations. The music highlights the dramatic camera work. So many zooms (esp. episode 1)!

This might not be the best series ever made, but man is it entertaining. If this series goes on like the first two episodes, it will be one of my favourites. I'll revisit this review once I've finished the show.

Edit: Now that I've watched the whole show, I wanted to revisit this review and add a few more thoughts.

Overall I enjoyed this series a lot. I would say the first 3 and the last 2 episodes had the same entertainment as what I described before. Once their relationship changed, the series was like a standard romantic drama, but it was fine. I really enjoyed the differences between the two leads and how the conflict was handled. I liked the resolution at the end, because let's be honest, this is as close we would get to justice being served. And what I like about this, is that both Tinn and Charn were somewhat right. I'm still so sad that Tinn's niece died. I wanted her to see Tinn happily married. But that makes it bittersweet I guess.

Overall I really enjoyed this series and it's themes, and even though my rating did go down a bit, I would still recommend this series.

Citeste mai mult

When I first saw the trailer for this, I decided to skip it. The leads were attractive enough but to be honest it seemed kinda poorly made and like it didn't know what it was going to do with itself. And I was feeling surly and judgmental and decided that it just wasn't for me. Also it was on Iquiy and I had no interest in signing up for another subscription.

But then I saw someone had stuck it on youtube and I was bored one Saturday an there were a few eps already out, so I thought, eh, why not?

And I've not regretted it for a moment. I loved this show so much my god. Even when OF started (and you all know how much I obsess about OF) this was still the thing I looked forward to most on Saturdays, perhaps made even I adored Charn and his shark smile from moment, one, and that adoration did not cease throughout the entirety of the show's run. His character development was by far the best on the show, and I loved the slow, stumbling way he regained the person he used to be, while still keeping the ruthlessness of the man he allowed anger and bitterness to let him become (up to a point). I loved that the show began and ended with his shark smile, but for very different reasons. And he and Tinn were adorable.

I appreciated them banging the marriage equality drum, too, and especially Charn's very pragmatic reasons for wanting it to be legal (as a lawyer, he would think like that, and I appreciate that the show kept him in character even when he was sappy). I also loved his wedding jacket I want four.

I also loved Tinn, and I have to give credit to Jam for the way he portrayed him. While Film totally ate as Charn I do think that in some ways a character like Tinn is harder to portray, because it would be very very easy for him to become preachy because of his morality and rigid sense of justice. But Jam played him with enough nuance that he never slid into that for me - he was willing to occasionally be at least slightly underhanded when the situation called for it, and while he expected Charn to be better (and read him to filth when he caught him out lying to and manipulating him), he thankfully also seemed to understand the fine art of compromise. Plus he's really pretty. Both of them are really pretty.

But the thing that I never expected was just how hard I turned around on Thaenthai. He drove me absolutely bonkers for the first few eps, and I was loudly annoyed by the fact that after about ep three (if not sooner), it became clear that he was not the one who had hit Tonkhao but that he was being made to take the blame. It felt to me like the show wanted me to excuse how vile he was (acting like Tonkhao's death was nothing, beating the crap out of Tinn when he was already tied up and helpless, just generally acting like a spoiled, entitled, horrible shitstain of a human being) because his father beat him. And while that was horrifying and I wanted him to get the hell out of there as soon as possible I still felt that a worm is a worm is a worm, even if the worm's father happens to be worse.

But then the show went and did something I did not expect it to do: it didn't just tell us that Thaentha was lashing out because he was caught in a desperate limbo of wanting to run away from his and wanting to please him, but it went and did the work to show it. I started turning around on him after he found out about the gardener his father used as a scapegoat once things started getting heated, because we finally got to catch him before he had time to put on his mask. And it just kept coming, because now we knew what to look for. He's still an ass for beating the shit out of Tinn when he was tied up though, lol.

