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Burnout Syndrome (Thai Series)

True to its title, this show tries to capture burnout not as some big dramatic collapse but as this slow, draining exhaustion that quietly eats away at relationships and how you see yourself, and honestly it makes the characters feel really real. The pace is slow on purpose, and everyone here is flawed and full of contradictions, nobody's simple. It uses this messed up boss and employee dynamic to sneak in some pretty smart commentary on society. The story digs into toxic work culture, mental health struggles, and how money ends up running our lives whether we like it or not. And yeah, there's a love triangle thrown in too, because of course there is. This one runs ten episodes, each around 45-55 minutes. Jira's twenty eight, broke, and struggling to make it as a painter. Nothing's going right for him, his art isn't selling, he's got no steady job, and he's basically on the edge of falling apart. His best friend Ing does what she can, finding him odd jobs an...

Il Filo Invisibile (Italian / English) [The Invisible Thread]

I absolutely loved this film. Gay permuting as a subject is fascinating and there can be so many stories here which I don't think we are yet to explore. This film shows us one such family through the viewpoint of a son wrestling with the ups and downs of adolescence, whose two fathers have reached crisis point and are on the verge of separation. The film is mixed with joy and pain, drama and comedy but most importantly realism, which in this case shows to prove that a gay couple is no different from any other couple when it comes to anything family related.

Simone and Paolo are a gay couple who are on the verge of celebrating their 20th anniversary. Their teenage son Leone born through surrogacy with help of their friend Tully is making a documentary of their family as part of his school project. The trio is one big happy family, until on the night of the celebration it is revealed that Simone has been having an affair with someone for past two years. The incident comes as a huge shock to everyone involved, but none more so than to Leone, who suddenly finds his world turned upside down, as his fathers go their own ways. We also see Leon being attracted to a new French girl in school, who also becomes close to him. Leone is forced to accept that his “beautiful family” isn’t quite as perfect as it seems. The war between the couple intensifies and they both secretly decide to do DNA test to know who's the biological father. But neither them or the audience is prepared for the ultimate twist that comes up, eventually forcing the trip to rethink of their familial unit. 

This is such a heartfelt movie and is something that I hav been yearning for a while. A gay family drama with all the right ingredients. The makers have chosen to tackle this complex social theme with humour and comedic tones to probe the modern-day meaning of “family”. Even though we may feel that many issues are being over simplified, but this doesn’t detract from the film’s ability to convey a very important message that eventually family is about love, irrespective of blood ties. The dashes of humor ensures that watching this movie is far from a depressing experience despite the premise being a touchy subject and something that could get very heavy to watch. This film had me captivated from beginning to end, and I found the whole thing to be a real treat. Despite an affair being a significant plot point in this film, the film wants to showcase a story in which a family can be strengthened off the back of hardship, and this becomes a key factor in the narrative. 

The film is not about one single person but of the trio as a unit and this is what makes the film so very special. They come as a tightly-knit package, and the film goes to great lengths to show that everyone matters in this relationship and this whole story is about their shared experience. And this would not have been possible without the amazing amazing acting by all three leading men and the wonderfully though through story and incredible direction. As mentioned, its keeping a light touch while addressing the issues that helps making it a dark drama. Life has ups and downs with its little secrets but a family always comes out of it stronger. All-in-all, with its bittersweet moments, romantic nuances and a balanced view from both parents and the child perspective, there really is a lot to like in this movie. It captures so much, with so little, and delivers an enjoyable and touching journey. The ending scene is beautiful where Leone finds himself thinking about the “invisible thread” which binds him to his two dads and to all those who brought him into the world. Another gem from this year and strongly recommended and thankfully its available on Netflix. (8.5/10)

Comments

Sailor Maan said…
Definitely a very good one. I had been delaying my watch for weeks, the pitch made me fear a heavy drama. For once there is a movie on a gay family, it's about a dysfonctiunal one... But that's the crux of the story and what makes it unique, potraying that our families are no different than others. Good or bad. As you said Golu, feels like it's only the beginning of a lot more to come! The other main selling point is the lovable humorous comedy added to it, bringing a lot of laughs. It's still bittersweet but never turns gloomy.
The only thing that really bugged us was the whole drama about who is the biological dad. I think it was absolutely ridiculous. Not to say really really wrong. It made sense from a juridical point of you and they should have stayed at that, not make it into none of them were fathers anymore. That was extremely shoking.
Aside from that we loved it completely. I also scared us a bit. We're only 3years away from the 20years anniversary, now we know we'll be thinking of this movie when that happens haha.
Golu said…
hey man! muchos congratulations on the upcoming anniversary. I am glad that you liked 4th film as much as I did. And yes, I agree that the whole thing about finding the real father eft was absolutely ridiculous. I had my own reservations around the whole process too.

I need a few more of these good new films. (I think I am just avoiding to watch the older crappy films that I still watching and reviewing)
Sailor Maan said…
haha thanks for your congrats! Why do I feel I'm old writing about this, when I'm just 40. Because 40 means ancient in the gay world, I know. But I don't care, I watch thai BL shows and read mangas, I'm a 15 years old girl inside!!
Golu said…
40 is young. very young. Don't worry, I am older than you in my 40s (just won't tell you the exact number) lol
Watching these teenage shows keep us young at heart :)

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