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...
A single gay man Kosuke, lives a happy well settled life as a fashion editor. He has his own baggage form his childhood days of being bullied. Also he lost his mother when he was young, so he constantly feels that void. One evening while hanging out with his friends, they all talk about getting physically fit and Kosuke also decides to hire a trainer. Enter Ryuta, a charming younger guy, serious about fitness and soon they develop a good working relationship. Ryuta tells him how he is school dropout and he works a lot to support himself and his mother. Before you know, Ryuta kisses Kosuke and the duo start a romantic relationship as well, which goes on a few times and they both feel a connection until Ryuta reveals his secret. He has secretly been also working as an escort and because of that he cannot see Kosuke anymore. A heartbroken Kosuke suggests that he becomes the sole client for Ryuta and Ryuta can do other job, and with everything they can work well. Things start to look up with the two men both being very happy with each other and Ryuta starts working very hard. Their relationship becomes better and better, and Kosuke also starts getting along with Ryuta's mother, a figure that he missed in his life. But tragedy strikes soon and Ryuta passes away one night out of the blue. Both the lover and the mother are distraught but this is also an opportunity for the two of them to come together and create a bond to fill the void that is left in both their lives with Ryuta's going away. Through support of each other and with love, they will both learn to navigate and live their life.
The film starts off really really well and you are completely into the romance build up. The way the two meet, their relationship builds, the secret is revealed and they get back together; it is all very well done, but then after that the film really doesn't go anywhere. For almost 20-30 minutes all we see their routine, where they both meet, spend time together and also spend time apart doing their individual jobs. It gets repetitive after a while but probably the idea was to show that Ryuta was really pushing himself to do the right thing, but as an audience, all it does is lose my interest. Th meeting with mother is nice, but it is also done in a very art-house way. Itshard to explain but that is a long scene, and I am sure there are various other ways to establish that Kosuke wa taken in by both Ryuta and his mother as an integral part of the family. After the tragedy strikes, there is a complete shift in the tone of the film. It becomes from a sweet romantic film to a gloomy film. Give the gay situation, probably the film maker wanted to show a love story with tragedy where the leads happen to be a gay couple, and nothing wrong with that, but something was missing here. We do some passionate love making scenes which establish that the two men are really into one another. Ryuta's character is not fully fleshed. I mean, Kosuke sponsoring him to be his boyfriend is something that I am not completely onboard with.
As actor both leads do well, although I did feel Kosuke maybe overacting th being gay part when he is with friends, but he still commands a screen presence. Ryuta was a good choice to show the spark and innocence that he uses with is clients and also I guess with Kosuke. Overall I have mixed feelings about this film. I do remember a couple of other gay films where we see the parent coming close to their child's partner after their death, so the novelty factor I snot there. The romance here was handled well, but in showing the emotions over a stretched period of time, the film becomes very slow in a lot of places and totally gloomy in second half. Also, I am not sure the reference of the title here. Did Kosuke think he is better than Ryuta and hence all the gifts and money or what? Nonetheless an interesting attempt. (6/10)
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