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...
An anthology of sorts, this film portrays love, loss and loneliness in a sense of community. The title of the film means Daddy (I have no idea why the name of this film, it makes sense only for one of the three stories). Anthologies are a hit or miss, and let's see where this one falls.
The first story is about a grocery cashier in Iowa who watches helplessly as classmates conceal their act of sexual violence against his teenaged step-sister. The third story is about an older guy, for who the mortality compels him to leave his home and move in with his daughter. The second story is the most impressive and longest of them all. A good looking young man, struggling to make ends meet is lost on life. He also needs food and shelter during a cold winter in New York City. He is also sexually attracted to older men. And even though a young woman takes him in, nothing satiates his quest for love than older gay client. He meets a succession of them, most of them wealthy, and lonely. They all, of course, take a fancy to him. But he falls for an anxious lawyer and can foresee a relationship with him, but the lawyer has other things in mind.
The film is full of long drawn shots that gets on your nerves after a while. The film is clearly not mainstream. The makers have an artistic and meditative vision. You either feel your way into the film or you tune it out. Sadly, the latter is what happened with me. At a point, I just couldn't care about what's unfolding in front of me. Yes, the gay storyline was interesting but there was way too much of the same repetition with multiple men one after other and it got too much without putting forward a point IMO. The other two stories are something that you just watch but the center piece is the film's heart and soul. Any of my rating is based just on that story. Thankfully the actors all do a decent job of puling. through this weird film.
I would have huge reservations in recommending this film, even though the second story makes so much sense. (2/10)

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