This one's a beautiful, tender, quiet romantic drama with a moody atmosphere, set in a tight knit Welsh fishing community. It's a touching story about a man waking up sexually in the middle of his life, and how he, his family, and everyone around him deal with it, which makes it emotional and sentimental without ever getting over the top. The slow burn plays out against a landscape that's as bleak as it is gorgeous, where quiet, closed off men are stuck inside rigid ideas of what masculinity should be. Some people might be reminded of "God's Own Country," but I think both films are lovely in their own way. Jack is a middle aged guy who co-owns a mussel farm with his rough around the edges brother Dyfan, and the tension between the two of them is simmering under the surface right from the start. Dyfan's three sons all help out with the work, while Jack's sulky teenage son Tom keeps skipping out. Jack's been with his wife since they were both 16, and...
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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