Această recenzie poate conține spoilere
Had the potential
As it is, the short movie is can be rather touching in how it portrays the plight of Light, the main character, who has been through a lot in life, including being abused by his stepfather and having to prostitute himself for money (which the same stepfather demands for). He longs for love, but will he get it from the person who shows him concern, and will it last?
Light is a character who is easy to sympathize with. There are some moments of overacting, but Jed Chung manages to convey the character's vulnerability and yearning. Unfortunately, while there are commendable attempts to be economical in fleshing out his back story, sometimes the character ends up incoherent. The way he taunts a customer and the fragility he displays as he gets beaten up, for instance, don't cohere very well without more shown about how he has changed over time as he has to deal with a life in the streets.
The gaps in the portrayal of the other main character, Shuo, are even more obvious. I could only make sense of what is going on because I had read the synopsis of the film, and a lot more needs to be shown about his struggles and his feelings towards Light. The film appears conspicuously incomplete when we see how there is obviously supposed to be a lot more about the Shuo that is somehow not filmed or not included in the 44-minute cut (more likely the former).
I was very much prepared for a tragic ending in this film, perhaps ending with Light's death under yet another person who is violent to him or Shuo's death as his job as a policeman puts him in danger (something which is hinted at). It was a pleasant surprise for me to see the film having a happy ending though the ending appears a little too hurried, like so many aspects of the film. This is a shame for we clearly have a team that is capable of doing more and exploring the nuances of emotions. For instance, when Light first initiates sex with Shuo, why did Shuo refuse to do it even though he was clearly aroused? Was he in denial or his own feelings or did he not want to treat Light as a prostitute by letting Light "repay" his kindness with his body?
This is a film one would love to be able to love more, but it feels incomplete, leaving one dissatisfied while craving for more.
Light is a character who is easy to sympathize with. There are some moments of overacting, but Jed Chung manages to convey the character's vulnerability and yearning. Unfortunately, while there are commendable attempts to be economical in fleshing out his back story, sometimes the character ends up incoherent. The way he taunts a customer and the fragility he displays as he gets beaten up, for instance, don't cohere very well without more shown about how he has changed over time as he has to deal with a life in the streets.
The gaps in the portrayal of the other main character, Shuo, are even more obvious. I could only make sense of what is going on because I had read the synopsis of the film, and a lot more needs to be shown about his struggles and his feelings towards Light. The film appears conspicuously incomplete when we see how there is obviously supposed to be a lot more about the Shuo that is somehow not filmed or not included in the 44-minute cut (more likely the former).
I was very much prepared for a tragic ending in this film, perhaps ending with Light's death under yet another person who is violent to him or Shuo's death as his job as a policeman puts him in danger (something which is hinted at). It was a pleasant surprise for me to see the film having a happy ending though the ending appears a little too hurried, like so many aspects of the film. This is a shame for we clearly have a team that is capable of doing more and exploring the nuances of emotions. For instance, when Light first initiates sex with Shuo, why did Shuo refuse to do it even though he was clearly aroused? Was he in denial or his own feelings or did he not want to treat Light as a prostitute by letting Light "repay" his kindness with his body?
This is a film one would love to be able to love more, but it feels incomplete, leaving one dissatisfied while craving for more.
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