Janu-Rey Sebastian
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The ending is heartbreaking. Like I literally got depressed after watching. I do not care is the ending is subject for individual interpretation - but you can't just make us fall in love and break our hearts at the end. A good and sensible BL series is hard to find; and although this series depicts reality, rubbing it is just too much for me.
Anyways this is a good series, watch it if you dare but I will never watch it again.
Cet avis était-il utile?
Cet avis était-il utile?
Cet avis était-il utile?
Cet avis était-il utile?
This series is very good
I can say for myself that this series is very good and it can't be affected even by the sudden ending, which the audience probably won't expect (I can't reveal more) and many may be disappointed if the viewer doesn't understand what the creators wanted to imply. Very good acting performances by both boys, especially Porsche (real name Karn), when at the age of 18 he handled this adult role perfectly (at the beginning and at the end he plays a professor at the university, where he addresses issues of the LGBT community in lectures with students). In addition, both main actors are beautiful and masculine (the second of the pair - Nueng was five years older than Porsche at the time of filming - 23 years old). They are not students walking slowly through the school corridors with affine hair on their heads, cut according to a pot. I was also impressed by the processing. It was not so slow by Thai standards, the school is less concerned, in the second half we find ourselves in the countryside around the capital of northern Thailand - Chiang Mai and on an elephant farm owned by Nueng's parents. I don't mind that there is not so much physical contact between the main characters (apart from the "rape" of Porsche by a foreign attacker), the series is about two friends and their journey to love each other, and I see the meaning in that love WITHOUT BOUNDARIES and TIME, as opposed to the fate of each individual (I would probably understand the "strange" ending here). The music is pleasant, the overall impression is sadly romantic ... and six years later, both main actors played the main role in the mystical series Dear Doctor, I'm Coming for Soul ... !!!Cet avis était-il utile?
A Promising BL that Fails to Deliver
For a BL released in 2016 this was probably a fresh and exiting release, but as a recent viewer this show feels lackluster.If you are a experienced BL viewer I would say skip this one. There is much better stuff out there.
At first this show peaked my interest because of the boxer, elephants camp, law student elements, for I had personally never seen this in a BL before. But fortunately most of these turn out to feature only in the background of the series,
The series itself very quickly falls into the same boring Thai BL traps such as ; collage roommates, sexual assault (which is poorly developed), jealousy, angry screaming parents and of course good-old kidnapping.
The production also leaves a lot of room for improvement. Like a lot of Thai BLs this show has bad audio/background music. Sometimes the music would change in the middle of scene, breaking any tension/momentum. Pacing is another major issue, many scenes go on for way too long, which consequentially makes the show feel awkward at times. And important dialogue scenes loose their climax and turn boring. Although the series was only 4 episodes long it felt like an eternity.
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I think the progression of their relationship is beautiful but it could have been more developed at the same time. I feel like they go from 0 to 100 in terms of commitment and I wish we got to see them getting used to the idea of being a couple, figuring out how that works in the context of their other frienships, routine, future goals, etc, especially since we have no idea if either of them were even out before they started dating. Since the focus of the drama was largely on how lgbt people struggle to fit into the heteronormative life course, I would've liked to see the complexities of that a bit more. The focus on family is important but at the same time I wish they had either brought that conversation beyond the superficial or touched briefly on more queer issues.
Again, I felt they leaned too heavily on extremes in terms of negative attitudes/stigmatization of characters. Yes, there are people like that, but real life is more nuanced. They touch on this briefly when discussing the legalization of gay marriage, but I wish they had chosen to push the "why" in terms of obstacles a little more in the story as a whole.
These characters are great, flawed, and relatable, for sure, but I would have liked to learn more about them. We get so few glances into Nueng's experience, for example. He is in nearly every scene, we know his personality, but we don't know much about what made him who he is, conflicts he went through, stuff like that. It's hard to tell what he's really thinking and he comes across as naive.