Another thing I really loved that this sow did with him was show him loving his dad in spite of everything. This man beat him, nearly drowned him, let him take the blame for a murder he did, tried to kill the only person Thaentha felt was really on his side (because I do think that the intent was always to kill Thee - I'm just not entirely sure why it didn't happen as soon as Thaentha got on that plane. I guess because we needed a happier ending. I am not complaining), and told him to his face that he could never love him because he killed his mother, and yet Thaentha still loved him, still wanted his attention and his respect and his love in return. And it just rang very painfully true to me. You don't stop loving your parents because they're shit, and humans for some reason tend to be wired to try harder for love that is hard to receive (or impossible, in this case). It did not surprise me that Thaentha tried to visit his father in prison, or that he was sad when he died. But neither did it surprise me that something in him seemed looser in those scenes as well, because even though he loved his dad there's a part of him that's glad he's gone.

I love stuff like this, because it's so complicated and realistic and it hurts in a way that only something that resonates with reality can. I ate it up.

Shout out as well to Not Vorarit, because he really did a good job with Thatthep. The way he slowly unraveled as the show went on was pitch perfect, every little nuance from his first intro as the shady but possibly not *that* shady "concerned" parent right up until that last scene with Charn where he's just a cackling monster. Kudos, you created an excellently detestable character. Watching him get his comeuppance was certainly a highlight of the show for me.

I was also really into the way that Tonkhoa was very much a main character despite the fact that she died so early. One of the best strengths of this show was the way that it never let us forget what started this whole thing, it showed Tinn and Grandma grieving for their little girl, talking about her, missing her. Being reminded of her around every corner. They kept her in the forefront of our minds exactly the way that they should have, and I was delighted by it.

Other fun notables are himbo ex Nawin and Rose and Maya, our GL couple that I wish had gotten a little more screen time *as* a couple but either way were fabulous. I will love this show forever for introducing Nawin in the final hour and making him such a great combination of ridiculous and ruthless. And the way they let him breathe as a character - they really just stood back and were like "look at this ridiculous man stealing the show" and it was amazing. And Rose was just - she was such a good friend to Charn the whole way through, and both her and Maya's utter delight for him when he found Tinn (and them welcoming not only him but grandma into their little family so readily) warmed my cynical heart. And I will watch Sylvie Pavida in pretty much anything, I think.

All in all I would highly recommend this. I loved it, and I'm gonna miss it on Saturdays.

Citeste mai mult

An anti-hero type of BL

If you’re willing to look past the lakorn-esque stylistic treatment of Laws Of Attraction, Jam and Film continue to deliver in this addictive series.

The magic of Laws of Attraction is that it demonstrates complex motivations and the inconsistent behaviour of individuals. It’s not so clear who the bad guys are because you end up rooting for their character anyway, even if they have done some pretty questionable things.

As the narrative unfolds, the lines between the “good people” and “bad people” are increasingly destabilised as Charn turns out to be a classic anti-hero.

Unlike Khun Chai where Jam and Film have a cute and wholesome dynamic, Film is a total corporate gangster in Laws of Attraction. With a really creepy smile too.

Overall, “To Sir With Love” is still my favourite JamFilm show, but as a series, Laws of Attraction is compelling enough to keep you hooked.

Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/09/24/laws-of-attraction-2023-bl-review/

Citeste mai mult

Main Leads' Chemistry is Great, Romance Itself is Lacking

Right off the bat, Tinn is one of my personal favorite main leads of the series I've watched so far--he didn't frustrate me, which is one of my pet peeves due to the copious amount of angst in BL that could be solved if only they talked. I understood his reluctance teaming up with Charn and was fully on board with how it took a while for him to trust Charn.

One of the things I was most worried about after the first two episodes with how seriously I could take Charn's viewpoints and the actions he takes because of them, but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved seeing a character such as him--selfish, greedy, with a hint of psychopathy and no shame. Now obviously Charn changes throughout the story, which is another point that I really appreciated; it was clear that he changed and adapted because of Tinn.
But can we say the same vice versa? Tinn remained quite static from how he was originally portrayed. He didn't have much of a character arc--which, don't get me wrong, I didn't actually mind in this particular case, but it still stands out.

