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 ...
We meet Long who works in an ice maker factory. Another boy Cuoi and him have sex often together. Cuoi loves Long but he wants only physical stuff. He later tells Cuoi that reason behind that is he is still in love with Lam. Lam and Long were both hustlers and Lam died 4 years earlier in a bad trick. Half way through the film we see that Lam is still very much alive and trying to make ends meet while continuing to prostitute himself. We follow his continued struggles with tricks trying to make money. A chance encounter leads him to meet Cuoi who takes him to meet Long. But Lam clearly tells Long that he will never love him since he will only ever love Khoi, (a character from the original film). Long tries best to persuade him but Lam is very clear. It's only later that Lam finds out that Khoi died four years ago right after they broke up after Khoi asked him to leave prostitution. Lam is extremely devastated and decides to eventually leave hustling and advises to Long that he should value Cuoi and his love since people often do not get real love. Just when he is about to Strat a new life, Lam is met with a deadly accident.
Considering the title of the film is supposed to be story about Loam, it was a bot weird that we do not see Lam until almost half way through the film. Almost first 30 minutes are all about Long and Cuoi. And since their names are not revealed until much later, you don't even know who these characters are. It was odd. Thankfully, you don't hav to have seen the original film but knowing the story will help in a better perspective, since clearly here everyone loves everyone else. Cuoi like Long who likes Lam, who in turn is still in love with Khoi. Clearly people have issues. The makers do try to show a lot of problems and issues that Lam continues to have while he is hustling including attest on his life more than a couple of times. I feel the makers were not really sure what is it thatchy wanted to focus son in the film. Was it supposed to be about the pain and anguish of being a prostitute or an unrequited love story or a combination of some sorts. It was a bit all over the place. Having said that, a lot is happening throughout, so I never felt the rush to fast forward the film. My one big complaint of the film is that most of it is shot at night, so almost 75% is very dark. You really have to focus on what you are watching.
Strictly and average film. (5/10)
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