Dommage...
Je reconnais l'originalité de la série surtout pour GMMTV. Mais y a tout de même un sacré goût d'inachevé. Je pense que le rendu final est plutôt fade par rapport aux ambitions exprimées de l'histoire.La balance entre la trame principale et la romance est déséquilibrée, dans le sens où certains moments rallonge trop l'histoire en apportant rien de concret.
Je n'ai rien contre les fins ouvertes mais ils ont laissé trop de zones d'ombre. Comme s'ils ne voulaient pas trop se mouiller.
Les rôles féminins manquent d'importance dans l'intrigue, on va mettre sur le dos du fait que c'est un BL mais c'est dommage car les personnages étaient pas mal
Après le casting est ce qu'il est, pas vraiment envie de m'étendre dessus.
La musique rien de mémorable à mon goût mais rien qui m'a déplu non plus.
Si je le reregarde ce n'est pas avant longtemps.
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Un essai de critique du système capitaliste
Et oui c'est un essai de critique du système capitaliste thaïlandais et de ses dérives mafieuses ainsi que de la Police thaïlandaise qui se comporte comme des mercenaires à la solde du pouvoir ( comme beaucoup de Polices au monde ). C'est la première fois que je vois ça dans un BL. C'est sûr que si vous vous attendez à de la sucrerie dès le premier épisode vous allez être déçus. Le début commence comme un thriller ordinaire et la suite c'est plutôt la visite chez des "Black Blocs" thaïlandais. J'ai trouvé ça vraiment bien même si je ne m'attendais pas à ce genre de propos. Il y a de bons retournements de situations. Les amours naissantes de certains personnages auraient pu être plus finement décrites mais il faut vraiment encourager les scénaristes qui ont été à la hauteur cette fois-ci. Il n'y a rien de mièvre, de fleur bleue ni de toxique ( il y a que la toxicité du capitalisme qui est montrée et dénoncée, rien que pour ça j'ai mis une excellente note à ce BL ) Après si l'on est amoureux des BL, il faut aussi être patient car le côté BL n'arrive que vers le huitième épisode. L'acteur Gun qui joue White et Black a vraiment bien fait le job. J'ai trouvé les personnages féminins plutôt bien campés : les personnages des jeunes femmes en font des personnes talentueuses et sensibles sans être niaises et toxiques. Il y a une petite critique des parents qui peuvent être égoïstes et sans sentiment particulier pour leurs enfants, je parle bien évidemment des parents de White et Black. Non vraiment dans l'ensemble j'ai passé de bons moments. Les scènes de bagarre n'étaient pas ridicules comme souvent dans les BL thaïlandais. Ne cherchez pas de roucoulade, de baisers langoureux ni de scènes sexy, à la place vous trouverez de l'action, de l'amitié et de la fraternité, et c'est plutôt agréable. Je ne recommande chaleureusement. Bon visionnage. ( On peut le voir sur Youtub sur le site de GMMTV avec plusieurs traductions possibles)Cet avis était-il utile?