I do wish we had some more explicitly romantic scenes because I felt like they could match very nicely with the mature atmosphere and older characters. I think they could've made on-screen sex scenes very impactful and beautiful, but sadly, it was only very obviously implied. Which is fine, I just. . . think that it could've sold the romance much better due to the focus on solving the mystery and action. The chemistry was there, but the romance itself lacked. In fact, I truly felt like the series may as well not have included the main leads' romance and nothing much would've been impacted. You know, if they'd ended up being besties, it'd work fine.

Now the side characters. Absolutely adored them all. All the actors in this drama are good, not just the main leads. I didn't expect to end up liking Thaenthai as much as I did, nor the romance between him and Thee ("romance", as I said before, this BL isn't that romantic).

There are a few painfully bad CGI/special effects moments. Let's not even talk about that horrible fire effect. Some fight scenes are a bit overdramatic and simply not very well-acted--the main leads clearly shine in scenes that require emotions and focus on character, not so much action or high-stakes moving about.

The story fell a little flat in the end. I might've missed why Charn couldn't tell Tinn his plan--it felt to me like Charn still didn't actually trust Tinn that much--but him leaving the way he did with Nawin felt dramatic for the sake of being dramatic and angsty. The plot twist also wasn't that surprising, however, the murder-mystery vibes did keep me hooked until the very end. It's pretty good for a BL.

CONCLUSION/TL;DR: The main leads had good chemistry, the side characters were great, the acting was mostly on point, lack of satisfying romance/sex scenes, a surprisingly cute secondary couple, quite horrible CGI/special effects, emotional scenes were very good and realistic, mystery vibes are solid enough, OST didn't stand out.

Citeste mai mult

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

It has been a long time since I binged a good thai BL. And I loved this one. The main couple was on fire, their chemistry was so good. So much so, I might even go back and finish To Sir, With Love which I dropped....

But I have an issue with costume designer. More about that later!

The story is rather superficial: a cynical lawyer wants to get revenge for being fired from a case so he takes the former opponents as clients and in the course of investigation they fall for each other. Not a new or revolutionary plot: a classical enemies to lovers story. And I love those so this turned out to be such a binge fest!

The actors were great: Film is an amazing actor. He showed us all the ambiguity of Charn's character and motivations. I might check out his other series! Jam is Tin, the usual macho man, straightforward and honest to a fault.

Did anyone watch this for the plot? I do not think so! We all watched for the romance and the plot was secondary: it was important as a driving force behind the characters, bringing them together. But those characters were what mattered and they were a varied and intriguing lot. There was the second couple: the big baddie's son, yearning for his crazy abusive father's love and his bodyguard. Ambiguous at the start of the series, they proved to be a couple of unlucky boys trying to survive the bully of the father/boss/criminal mastermind(korean makjang evil chaebol like)! And an assorted lot of his henchmen with baseball bats beating everyone up. On the good side, there was the grandmother: kind, smart, strong and open minded; and of course the club owner and her girlfriend, the singer: wise and loving and helpful! And last but not least, Charn's the mad as a hatter ex boyfriend and local thug rich boy, Naween. A delight to watch., for real!

So that was a really fun watch until the last half an hour when they delved into the weak gay rights in Thailand, and hopes for the better world, and diversity, and inclusion and all that jazz. Now days, they seem to end every bl like that including a wedding! Fine! Just fluff mixed with gay rights movement! Well, why not?

I know that I am going to be slapped on the fingers by the community, but am I allowed to have a slight disagreement with you about the fashion?

The non business clothes they put on Film: frilly blouses and wide floppy trousers and a tuxedo looking more like a wedding dress than a suit - why? Why did not they put the same kind of clothing on Jam? So people here say that Film's character wears that because he is in accord with his sexuality and being gay he shows his softer side like that. Could not the same thing be said about Jam's character? Tin is open about his sexuality and does not hide it. But unlike Charm he does not feel the need to advertise it???? I had the same problem with Bed Friend where James wore the same kind of clothing. And his macho boyfriend was always dresses in black. Yes, the BLs have evolved from classical seme/uke stereotypes but still it is very much obvious by the way the characters speak, move and dress who is who in these relationships. Both James and Film are beautiful in their respective series. Beautiful not handsome.

But, that's only my opinion...

