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...
A year after a failed suicide attempt, Alex is trying to get back his life in order. Thanks to a good sponsor, he is on his way to reconcile with his father. Alex, a gay man, has intimacy issues with men as a result of an unhealthy relationship with his father. But when he reaches there, he finds his father murdered. The shock is softened by a cold comfort; Alex inherits his childhood home so long as he can make the back payments. Enter Shane, a good looking, muscular and enigmatic Shane, who immediately swoons over Alex and despite red flags and warnings form his best friend, Alex decides to make Shane his roommate. The cockiness and muscularity of Shane juxtaposes the timid frame of Alex, and it’s because Alex can’t help but admire Shane’s aesthetic – physically, sexually, and intellectually – that it makes perfect sense that he, blinded by his new best friend. Shane teaches and coaches Alex to fight and stand for himself, but in the process also feels like making him arrogant. But Shane's unpredictability is slowly peeled when he see that he also works as an escort and if the men he meets have some kind of sexual history with kids or teens, h ends up killing them. When Alex gets gay bashed, Shanes hold over Alex gets stronger because he applauds Alex's action to fight back whilst his friends suggest that he should have ran away. Shane decides to take Alex on of his trysts with a client and Alex is shocked to witness how he mercilessly kills that man. Alex had has enough, he asks Shane to move immediately. Shane thinks it's all because of Alex's best friend and tries to murder her. Thankfully Alex comes to rescue and thats when Shane tells that he killed Alex's father since he molested him as a child when the father was his sports coach and thats why he moved in with Alex to make him stronger.
The film has the look and feel of a modern Lifetime thriller, but the story is a lot less conventional. As much as the film’s thematics and traumatic inspiration suggests it’s a heavy watch, the director is still aware that a smattering of cheap thrills and melodramatic tendencies will keep it an entertaining watch as a subtle-free thriller that indulges in its guilty pleasures. Alex and Shane develop a complicated relationship fueled by lust and manipulation, which we see in scenes of training and a very sexually charged scene between the two. Shane also coaches Alex to just go straight for the men he likes, which backfires on him on two different occasions. The makers do not shy away from showing just how far Shane is willing to go to get Alex under his thumb. The film is never afraid to bring up unsightly dirt about the characters. Alex is certainly no perfect victim, and his realistic flaws are refreshing. Shane is afforded a tangible origin that’s neither convenient nor rushed. Admittedly no one should be surprised by Shane’s intentions or endgame, but more shocking is how the director considers his rationale. The film doesn't celebrate Shane’s violent actions, but it serves as a tale as to how abuse can alter and distort a victim’s life and perception. Actors playing Alex and Shane just do an ok job. Alex comes out more rigid but at least Shane was hot to look at. Overall, it's not a bad one time watch as a psychological gay thriller focussing on abuse but having said that, there is also almost nothing memorable about the film. (4.5/10)
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