What I do love about it is Porsche's law focus. I think it's a powerful move to create a character that is all about rules but has the wisdom to know when they're wrong. He wants to use law to advocate for what he believes, or at least what he wants to believe. He learns the rules to break them, and we get a glimpse into that internal struggle we all go through at some point where we have to decide whether we choose to go along with rules or question them. I think that's a lovely metaphor that could've been straightforward and cheesy, but works well with the story, the characters, and the mood to create something very moving.
It could have gone in two directions in terms of plot and I was a little disappointed with what they chose to do. This drama stays very true to its original intent of considering how queer characters live "normal" lives, but I wish it had gone in more of a "new normal" direction. This does, however, fit very well into the law-abiding personality of Porsche, so I can understand.
And as dear as this drama is to me I've got to knock some points for that ending. Totally unnecessary, but hey, c'est la queer media vie, unfortunately :( And the truly sad thing is, this is normal. Any "realistic" queer drama, anyway. But that's another issue for another day and not the fault of the drama but of the society we live in.
Overall, good show. Not the best, but certainly worth the watch and will pull on the heartstrings in a good way.
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Penuh makna hidup
BL series ini merupakan salah satu bL terindah yang pernah aku tonton. Menceritakan Nueng, seorang pria yang baik dan mudah bergaul, dia bertemu dengan Porsche, yang kebetulan menjadi teman satu kamarnya di kondominium. Porsche mempunyai perasaan kepada Nueng, di saat yang sama Nueng mempunyai pacar wanita. Bagaimana kisah mereka?. Dari segi chemistry, menurutku sangat kuat ya, relasi antara Nueng dan Porsche sangat terlihat ; diperkuat dengan latar belakang mereka yang sering bersama, dan dari tatapan mata masing-masing ; series ini terlihat seperti series dokumenter tetapi seperti film sekali tayang ; juga campur aduk menghasilkan karya yang luar biasa. Life meaning di series ini menurutku sangat bagus, sangat berkesan, dan mengisahkan hubungan romansa yang indah. Sinematographynya punya saturasi warna yang rendah tetapi tidak seperti film horror, ini seperti sebuah cerita lama yang di tonton kembali. Dari segi alur menurutku mudah difahami, dialognya juga berkesan, terlebih banyak sekali quotes di dalamnya, ini sangat indah ; sungguh!. Selain itu series bL ini sangat realistis - dimulai dari sikap keluarga, pencarian jati diri, dan rasa denial. Anda akan menemukan banyak sekali makna dalam series ini.Cet avis était-il utile?
Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Knowing how it ends still didn't prepare me
I went into this already knowing the ending, and I'm really grateful for that. I knew the end was coming, but I was still caught off guard by Nuer's death and how little resolution there was. It ends with a promise that Porsche won't eve love someone else, and while that may be romantic to some, I find it to be one of the saddest endings to a story I've ever seen. Not just in BL, but in any story I've ever been invested in in my life. I can't imagine how sad I would have been if I didn't know the ending before hand. I'm glad I was able to prepare myself for what was coming.If I can pretend the last 15 minutes or so didn't happen, this would be a pretty perfect show. I think it was sweet to see the way Porsche and Nuer's relationship grew, but more so I loved seeing the parents play such a big role. No other BLs (that I've seen so far anyway) have spent so much time focusing on the parents coming to terms with their children's sexuality, and I think it was a pretty realistic portrayal on both sides.
I also really enjoyed the conversations about how being gay isn't a choice. That's also something that doesn't get talked about in BLs. Most of the time, the characters like girls until they happen to like each other, and that's just how things are with no greater discussion, so it was nice to see this show in particular take a more serious note in that aspect. For just 4 episodes, it was a really beautiful journey to be in, I just wish it had a different ending.
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Ideology: A new foe has appeared. Challenger approaches.
The only reason I labeled this as "dropped" was because I'd read spoilers of the ending and, therefore, refuse to watch it happen. I stopped at episode three which was enough for me, personally.The story, while good and important, seemed slow and forced in some areas. What I liked about this series is the way they approached the discussion of equal rights. They actually had it formed as a question to challenge the ideology that anything outside of hetero relationships or identities is wrong. So far, a lot of BLs I've seen just bring it up as it pertains to the main characters in a "we can't get married until we have equal rights." I found that this method stood out more because then it's not just relevant to these fictional characters' future but moreso the future of society as a whole.
