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...
Torfun is a volunteer teacher teaching village students in northern Thailand close to the border. But she does in a tragic car accident and her heart is transplanted into an engineering student Tian, who belongs to a very rich family. Slowly, Tian is interested in knowing more about the donor and manages to get his hands on her diary through which he learns her secrets and desires and wishes. Included is her promise to count a thousand stars with Chief Forest Officer Phupha. Tian decides to leave his rich life and go to the village as a substitute teacher. The village is initially apprehensive of him but slowly he starts making his place amongst hearts of not just students but village families as well. Chief Phupha also finds himself unable to resist his charm and finds himself wanting to take more and more are of him. Clearly both men totally like each other but neither has the courage to admit it. Is it because his body has Torfun's heart beating inside him or something else, Tian falls for Phupha. Tia goes through his ups and downs, with support from Phupha's team, his doctor friend and his close friend who os the village chief's son. Some secrets are revealed along the way, which create a rift between Tian and Phupha but eventually love brings them back together.
The story is beautiful and quite different from the usual love stories. Unfortunately, it moves at a very snail's pace. Each and every aspect of the story is given too much time, which to be honest, is a need, if you want touch the hearts of your viewers; but sadly I found myself looking for that fast forward button at quite a few times because I knew that nothing substantial would happen anytime soon. But besides that, there are a lot of good things that can be talked about. The difference in social class, village life, beautiful cinematography, beautiful , good looking and talented actors. In fact, most of supporting cast was also quite good and thankfully there were no awkward pauses, over the top dramatic reactions and fake background sounds that has become a norm in most BL Thai dramas. This was as real as a good boys love story can get. There is no in your face love story here between Phupha and Tian. It is more understated and more like 70s movies where a lot is said through your actions and your eyes rather than getting physical. It has this old work charm in a way.
There is a lot of good about this show, but I really can't put my finger on to why at some lovely it failed to connect with me at emotional side. This is a really positive and good show, but is this the best Thai BL show, well that point can be debated. What I am super excited about is the fact that the writers and makers are trying their best to give us something new, and just for that, the foot needs appreciation. I really wanted to absolutely love this show but somehow I just managed to like it. I wish someone makes a shorter version of this show and edit some unnecessary scenes. Maybe that will help? (7/10)
Comments
The second thing that was executed well was the connection between the heart donor and the recipient - a very tangible piece of information in the form of Torfun's diary instead of some mystical mess. Tian slowly exploring the thoughts, plans and goals of a human being whose life was completely different from his own and finding his own calling in the process... loved it. As I love any traviamento in a story.
And it was a very heart-stirring moment to add the make-a-wish-mountain as a key feature into the story. Those sites seem to have a special spirit of place that can help the wishmaker focus better and all those wishes that have come true only add to that spirit. The fact that Phupha's mother counted the stars and wished for a son was probably added just for me :D (my parent wished for a daughter at Fontana di Trevi and here I am). There must be a lot of such wished-for children who can say they have three parents - he, she and it - and they have inherited something from the "it" as well.