Citeste mai mult

It's more than just a love story

You need to watch this show guys..
because it's amazing.. I'm not exaggerating, it really is.
Very first about our jam and film.. they were awesome.
I loved their acting and also their dedication to each and every episodes.( at some point we will hate charn to the point that we can't get back, but hats off to his acting and commitment that made all those scenes real) and some scenes gave me butterflies in my stomach, actually they have one the best onscreen chemistry.
Coming to the plot.. i didn't like the first episode and sincerely I was planning to drop this series but I just gave it a try.. after 2nd episode, the plot developed mainly the interaction between the main characters also.. ( that's what we want to see right?) I couldn't resist my laughter at some scenes and also my tears to some other..
it's a complete package and I really loved it.
one of the main things that pulled me towards this drama is it's music.. to tell you the truth, they had heartwarming songs and romantic ost till the end.
I really loved this series. I have a brother and sister.. so it was easy for me to understand the emotions and their love towards each other. so I think you guys also can connect. And I want to say you that, just give it a try.. please don't drop the series by just watching first 2 episodes.( if you're a jam film fan, then you'll definitely regret that decision)

Citeste mai mult

Amazing! Underappreciated!

My parents 😭😭 I want Film and Jam to adopt me officially 😭

This series was seriously so good! These 2 are phenomenal actors. I really enjoyed Nat as well.

When I initially watched To Sir with Love, I really loved FilmJam, I watched it a year later than it was initially released and was super happy when I found out that Laws of Attraction would be released as well. These two were amazing in both.

A special appreciation should be given to Film. In To Sir with Love, he was such an innocent, loveable, pure-soul character, and it was really interesting to see how he shifted to this ruthless, heartless, good-at-heart, almost psychotic lawyer. I really enjoyed seeing him in the show. What I loved the most was his evil smile! Whenever he smiled, he looked kind, psychotic, and scary and for some reason, elegant all at once! His smile was definitely a good touch to portray his character. I liked Jam as well. His character definitely complimented Film's character and I thoroughly enjoyed his performance as well.

I highly recommend this one. These two actors and this series deserve way more love. I am so happy this got much more attention than To Sir with Love. I hope, now that all of the episodes have been released, that more and more people will discover this, and this series will get a lot more attention. I hope the crew and production made a good profit on this one because they deserve it. Everyone did a fantastic job.

I hope to see See and Pearl on a new series soon as the main couple because they also deserve it. They performed really well. They had a fantastic chemistry.

I really enjoyed Nat's character! I genuinely hope he gets many more opportunities in the future, and hopefully, I will see him in a main role soon.

Citeste mai mult

I didn't expect this nice of a story line, chemistry, acting from 8 episodes bl. I didn't get bored and don't have to skip scenes in all episodes. JamFilm already proved themselves in To Sir with Love so I was pretty excited to watch them again and they didn't disappoint. This drama is a worth watch. Charn's character is the one which attracted me the most in this series. His smile gives creepy feeling and when at sometimes when he sincerely laughs(that's mostly when he is with Tin) it is a clear contrast which shows how much he changed from a soft hearted lawyer to a cunning selfish power hunger and revenge seeking lawyer. I was very happy that tenthai finally got free from his abusive father and had Thee by his side at end

Citeste mai mult

Honestly, there's nothing I can say about this series that hasn't already been gushed about but it is one of those rare gems that I just can't let it pass by without singing its praises.

The stars really aligned for this production with a solid story, great cast and terrific editing/pacing that didn't make it feel disjointed or confusing at any point.

Story-wise, it had a strong and interesting plot that caught the viewers attention almost from the get-go which makes the viewer not only invested but also really caring about these characters early on. Even though Charn is not a good guy, we still want him to succeed and be happy. Tinn is the poster child for naivety and right or wrong which makes him clash in an epic way against Charn's corrupted mind. And yet their attraction and chemistry is undeniable and so fun to watch that the viewer can not help but stare and watch the train wreck unfold.