That being said, with this series, even though it's short, I found myself pausing a lot which is usually a sure sign of being distracted by something else instead of being engrossed in the show. It may very well be because I knew the ending already, I don't honestly know.
But the show did tackle some important issues and there were moments where I truly felt for the characters.
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"Death" as a synonym for misfortune for LGBT+ people in a society without laws to protect them?
He's not part of the vanguard of Thai BL drama writers and directors, but Boonyawat Thongtong knows how to film and how to tell. He was able to demonstrate it in the specials 'Views of Love: Love from the Sea Level', 'Views of Love: Heart Land' and 'Auto-Focused Love', all from 2016.That's why some mistakes, terrible, bitter, hurt in the framework of the script, the way the story is woven together and in tying up its loose ends, as well as the staging of 'Grey Raibow', a BL drama filmed that same year, about all when he seemed to have conquered the task, which would reach, no doubt, quotas of excellence. In fact, he has not been behind the cameras since then.
Despite the performances, the work in the editing room and the photographic work, already in the final stages, a series that from the first scene runs like honey on a flake, powerfully drawing the attention of the viewer who screams euphorically with passion and delight, The script throws into the ring some ideas that do not have a development and justification, which I will comment on later.
'Grey Rainbow' tell us a classic love romance between two boys, best friends. However, what sets it apart is the fact that it explores themes that other Thai BL dramas ignore or do not address in such depth, such as the process of self-discovery, coming out, the problems faced by the LGBT community in that country due to not having laws that protect them, homophobia, family dynamics and parents' acceptance of their children's sexual orientation, especially if we take into account that it was released in 2016 when these issues were considered much more taboo than they still are today.
The series introduces us to Nuea (Rattanamongkol Nutchapon), an energetic and outgoing university student, and Porsche (Hongladaromp Kasidej), a sensitive and introverted young man, who for two years has secretly developed feelings for his dorm and study partner.
After the first two episodes we have a well-established couple in love. Nuea has also discovered his sexuality after being exposed to Jane, his girlfriend, who has been suspecting for some time that Nuea's feelings for his friend are more than those of a simple friend, and after leaving the period that he himself calls of "confusion", in a beautiful, tender and moving scene of a Thai boxing match, in a ring, culminates with a kiss and Nuea's confession of love to Porsche. By then, the sexual tension between the two had already reached unimaginable levels.
From the third episode onwards, the series gains in nuances: here we see Nuea living and working in the family resort, in the mountains of Chiang Mai, in a picturesque and paradisiacal setting with an elephant sanctuary as a background. Porsche arrives there after leaving his home in Bangkok after arguing with his father about his desire not to practice law.
The elephant sanctuary is the perfect place for Nuer and Porsche to rekindle their romance after graduating from university. The scene of correspondence between the two boys is beautiful through small love notes written on a paper plane that, at night, were sent to both sides of a terrace where they both slept to be as close as possible, given the impossibility to occupy the same bedroom so as not to raise suspicions about their secret relationship.
This will also be the moment when Nuea's parents learn about the relationship between the two young people. Once the initial surprise of rejection of their child's sexual orientation has been assimilated, parents show love for their child and accept him as he is, always keeping his happiness and that of the new member of the family as a priority. His emotions seem genuine, realistic.
Now, there are several points that fail to convince me and I would like to present:
1- Jane's arrival at the elephant sanctuary: it is true that her presence seeks to provide drama and tension by putting a new test to the couple who have just begun to even talk about marriage, when same-sex weddings are still illegal in Thailand even today. The important thing is that the objective of its late incorporation is to fulfill one of the struggles of the members of the LGBT+ community and present in the series: the possibility that two people of the same gender can adopt children. Jane dies, and this makes it possible for Nuea and Porsche to adopt their daughter. But how could they legalize adoption? Today she is a girl, but tomorrow, when she grows up and tries to look for a job, or a position at a university, or tries to get a driver's license or a marriage license, how can she proceed if she does not have legal documents to do so?
