Is this technically a gay show? Even after getting through the whole thing, that's still kind of tricky to answer. There's never any physical intimacy shown between the two leads, not even a single kiss. What it gives you instead is something that goes way deeper than that. It traces an emotional bond that spans a full decade between two guys who are both dealing with their own baggage, and what they share basically amounts to being soulmates. The story moves across Japan, South Korea, and Berlin. Honestly, whether people want to call what they have a romantic relationship or not doesn't really matter to me. A relationship doesn't need a label like boyfriends attached to it to actually mean something. And closeness doesn't need to be physical to feel genuine. What this show captures is something quieter but way more powerful, a bond rooted in understanding, respect, and just showing up for each other. Across eight episodes, each running 35 to 45 minutes, this is one...
32 year old busy banker Roberto has a decent life going with his girlfriend Elia. Roberto is very well dressed, doesn't like clutter, neat freak etc. Things change when he meets a young college going kid Cris through an app. Cris comes over to his house a few times and they talk about multiple things while having drinks (assuming it's a way of Roberto delaying the moment of sex) and Cris making him rethink of his sexuality because maybe he is gay. One weekend when Elia is away, Cris spends the night and Elia shows up unexpected the next day. She doesn't think much but clearly this makes Roberto very uncomfortable with the situation and meanwhile Cris and Elia hit it off really well. An affair of sorts starts between Cris and Roberto, making Roberto very confused. Around same time, Elia proposes for them to move in together and Roberto vehemently disagrees (again likely because he is still exploring or unsure of his sexuality) and then in a bizarre and unexpected end, Roberto proposes to Elia and Cris is shown walking away in sadness.
The film is almost all shot in an apartment, given that it's adapted from a play, barring a few scenes. Interestingly, the way it has been shot to cut between the scenes , it still feels very much like watching a play. The big problem here in the film is completely lack of depth. Cris and Roberto engage in all kinds of meandering conversations and same goes for Ro & Elias' interactions as well. The film is likely trying to delve into profound issues like self-discovery, acceptance, and the struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly in regions dominated by machismo and heteronormative norms. Roberto's crisis does not arise from a sudden discovery, but from the sustained conflict between what he wants, what he feels and what he thinks it should be. It's some level of internalized homophobia, and the challenges of coming out in developing countries. Actors do a decent job. I found the actor playing the lead role particularly handsome. Was there a reason to show almost a 10 year difference between two male leads intentional? Likely so. Maybe the idea is to show difference between them not only poses a generational contrast but also a different relationship with sexual freedom. With its unexpected ending, the film does not propose an answer but a question that crosses an entire generation: to what extent are we free to love if love continues to be conditioned by how we perceive ourselves and how we expect to be perceived? Overall, sadly it was a disappointment. With flat characters, a shallow execution (this would definitely work better in a play format), this ended up being an overall predictable story with very little charm. (4/10)
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