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Tell The World I Love You (Thai)

By Golu
This Thai film is going for that crime and romance mix inside the BL space, trying to blend coming of age struggles with gritty gang violence thrown in. Honestly, this movie really didn't need to exist. It grabs actors straight out of BL shows that you'll recognize instantly, then tries to drop them into this gritty setting with a story that just doesn't land. Even if there was some kind of heart buried in here somewhere, the way it's actually put together feels pretty amateur. Kheng comes from a rough background and has his heart set on studying in China, so he's grinding hard trying to land a scholarship. We don't get much of his backstory, but he's living with his friend Tai, who I'm pretty sure has feelings for him too, and Tai backs him up in every way he can. One day Kheng witnesses a group of thugs beating up a guy named Boang, who turns out to be a drug dealer, though Kheng has no clue about that at the time. He ends up saving Boang's life an...
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Hooked

By Golu
This film has its heart in the right place but somewhere the makers lose the plot and the intention behind the film. Or may they try to focus on too many things. The idea to talk about LGBT youth, homelessness, prostitution and suicide is a genuine problem that needs to be addressed. Showing this in an engaging manner is not an easy job, and I think the film was going in the right direction but somewhere, something happened in the whole Miami section and the movie was very hurriedly brought to an end.

Jack is an 18 year old hooker in Manhattan. He lives in a hostel with his boyfriend Tom, an aspiring photographer who's nervous about Jack's criminal tendencies, and they're planning a future together. The couple is very much in love. After a few minutes enter Ken, a married man with a wife and a kid; who takes a sudden fancy for Jack. After playing hard ball, Jack finally gives in and agrees to go an all expense paid trip to Miami with him and an addition thousand dollars. Things change when he is in Miami and rather than asking for money, he wants Ken's help for him and his boyfriend. But the next day Jack, realizes that Ken lied about his wife and he loses trust in Ken and leaves his condo. Back in streets, he takes back to hustling to make money for the day but unfortunately gets stuck with an abusive client. Searching for Jack everywhere, Ken invites Tom to Miami where they save Jack just in time from the client and the lovers end up killing the guy.

As I mentioned above, the film tries to tackle way too many issues in its last 30 minutes. Drugs, crime, prostitution and even the fact that Jack may have some psychological issues. He is in very much love with Tom but the sudden switch from things going ok to Jack's outburst was random. The film makers had quite a few urgent topics on their mind, but trying to weave them all into one single narrative makes it feel bit contrived. The spiral downward is perhaps a bit too fast. The pacing in the third act can feel a tad rushed. . This lack of nuance undermines any core message that might be in here. The acting by Jack is very very good as per his character demands. He shares a very good chemistry with Tom and together they make for likeable teen couple. But the problem is as an audience you never reach a stage where you empathize with what's going on around them. Ken, on the other hand, when introduced, seems like an out and proud gay man but he is shown as a married man with a kid. Somehow the 2 didn't go well together. And I have to point about the OTT Date-rape guy whom Jack and Tom ultimately kill. He's over-the-top, hyperactive, horny, restless, loud and aggressive, almost to the point of sadism and makes me sick that people like that actually exist.

While the film is aesthetically pleasing with some stunning shots throughout, the narrative leaves some elements to be desired. These issues are forgotten in LGBTQ community and need to be talked and addressed but as a film, this is slightly disappointing. (4.5/10)
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