Une chouette évolution dans les BL thaïlandais
Au départ, j'attendais surtout ce drama pour son intrigue, sans me faire beaucoup d'illusions sur la qualité générale. En effet, le thème des jumeaux dont l'un prend la place de l'autre pour résoudre une enquête m'a toujours intéressée (j'ai pas mal apprécié le lakhorn Khun Mae Suam Roy par exemple) et je ne m'attendais pas à beaucoup plus. Mais après l'avoir visionné, je dois reconnaître que depuis l'an dernier, la Thaïlande a su se diversifier en matière de BL en nous offrant des intrigues qui s'écartent des niaiseries de ses débuts... bon pas tout le temps, ils continuent quand même à sortir des trucs toxiques / indigestes / neuneus et souvent le tout en même temps, mais bon, il faut bien contenter tout le monde. En tout cas, des dramas comme Manner of Death ou A Tale of Thousand Stars ont ouvert la voie, et prouvé que l'audience était au rendez-vous pour des histoires prenant place dans des contextes différents, voire plus adultes. Et même si Not Me se passe lui aussi dans un environnement universitaire, ici ce n'est qu'un décor de fond qui n'a pas vraiment d'importance dans la mesure où l'histoire nous raconte tout autre chose.Le premier point que j'ai apprécié concerne, comme dit plus haut, le fait que notre héros White décide de prendre la place de son frère jumeau Black après la violente agression de ce dernier, qui l'a laissé dans le coma. Son but initial est de découvrir qui est à l'origine de cette agression, mais limiter le drama à cela serait une erreur. Le plus intéressant réside dans la manière dont le sujet a été traité, notamment en abordant le thème de l'activisme politique peu montré jusque-là. Pour atteindre son but, White infiltre un groupe d'étudiants dont son frère était le leader, et qui s'est donné pour mission de dénoncer la corruption des élites et des politiques - sujet on ne peut plus d'actualité d'ailleurs - en organisant des opérations clairement illégales mais nécessaires pour sensibiliser l'opinion. Le scénario évite néanmoins la facilité, car les membres du groupe s'interrogent sur les lois, leur application (ou de leur non-application quand le système est corrompu jusqu'à l'os ou que cette loi protège les puissants), mais nous montre aussi d'autres façons d'agir ou d'exprimer sa révolte, par ex. au travers des tags et peintures réalisées par d'autres étudiants ou bien le personnage du graffeur Unar. Je ne connais pas bien le contexte politique de la Thaïlande (ce ne sont pas mes deux semaines de vacances il y a 5 ans qui m'ont appris quelque chose là-dessus), mais j'imagine bien que la contestation là-bas doit demander pas mal de courage. Vous me direz, en France aussi ça commence vraiment à puer, mais c'est un autre sujet... Bref, on a ici un thème plutôt grave qu'on a rarement l'occasion de voir dans un drama, et encore moins dans un BL, et rien que pour ça, cette histoire mérite d'être découverte.
Ensuite, les acteurs jouent de façon assez naturelle. La plupart des protagonistes sont interprétés par des comédiens déjà aperçus dans des dramas BL, à commencer par le couple principal, et ces deux-là s'en sortent plutôt bien. Il faut dire aussi que ce n'est pas la première fois qu'ils jouent un couple, et je les ai trouvés vachement plus supportables que dans Theory of Love. J'ignore s'ils sont ensemble dans la vraie vie ou si leur aisance mutuelle résulte de leur expérience commune, en tout cas ils n'ont pas l'air bizarroïdes quand ils s'embrassent, et White (censé être plus "mimi") est loin d'incarner la mignonnitude ridicule, bien au contraire. Je dois saluer aussi sa capacité à changer de caractère quand il interprète Black, personnage beaucoup plus sombre et violent, d'ailleurs quand il joue Black se faisant passer pour White, on le remarque tout de suite, ne serait-ce qu'à la façon dont il se tient. Ça me fait d'ailleurs penser au talent extraordinaire de l'actrice principale de Orphan Black, si vous ne l'avez pas encore vue courrez tout de suite découvrir cette excellente série, en tout cas il ne suffit pas de changer vaguement d'attitude pour jouer correctement des jumeaux, il faut aussi savoir faire comprendre quand un des deux se fait passer pour l'autre par des variations subtiles de comportement pour que ça soit vraiment crédible. Alors oui le talent de Gun est encore loin d'égaler celui de la géniale et bluffante Tatiana Maslany qui interprète à elle toute seule une bonne dizaine de clones aux personnalités bien distinctes, mais on y croit et c'est l'essentiel.
