Stories of Our Lives is an anthology of five short films with LGBT themes from the East African republic of Kenya. It was made by the Nairobi-based art and activist group The Nest Collective, many of whose members prefer to conceal their identities to avoid possible persecution under Kenya’s notoriously draconian anti-gay laws. The film is still banned in it some country. The five dramas are mostly personal and domestic inspired by true incidents. ASK ME NICELY Kate, a rebellious young high school girl, meets first-love Faith, a fellow student. They begin a secret relationship, until the school principal takes action to separate the two by suspending Kate from the school. Back at home, Kate impulsively has a sexual encounter with a boy in her neighborhood. Two weeks later, Kate and Faith have an awkward reunion leading to their separation. RUN After negotiating a business deal, Patrick stumbles upon a local gay bar with his homophobic best friend, Kama. Patrick later returns to the clu...
Seon Ho is a professional artist who draws a steamy 19+ webtoon. He is recently struggling with inspiration and still has deadlines to meet so his Production director Lee suggest hiring an assistant. After a couple of interviews, he hires Mu Yeong. The duo start working in the home studio environment. We later find out that Mu Yeong has been a secret admirer of the artist because of his talent for a while now since his youth and is almost also in love with him, but he is not sure of the artist reciprocates his feeling. He thinks that Sean Ho is straight and in fact is probably in relationship with PD Lee. He confides this to his best friend Joon, a straight guy engaged to a girl but who is always available to hear out Mu Yeong whenever he has issues. The two often meet at a gay bar for drinks. Somehow, the artist Seon Ho has started to feel attracted to Mu Yeong and doesn't understand clearly his sexuality. Meanwhile, Mu Yeong has noticed the artist's suggestive advances. Mu Yeong doesn't know if he's picking up signals or getting the wrong idea. But when Seon Ho sees his assistant with his best friend at the gay bar, he think the two are in a relationship. This confusion for both of them think that the other person is already in love with someone else, they both do not confess their feeling until much later. Surprisingly around the same time, Joon realizes that he may not be in love with his fiancé and it's actually Mu Yeong that h loves, but he politely refuses and tells him he loves and respects him just as a friend. Finally the artist and the assistant are together.
The show started off the silly, goofy, hilarious first episode. Seeing that its only 15 minutes I was excited to watch it, but somehow it just goes downhill after that. Why is the assistant so cold, why so many demands; it just doesn't make sense. If he likes the artist, I would think that an individual will behave differently to try and flirt with him. The misunderstanding was so basic when assistant sees the artist with PD Lee and he just tart to assume things in his head. Couldn't he have just clarified with either of them rather than making assumptions and cooking stories in his head to such an extent. We had all the elements needed to deliver a perfect mutual pining romance with some over the top, but enjoyable comedy. So why, oh why was most of the show based on the most ridiculously easy to explain misunderstanding? On a positive nite, both the lead actors look good and act well and portray the jokes with extra oomph in the punchlines. Sadly , the jokes, situations and humor grows stale, repeating the same crude jokes with less finesse. The straight friendly suddenly realizing he is also in love with the assistant was also a trop that was just not needed. Couldn't we just have a caring straight friend who is there for his best friend who happens to be gay without questioning his own sexuality? It's a shame the a story idea which had a potential to be a goofy fun series ends up being just nonsense and a complication just could so easily be resolved. How did the makers not see it? (4/10)
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