In that regard, the actors did a phenomenal job at portraying the very different, opposing sides while their flirting was so clever and cheeky. I was actually surprised at how funny the series was, considering the very sad and serious nature of the overall plot. Part of it was the one-liners of the mains bickering and a huge part was due to the actors' delivery that just made it overly amusing. Especially Film's portrayal of Charn was mind-blowingly good with just how crazy of a character Charn is. Film absolutely nailed the persona with his mannerisms and quirks throughout the whole series.

I had actually watched this right after seeing To Sir, With Love which has 4 or 5 of the same cast but each of them played a VERY different role here which was nice to see. It was almost to the extent that I could forget they were the same people. Especially Film and Jam seemed to do a kind of role swap between the innocent and the not-so-innocent type characters. In To Sir, With Love, Film had a lot of sad, crying moments where this, he was downright insane, bordering on The Joker level. I'm happy to see that they aren't being type-cast which I've already noticed a lot of in BLs whether it's a main lead or a supporting character.

If I had anything remotely negative to say about the series is that there really wasn't any need for the second couple to be, well, a couple. It felt a little forced, to be honest. I mean, they were cute together and all, but in their case, the situation was way too serious and dire to throw romance into the mix, at least at the time that they did. Like, guys, wait till you actually get away from Thatthep completely before you get into a relationship. And, of course, I am not a fan of the dead fish kisses which is unfortunately mostly what we got here. I would rather not have it at all than have the dead lips.. especially when the main couple's flirting was so strong and filled with innuendo. If they are going to build it up like that, you'd think the characters would be ready to explode by the time they finally give in and allow themselves the pleasure. We as the viewers also feel that tension and need a release in some way, shape or form to feel complete. If they aren't going to give it, then maybe lighten up on the tension and build-up.

BUT! Really, as I said, this series was strong enough that they didn't need to add that anyway. Oh, and when Nawin shows up?? OMG, and I thought Charn was unhinged... but damn, Nawin was hilarious and very well played by Nat. Honestly, I think he stole more than a few scenes singlehandedly. Even with the smallest gestures (like tossing the brass knuckles away through his legs) was brilliant and had me laughing so much, probably more than it should. In a way, he reminded me of Tankhun from KinnPorsche where he was over the top but in a fun way that never became annoying or out of place. You just come to expect that they are brilliantly insane and adorably dangerous.

I think this show will become a favorite amongst many people.. it's already top 5 status in my book. And the short-ish nature of it makes for easy rewatch, which I'm sure I will again and again.

Citeste mai mult

Nawin stole the show

If Charn and Nawin were leads, Laws of Attraction would easily be a 10/10.

I originally dropped this show halfway through episode one for a number of reasons but a friend strongly suggested that I finish it as it gets better, thank goodness she wasn't lying. I immediately adore Charn in episode two; Charn being unserious in serious situations is a lot more pleasant to watch than Film trying to be serious in poorly edited/executed scenes.

In all 8 episodes, there wasn't one time where I was charmed by Tinn. If Charn was Mr. Smirky then Tinn was Mr. Smiley. I don't understand why Tinn was so merry about his second meeting with Charn when his niece had just passed; I expected him to be more mopey given the situation. Jam is a good-looking actor, but Tinn has no personality other than being overly jealous and obsessive over Charn. Speaking of personalities, Charn's smiles and horror-like grins don't make sense sometimes but I can't hate them since they do add to his 'devil'/'evil' character.

Story-wise, I thought it was alright overall. Not exactly mind-blowing or impressive but not bad. A lot of the conflicts were quickly resolved (understandable given its shorter length than most) and a lot of it was predictable. That wedding came at a left field, though, and can't say I love it. I don't mind the second couple but I wished Thaenthai had more scenes with Tinn and the grandmother just to apologize and atone for not telling the truth earlier on. As for musicality, I really don't remember much of it and whether or not I enjoyed or hated it. I did skip Tinn's singing moments but it's mainly because I'm sort of fed up with them singing in these series xD

Finally, Nawin! This man was the highlight of the show and I'm sure he's just about everyone's favorite character. I'm always laughing whenever he's on screen. I love his immoral craziness, his humor, his 180 in everything from attitude to expression and to voice volume when engaging with Charn and Tinn, and his reactions to everyone around him including his minions. Nat really stole the show and made episodes 7 and 8 tolerable. I swear he's had more expressions in two episodes than Tinn, Thaenthai, and Thee combined in eight. If I ever rewatch "Laws of Attraction" it'll only be for Nawin's parts in ep 7 and 8.

