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...
This disjointed film shows us a 21 year old nervous boy wonder Saint Laurent who gets appointed as the new head designer of France's biggest fashion house Dior. A couple of years later, conscripted to fight in the Algerian war, he suffers a mental breakdown after bullying about his sexuality. Enter Pierre Bergé – the businessman who became his boyfriend, bodyguard and business partner. The duo fall in love immediately. While Yves is the creative brain, Pierre handles almost everything else. They decide to open his own fashion house. But in mid 60s' the fashion icon has a nose dive into the drugs and sex scene. But he keeps rebuking as his designs keep creating a splash all over the world. The film keeps moving as the relationship between Yves and Pierre start getting affect day Yves liking for me, booze, drugs and a special other man. Saint Laurent battled coke addiction and depression, and it was Bergé who kept him from self-destructing. As a couple they split in 1976, but stayed close until Saint Laurent’s death in 2008.
The story of the genius could have been so fascinating, but it felt the males were really not sure what exactly they wanted to focus on. The story feels so disjointed and badly edited that you barely get time to connect with any character and really understand the complexity of any of their interpersonal relationship. After Saint Laurent and Berge’s breakup, the film comes to a rather abrupt stop, with the last 30 years of the designer’s life left largely unaddressed. There are many people who come sin YSL's life but not enough explanation is given to understand who some of these people were and why they were so influential. For someone like me, who just knows the brand but nothing beyond it, this would hav been such a great opportunity. Yes, visually the film is stunning and ti give actors the cure, th two leads do a very commendable job. But the film is emotionally shallow and if I can say, almost boring. But the film doesn’t dig very deep to reveal what inspired and drove him. The drugs? The men? The adulation? It shows us the emotional highs and lows and the self-destructive ways in which Saint Laurent sought balance and control. But the complex soul at the film’s center remains elusive. I think if a film was made purely on Yves and Pierre as a couple, that could hav been more interesting. For now, I think this film was a bit sort of a disappointment, especially given biographies on famous personalities like these are full of revelations and exciting stuff, both of which were sorely missing here; despite a very handsome lead actor and acting. (4/10)
Comments
Back when I watched it I remember reading people complaining on how they exagerated on the bad sides. Like one of their fuck friend (don't remember the name) that was not even close of the bad man they portrayed him to be.
I liked this one better than the other Saint Laurent movie that was released around the same time though.