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...
Mason and Mitchel are twin teenage brothers. Mitchel recently passed away the their younger sister Molly wants to do a memorial wake after a few months of his passing. The elder sister also comes to town and there is a surprise visitor Jameson, who was invited by Mason. Through multiple flashbacks we are told that Mitchel was gay, Jameson was his boyfriend and that Mitchel was going through some sort of depression. Its not made clear whether it was due to his sexuality or there were other reasons too. The majority of the family is in the dark about Mitchel’s life, and Mason is left to deal with the guilt and trauma of losing his brother. Slowly secrets come out during the ceremony, where the elder sister tells the family that Mitchel's death was not accidental overdose but was possibly suicide. All these issues are handled and talked in a very realistic way.
The heart of the film is in the right place. A small indie film like this can absolutely be polished at many places, but despite its shortcomings, I was thoroughly engrossed in the film and a lot has o do with some excellent cast and acting. The actor playing twin brothers is just amazing. He is gorgeous and acts as two brothers amazingly well. You can feel the pain. As Mason, he is full of guilt, blaming himself for his brother’s death, and his rage and helplessness push the family to the breaking point. And same goes for Jameson as the estranged boyfriend who is also struggling with what has hit him. His silence spoke so much of his pain, especially since pretty much noon in the family was even aware of his existence, forget knowing that Mitchel was gay and had a boyfriend. His quiet strength brings a calm to the sadness. The younger sister is a bot dramatic and that could have been toned down a bit and remaining cast was ok. You do see the family which is overall pretty conservative and religious and growing up gay in that environment was probably not the easiest for Mitchel. There is a lot of talking, as you can imagine, but the film continues to focus on what its meant to. It tells a story of a family coping with the loss of their brother, their son, and their grandson. There are honest moments where chills happen. It’s wonderful storytelling and impactful LGBTQ representation.
I would highly recommend this film despite its shortcomings. Watch it for an important topic and for the wonderful acting by its lead actor who keeps the film shining. I am all for indie films with a purpose like this one anyway over some other random crap that we see in the name of cinema. The makers shines a light on the ways conflicts could be healed, through tolerance and understanding, both in the family and the culture. (7.5/10)
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