The Believers (2024)

An interesting take on religion as profitable business

STORY
The Believers tell the story of three friends (Win, Game, Dear) who attempt to pay the debt from their failed start-up by running a temple. The first half was so fast-paced, sometimes almost too fast so I feared it would drag in the second half and it kind of did when they introduced the crime-esque plot into the story. It feels cliche but also not at the same time because there are definitely moments where I felt it predictable but not at the same time.

ACTING/CAST
I am very biased so when I first saw that the trio was led by Peach Pachara and James Teeradon, I knew they would deliver. I think this is Ally's first leading role so I could understand her acting left a lot to be desired. Even though James was arguably the protagonist, I think Peach's acting in the second half of the story was a top notch performance and I think he should keep being cast in these kind of charming/kinda psychotic roles. BUT... the performance that left greatest impact on me was probably Patchai in the role of Monk Dol. Imagine my surprise when I found out he's not even actor but the front man of Thai rock band Potato. I was just heartbroken on behalf of his character and I only wish his character's happiness, no one else.

MUSIC
I don't think there were original theme songs composed for this series but I love the song selection. My favorite is definitely the recurring song "Saa-tuu" by Milli, TangBadVoice playing whenever their money making scheme works. It is surprisingly fresh yet fitting for the series.

REWATCH VALUE
I don't think this has too much of a high rewatch value because of a certain plotline that I felt kinda unneccesary in the second half of the story but I LOVE the scenes with Monk Dol so I think I'll come back to a few scenes quite a bit to gif/screencap them. There are quite few social commentaries sprinkled throughout the series that I really enjoyed as well. One of my favorite quotes is "It's true that love brings happiness, but happiness and suffering often come together. If you decide to love, you need to be prepared for suffering." sighs... Monk Dol, you are truly my beloved character.

PRODUCTION
I am in love with the camera work from this series. There are a lot of much wide symmetrical shots as well as outdoor shots which showcase the beauty of Thai temples. At the beginning, there are a few scenes where the humor is relied on the framing of a scene, which is so stylistic of Thai cinematic works.

OVERALL
It's a crime drama series that can feel flat at times but hard carried by the acting performances of the actors in this series so I would recommend this to anyone who's interested in the subject topic or fans of Peach, James, Ally or Patchai.

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interesting experience

The Believers" is exceptional and original; at least I've never seen anything quite like it. The acting is incredibly good, particularly James's expressions, which gave me goosebumps.

As someone who has hardly ever encountered Buddhism, I feel like I've truly understood and learned a lot. The beautiful Buddhist teachings that appear in the episodes were genuinely interesting, and I feel like I've learned a great deal after watching. It sparked various thoughts about life in me, and I feel a genuine desire to listen to Buddhist teachings.

I was also moved by the very emotional storyline of the monk who never knew life outside the monastery. His relationship with Dear and how genuinely good and honest he was truly touched my heart.

However, I started watching the series mainly because of James, whom I greatly admire as an actor. And I wasn't disappointed. His acting truly captivated me, and I believe he was the perfect person for this role.

Win was the most enigmatic character. We don't know why he is the way he is, we don't know if he is sick or stressed, but the ending still explains a lot, despite being open-ended.

The whole series makes sense; every storyline is explained, and the plot twist is very interesting. Each character has a distinct personality, which is a huge plus. "The Believers" also shows the reality of what is happening in the world today. I highly recommend it - it's an interesting experience for everyone, even though not much happens in the first few episodes, as there's a lot of criminal action waiting for us later on.

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