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Chained To My Bully Stepbrother (AI Vertical BL Drama)

This is the second vertical AI BL drama I've sat through, and honestly I went in knowing better. I had it on while I was doing cardio at the gym, and what struck me was just how much the plot echoed the last one I watched. Same step brother romance angle, same mystery girlfriend showing up near the end, same extra guy pining after one of the leads. Genuinely the only thing going for it was the runtime, the whole thing wrapped up in forty five minutes flat.  The setup kicks off with Finn moving schools because his mom just married into money. He finds out his new step brother Aiden goes to the same place, and he's warned to keep his distance from him. Their first run in at school is rocky, just like you'd expect, but there's this odd pull between them neither can shake off. Finn keeps telling himself not to read into it because Aiden's straight and openly homophobic. Things shift when some kids start bullying Finn and the student council president, Ryan, steps in to ...

At The End Of The Day

Only if thing and people were so easy and simple, life would be so much better. This movie comes with very very good intentions and to a large extent addresses a lot of issues that it wants to focus on (thankfully it doesn't go all over the place); but ending is so convenient, but religion in every country is so powerful, that this could be a mere wishful thinking.

Dave is a young teacher in a very Christian college, who has string resentment against LGBT people, even more stronger since his wife left him for another woman. He is asked by his dean to go check out this group of outcasts, who are in the process of trying to purchase a property that the college also wants to acquire. When Dave finds out that it is an LGBT group, he is initially shocked but continues to visit thereby getting exposed to a very loving community of individuals and what are their challenges. He meets Samantha, a straight girl and activist helping this group for this property, whose brother was brutally murdered for being gay and advocate. At the same time, Dave is challenged by one of his students Nate that make him constantly question his beliefs. The group tries hard but are unsuccessful in acquiring the property but Dave's late aunt leaves her home for this group, where people can be who they are.

The film started with showing Dave as a dickhead but slowly you warm upto him. He is aware of the hypocrisy surrounding him, especially when the Dean of the college plays double games and worse when he suspends Nate from college. He wants to understand and be supportive but at the same time he struggles to take responsibility of his actions, including teaching his students to hate LGBT folks. The film gets a bit stretched when we meet many individuals who go over their stories of struggle. This scene is important because this is when the first hint of change in Dave is seen but is too long. I really liked the idea that everyone in the support group instantly saw through Dave, realizing that he wasn't gay, but embracing him anyway. This is a touching yet funny insight into people who yearn to be closer to God and a faith that wants to keep them away. But like I said, real life things are not that easy. But that doesn't mean we can't hope. Good theme, but too stretched to come to the point where it can make a maximum impact on the audience.

The film is more about celebration of who you are and if seen objectively, it is not hard to understand and appreciate the struggles of LGBT community. It questions our beliefs that everything doesn't have to be black or white worldview. (5.5/10)

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