Citeste mai mult

Enjoyable watch

I went on an 8 hours binge of this show and was taken aback by how good and invested I was. The show does a good job at getting you intrigued by episode 1. every minute is important, none are wasted on pointless plot point.
The show is about Chan (Film) a crooked lawyer and Tin (Jam) a man seeking justice for his niece's death.
in terms of acting Film and Jam really stepped up their game. Chan is so unhinged at times that even I got scared. Tin is a lot closer to his emotions and the acting reflected it nicely.
the character growth was something I appreciated and it wasn't rushed. Chan went from being emotionless to starting to understand the people around him slowly but surely while keeping his unhinge side (which you slowly start to love).
Jam and Film have amazing chemistry, the way they look at each other says so much. I do think that the romance started lacking when we got near the end of the series. The show did a great job at building tension between the leads but failed when the tension reached a peak.
the only thing I have to say about the acting, is that See who plays Thaenthai (the son of the senator) was struggling at time to make me believe in the things he was feeling. Thaenthai has a very emotional storyline, he goes through a lot, but See failed to really portray that. I do believe that the actor has a lot of potential but is in need of more acting workshop.
one positive thing I can say is that he had nice chemistry with Pearl who plays Thee (our favourite bodyguard). See was also really good at making me dislike him but also like him......
as for the plot, I was intrigued from beginning to end, the show did a good job with getting the viewers invested enough to keep watching.
I do think that the final plot twist was not surprising and also easy to guess. I still enjoyed watching our characters discover clues and finally find out what really happened.

I want to add that this show was clearly made with a limited budget, the special effects were rough at times and you could clearly see that it was CGI. but I think the plot and acting really made up for that.

Citeste mai mult

An unfulfilled potential

Things I liked:
- I really enjoyed the acting and chemistry between the two main characters
- Charn's fake smile was a highlight for me

Things I didn't like:
- Unfortunately, the other characters felt shallow and the actor's performances were not up to par, especially the exaggerated portrayal of the villainous politician, Charn's ex-boyfriend, and the overly made-up aunt
- The plot felt illogical and superficial, and it seemed like the murder case could have been resolved in just half of the episodes. It was simply a matter of finding out it wasn't the son's fault, discovering the existence of the doll, locating the doll, and then the final confrontation scene
- The cinematography left much to be desired, with choppy scenes and inadequate special effects and editing. The "explosion" scene was particularly laughable
- Additionally, the romance between the rich boy and his bodyguard felt slow and ultimately pointless. It could have been omitted entirely
- The sudden and drastic change in the characters of the rich boy and Charn felt jarring. While I understand they behaved differently in the past, the transformation seemed too abrupt
- The intimate scene between the main couple was oddly directed, leaving me confused about the purpose of most shots
- The series attempted to blend too many genres together, but unfortunately failed to succeed. The humor bits felt out of place and tone-deaf to the overall tone of the series. For example, including a funny scene immediately after Thin mourning the death of his niece seemed inappropriate
- I didn't appreciate the implication that Charn may have been involved in the murder of the villainous politician, only for it to never be addressed again. If true, it would make him a murderer as well, which raises some serious ethical concerns
- The inclusion of a lecture on same-sex marriage laws in the last episode felt preachy and disrupted the overall flow of the series. While I agree with the message, it felt forced and intended to influence the audience
- The depiction of the "marriage" itself was underwhelming, with the main characters simply kissing/hugging the grandma and exchanging rings in a room filled with a handful of people. It felt like a parody of a wedding. Furthermore, the decision to include a marriage after just 8 action and murder-filled episodes felt rushed and didn't fit well within the storyline
- I couldn't help but notice that the actress playing the grandma seemed to have excessive filler in her face, which made her eyes nearly disappear when she smiled

Overall, the potential of the two main characters was not fully utilized in this series, and I hope the actors have the opportunity to work on a better project in the future.

Citeste mai mult