2- At one point, Nuea asks Jane: "Is the girl yours and...' daughter?". Why are you asking this question? Do you suspect it could be his? Is she trying to determine if it is from Watt, the young man with whom Jane begins an affair after separating from Nuea, or from another man? What good would it do for him to know if Jane had other relationships besides the one she knew with Watt? Do you want to tell us that he had sexual relations with Jane? It may well be: they are both young, they are in a dating relationship, they share many hours a day together, but nothing indicates that their bond includes sex: they live in separate residences, their meetings are in the middle of the university or public spaces... Anyway, the scope and reasons for this question are not understandable.
3- The series touches on another complex and tricky topic: corruption and how rich businessmen violate the laws. In this sense, Sam, a businessman who has a business near the Nuea properties, tries to obstruct a public river for his benefit, which also flows through the properties of Nuea's parents and where the elephants bathe and are exhibited to tourists. And although Porsche, as legal advisor of the hotel complex, directs the steps seeking justice, which leads him to suffer a homophobic attack, there is no conclusive closure on this issue.
4- Interesting to see how Nuea cross-dressers as a woman, to imitate Jane and thus ensure that the girl does not cry in the absence of her mother. Cross-dressing is a topic rarely covered in Thai BL series, and the actor is also convincing when representing this facet of his character.
5- Nuea's refusal to continue her relationship with Porsche to avoid suffering for his mother. Although he seems to soon forget about the issue, Nuea is not consistent with the struggle of the majority of homosexuals when it comes to facing this problem. Days before, he himself was in this dilemma, because initially his parents, when they found out about his sexuality, did not accept it. What would have happened if Porsche told you the same thing?
6- Porsche's father was reluctant to accept his son's homosexuality. It is true, he remained firm and the mother collaborated by telling her husband that if she maintained her position she would stay with Porsche, implying that she was willing to leave the marital home, but soon we see the father accepting his son, without living that arduous and difficult process of acceptance, especially for a homophobic person who hides behind shame in the face of "what will they say." Of course, he will tell Porsche that it is still too early to take Nuea to Bangkok.
7- I would have liked a happy ending, let's say, a happy and timely closing in the moments when the two boys took their wedding photos, recounting emotional moments that reflect the romance of the protagonists. However, the director and screenwriter choose to kill Nuea. If his death is physical, as everything seems to indicate, I would have liked it to have been much more dramatic, moving and profound, and not through a snap of his fingers on Posrche's part, as if he knew in advance that he was going to die, to freeze the image while Nuea collapsed and died in the middle of her wedding; and another snap of the finger to restart filming while family members and those present throw themselves at the young man's lifeless body.
8- But Nuea's death can be symbolic, and in this way it connects with the supreme objective of the series: to denounce the lack of a law that protects Thai LGBT+ people. In this sense, Nuea's death would represent the death of the members of this human group as they do not have real protection against the harassment and discrimination of a heteronormative, patriarchal and homophobic society.
9- I am not fluent in the Thai language, but while the final credits are rolling, a text may mention that Nuea suffers from a health problem, which caused her death; but for the purposes of the script, this element is not taken into account or incorporated. Therefore, the sequence is not dramatically valid. We will always have in contrast to a young man of about 25 years old, healthy, strong, vigorous, who never had a toothache, who meets his death on the happiest day of his life. I would only explain it to myself, with difficulty, if, I repeat, his death were symbolic: "death" as a synonym for misfortune, misfortune, is the end of LGBT+ people as long as they do not find support in society through laws that protect and grant them the same rights as non-LGBT+ people.
Therefore, the main problem with 'Grey Rainbow' is that we never understand Nuea's death. It is not organic how they tell us. This is due, in large part, to the notable deficiencies in the composition at the writing level.
Despite all these mistakes, the series is recommended.
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Cet avis était-il utile?
