Pazu Kong
I give it a rating of ten because I believe this is a movie on this rare topic (teenage love, gay love, family love etc) which you won't find in a decade, that the emotional shock and storyline have a long-lasting effect, the director/writer left you a huge space for further imagination.The story of Tong and Mew was well written, showing unaffected simplicity and lack of guile, while reflecting quite truly of the Thai society and the rather open attitude towards homosexuality in Thailand.No "coming out of closet" scene for Mew and Tong, the affair between the straight-acted Tong and Mew was a gossip between nosy friends only but not simply rejection or opposition, nobody expects some friends of Tong would give any trouble to warn Mew to stay away. Comparing Get Real (1998), another coming-of-age movie based on a similar story in Britain, Steven was bullied by John's friends, gossips were more dangerous for the future of both the British boys, but only a funny topic for the Thai counterparts.Pressure from Tong's mother, urging Mew to stay away from Tong for the sake of his future, shows another common attitudes towards homosexuality amongst Thais, Thais are traditional and tend to think it's others business to choose who to love, but better not happening in the family.Family plot, while a bit distracting from the main plot, was still attractively written. The relationships between Tong's parents, the effects on the family on the loss of the sister, the conversations inside the family, were subtly expressed and cleverly written.The director/writer left a great space for the audience to think about the plot, to create a long-lasting climax.Tong's alcoholic father was saddened to see his wife eating cold rice while serving him hot dishes, realizing how much she loved him, perhaps that's the end of their deadlock? June suddenly recited some detailed description of a photo taken in Chiang Mai, leaving many to wonder if June and Tang are the same person? Tong was afraid to upset his mom when decorating the Christmas tree and was then told to choose whatever he thinks be correct, (then Tong chose the boy doll). Is it like a consent from his mother to continue the relationship with Mew? Tong told Mew that they could not be lovers (impossible happy ending) and said "But it doesn't mean that I don't love you" A possible happy ending? Take whatever answers you like to hear, I think these are some of the core elements of this movie, letting the audience to think about the plot, with lots of possible outcomes. In the DVD version, there was a non-subtitled part with narration from the director, he said he was asked so many times if June and Tang were the same person, he refused to answer and hoped the audience to think whatever they like. Talking about the many open endings, perhaps it's only my imagination, but I do think Tang and June are the same person. Here's a possible plot: Tang had an accident in Chiang Mai, she lost her memory and was adopted by some local farmers. The farmer parents didn't tell Tang the truth and called her June instead, June decided to move to Bangkok for better future (Chiang Mai's Amphoe Muang is quite a big city with lots of chances indeed, most people living in the urban area don't feel the need to go to Bangkok for a better future, except those from the rural areas). She met Tong's family in Bangkok, regaining some of her childhood memories, but was afraid to admit that the Chiang Mai late parents she loved and stayed with most of her live, weren't her blood parents. When Tong's father asked her why Tong's eyes were bruised in the photos taken in Chiang Mai, June could answer with such details that Tong was hit in a football match before coming to Chiang Mai (it was a lie made up by Tong and Mew, they actually had a fight with other kids), I think the director deliberately gives such details to leave a better room for the audience to further their imagination.And about the ending of Tong and Mew. While Tong said that he couldn't be lovers with Mew, "but it didn't mean that he didn't love Mew", giving another open-end to the storyline. Considering the okay signal from Tong's mother ("Choose whatever you think it's correct", said Tong's mother while decorating the Xmas tree), the rather open attitudes among friends and the deep love between Tong and Mew, it's only a matter of time for the sparks to explode again, indeed it was never diminished.The movie ends with Tong giving Mew a Xmas gift, a missing piece of nose of the wooden doll, which Tong gave Mew as a present when they were still children. Mew bid farewell to Tong and went back to his room alone, putting the wooden nose back to the doll, saying "thank you", crying quietly. I think this is the climax of the whole movie, it is as if Mew finding back his long-lost love since her granny passing away. Mew once mentioned to Tong that in the past 5 years, he felt "so lonely, so terribly lonely, that he still couldn't stop missing his granny", he said "he understood this as a part of life, but he wondered if he could stand it anymore to separate with somebody he loved most". Tong gave him an answer by giving him the missing wooden nose. Separating or going together, their love is not diminished. Kind of contradicting, but it's very touching.
vpts
This is one of the best Thailand movies I have ever seen. It's all about love: family love, friendships, etc.Other reviews already mentioned about the content of the movie. I should focus on something else: the best actor, director, soundtrack.The best actor is Tong's mother, Sunee. Someone said that there are some characters are only reserved for some actors and someone was born to be portrayed for some characters. It must be Sinjai Plengpanich. She, as Sunee, Tong's mother, is my most favorite character in this movie. Her eyes can deeply express any emotion and mental development of her character. She is a mother who suffered a lot of lost but she is strong enough to overcome all her pain. She became the main person in her family to take care one another member with a big ambition to her son. In some scenes, the mother suppressed her painfulness. Her eyes also show her panic and hopelessness because her only son reserved his love for Mew.Let's move to the director and writer of the movie, Chookiat Sakveerakul. He impressed me by his sensitive heart and what he had done for this movie. Each detail in the movie was hidden a meaning of life and had strong connection with the content. The way he leaded us to the story was very interesting even the movie string is slow. The last thing is that he was born in 1981. He seems too young to be a great writer and director for a great movie.And, you should not forget the soundtracks of the movie. The music and songs in this movie are connection spring all details and they express very well what the director expected to transfer to audiences. What a pity that all of soundtracks are still in Thailand language and I do not know when they release the English version. Will I have to wait forever? Each song is a story of the two friends. I can find their stories from their childhood, present and future.If you love the movie, you will remember this quote "But I believe so much that you can make it because you have so much love for one another. Even thought, sometimes, it seems to be too much that we end up hurting other people. But I believe as time goes by we would agree that there is no such thing as "too much love". Even if we make mistakes along the way, it's better than never having tried to love and be loved. Life always gives us opportunities to start over after we learn from our mistakes. I hope you will take these opportunities and take a good care of one another". Remember that "As long as you love, you will still have hope".This is a movie that is not to see only one time!
