Moneyboys (Mandarin)

Its such a shame, when a film starts and something about it is captivating, you raise your expectations and clearly it has potential, but by the time it ends, it really just doesn't go anywhere as a whole. This film is a good example of a good idea and nice visuals but poor storytelling, bad pacing and overall losing the message in overall social concept. It feels good to watch, you wait for something to happen but unfortunately you never get an opportunity to really connect with any of the characters to empathize with them.

As a young adult, Fei joins the hustling world. There he meets fellow hustler Xiaolai, who gets very protective of him. At one such incident, when Fei gets beaten up, Xiaolai takes revenge but he ends up losing his leg. When police comes looking for Fei, he runs away. Five years later, Fei is still working as hustler and leading a decent life but is very lonely. He operates form his apartment and has mastered the art of satisfying his clients. His family accepts his money, but when he goes to his village to visit his ailing grandfather, tensions arise amongst his relatives regarding his line of work. There he reconnects with Long, a childhood friend, who suddenly shows up in the city. Fei feels obligated to protect him and gets him a job at a restaurant, but Long is frustrated and asks to be joined in his hosting job. Reluctantly he agrees. And soon enough, the duo become a couple.  One day at dinner, Fei suddenly meets Xiaolai, who introduces Fei to his wife and kids. Fei's hidden passion reignites and he feels he is responsible for Xiaolai's condition and wants to make amends but Xiaolai wants him out of his life. Long tries to make sense to him, but he doesn't listen and Long leaves him. The film end with Fei surrounded by loneliness once again.

Interestingly even though the film is set in China and proceeds to focus this issue specific to China, for obvious reasons, it was filmed in Taiwan.  Its a melancholic film looking at multiple things like social expectations, family pressures, rural to urban migration etc. Although the film starts as a typical hustling film, it develops into a contemplative tale of family and redemption and also love. Much of the film concerns how Fei priorities self-imposed responsibilities at the expense of his own needs. The main focus is on his inner sadness. He probably doesn't want to do the job but is the only way he can support his family back home and is so deep into this that he cannot leave. Despite the cops being on his tail all the time, he doesn't do anything better. The film moves at a fast pace. The scenes jump from one to another and a lot is left to the audience to decipher in terms of timeline and contemplation of how the scenes are unfolding. Was it supposed to be a psycho analysis of of a character stuck in a world that he struggles to thrive in, especially in the world of hustling? Or was it supposed to be a love story(s) that never reached its conclusion or both? I am not sure. Long, as the character brings some happiness in Fei's life despite his initial rejection of him, which is very evident on the final scene of the film where Fei is dancing and is genuinely happy, even though just for a few minutes maybe. Both the actors do a good job of portraying and internalizing the pain over the years but its the screenplay that brings the film down.

Its a raw and gritty drama about the struggles, compromises and the lonely life that young gay male escort lead. Surviving in today's world is not easy. We all hustle everyday. This idea could hav been reprinted in so much better way, given the direction and the acting is all top notch. Only if the story detailing was better. (6/10)