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...
An overweight middle aged bank employee lives with his mother, suffering from Alzheimer's, taking care of her. While he works during the day, he gets help from a caretaker named Daniel. One day the mother locks Daniel in balcony and goes out of home. In the evening Sven and Daniel search for her together and this is when we see the first time Sven lightly flirts with Daniel. When Daniel returns home, his wife kicks him out because she thinks he is having an affair. He comes to Sven's home and the trio have a wonderful evening together. They platonically even sleep together. Next day the mother dies and Sven is all alone but a slow mysterious relationship starts between Sven and Daniel. Sven is definitely obsessed with Daniel and even watches him at home, but rather than getting mad, Daniel also enjoys it and the two start a relationship soon. But one day, Daniel has had enough and he goes back to his wife. This is when Sven figures out that there is more to life and decides to take time off and travel the world.
The film has some tender scenes that we could al relate to. For example, Sven is a romantic at heart despite his age, trying to find some sexual privacy from his mother and rapturously dancing naked. Similarly, Daniel's son's complete dismissal of Sven that many gay people maybe able to relate to. Both Daniel and Sven are odd balls in their own way. They understand each other and their craziness is at par with one another. On a deeper level, the two men sense in each other the key to a type of escape. They have picnic around a lake where the two men end up chasing each other around, naked and muddy. Shot probably with just a hand held camera and literally no crew, the film sometimes feel like a documentary and other times a bit of cartoonish. But its a very intimate film trying to show us an interesting take on not rick, not buffed or good looking, no longer younger gay men trying to find love and find out their life. The film is ok but is help together with some terrific uninhibited performance by three principal actors. I reckon this will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I suggest do give it a try. (6/10)
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