I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...
Manuel is a very handsome 27 year old furniture designer. One night bored alone at his home, he meets Julio on a chat room and next thing you know is that Manuel invites him home. The sexual sparks are ignited at once and they both stet sharing stories from their past. It is their collective problems with intimacy, trust and the fear of being hurt that make them hesitant to commit fully. Manuel tells the story of his ex-boyfriend, whom he was totally in love with and who ended up picking another young guy over him, thereby destroying his trust in every relationship. After a sex session, when Julio literally forces himself to stay over, you get a feeling that Julio is trouble and Manuel is in danger. This fact gets multiplied when Julio keeps asking how much money does Manuel have for them to start a new fresh life away from everything and everyone because they both now think they are completely and utterly in love with each other. Tables soon turn, when a shock is waiting for Julio. He quickly finds out from the horses mouth himself, how with little of his own interpretation of the story, Manuel had completely distorted the truth and how shocking and dangerous the reality actually is. Who is being truthful, who is real, and who truly loves the other?
I have to admit that initially I thought that the film was moving at a very moderate pace and needed some steam because this could easily have been a stage play. But the length of the film made it up up for it. the film is sexy in all right moments and thrilling and exciting in others. The 2 boys keep going on back n forth and as a viewer you keep struggling on who to trust and whom not and I think this is where this small film succeeds. Julio and Manuel break-up and makeup in equal measure and we just sit and wait for that main twist to hit us. The dialogues are smarty used to show how both men are essentially just yearning for love but expecting two totally different things. The acting is wonderful by both the principal actors. Sure you may feel that a lot of time is spent on intimacy, kisses and future talks, but that was necessary in this case to completely shock the audience.
The play between the 2 men will keep you guessing. (6.5/10)
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I watched it to take my mind off "La Partida," a film I watched immediately prior to this one which made me really emotional and stuff so I watched "Solo" hoping for a happy ending of some sort. I missed the part where the film is tagged as a "thriller." My mistake for not reading on it ahead.
I've stopped smoking but I feel like I need a stick right-fudging-now.
That ending was seriously disturbing.