J'ai apprécié le traitement des personnages féminins de ce drama, qui sont montrées comme actives et talentueuses dans leur manière d'exprimer leur opposition au système (l'une peint, l'autre danse), elles sont naturelles, un peu plus fouillées que d'habitude et surtout, ne servent pas seulement à valoriser le héros, et elle ne sont jamais énervantes. Enfin, j'ai envie de mentionner le cas d'un des camarades de fac des protagonistes, un personnage trans qui à première vue aurait tout pour incarner un gros cliché des BL (vous savez, les gars hyper efféminés et caricaturaux toujours dans l'exagération qu'on trouve dans pratiquement tous les BL thaï, histoire de fournir une dose de gags pas drôles pour un sou). Ici, ce personnage n'est jamais ridicule ou stéréotypé, au contraire je salue le fait qu'il soit tout simplement représenté comme un perso normal, qui se comporte normalement, et ses conseils sont même utiles quand il s'agit de décrypter les subtilités de telle ou telle loi, bref c'est tellement rare que je me dois de le souligner.
Les romances sont agréables. Elles ne cassent pas des briques, mais elles ont le mérite d'être là et d'avoir été écrites intelligemment, c'est à dire qu'on évite tout ce qui ressemble de près ou de loin à une amourette stupide entre un benêt coincé et grimaçant qui fantasme depuis l'enfance / l'adolescence sur le dieu du bahut / de la fac qui se comporte comme un trouduc, et elles se construisent de manière logique et naturelle. J'ai apprécié la romance secondaire entre Yok et Unar, même si je dois quand même avouer que le jeu de celui qui interprète Unar manque un peu de variété (ses expressions ne sont pas très nombreuses, et vers la fin il ne fait pas grand-chose d'autre que chouiner, mais bon ça va, ça passe...). La troisième romance entre le pote et l'ex de Black m'a moins intéressée, principalement parce que je crois que je n'ai pas tout saisi quant à la dynamique de leur relation, mais là encore ce n'est pas très grave. En tout cas, j'ai envie de dire que ce n'est pas le principal, et que c'est surtout l'originalité du thème traité qui rend le tout intéressant à regarder.
Bien sûr, je ne peux pas faire l'impasse sur certains points plus critiquables. Par exemple, on peut trouver que la façon dont les persos organisent leurs plans n'est pas très pro, surtout quand on considère la gravité ou le danger de ce qu'ils s'apprêtent à faire, c'est assez brouillon en fait. Ce manque de discipline laisse un peu trop de place au hasard et aux changements de plan qui pourraient tout faire foirer, donc ça manque un peu de réalisme sur ce point. Mais au moins, on nous montre leurs doutes, leurs questionnements et les implications que leurs actes peuvent engendrer. Par exemple, est-ce vraiment une bonne action de salir la réputation d'un homme d'affaire véreux et rendre ses malversations publiques, l'obligeant à fermer son usine au risque que des innocents qui crèvent la dalle se retrouvent au chômage ? D'un autre côté, si la loi ne peut pas s'appliquer dans un système pourri, ne vaut-il pas mieux passer dans l'illégalité, alors qu'on est jamais loin de basculer dans le côté obscur et d'obtenir un résultat opposé à son objectif et ses valeurs initiales ? Il n'y a pas vraiment de morale, tout acte a des conséquences, et même si les personnages œuvrent pour le bien commun, il est clair que ce n'est jamais simple ou rose. Pour le coup, l'histoire évite tout manichéisme simpliste, elle nous pousse à nous questionner, et c'est une bonne chose. Un autre point que j'ai trouvé peu crédible, c'est l'absence de suspicion des membres du groupe à l'égard de White. A aucun moment ils ne remettent en doute son identité, alors que Black savait faire des trucs dont White s'avère incapable au début, avant de s'entraîner (c'est comme le vélo : si tu as appris à en faire, il y a peu de chance que tu ne saches plus rouler par la suite, à moins d'un problème psy ou d'une lésion cérébrale). Mais d'un autre côté, c'est ce changement de comportement qui permet à la romance entre White et Sean de s'installer, donc là encore, il s'agit d'un défaut qui sert quand même à quelque chose. Et si je parviens à trouver des points positifs à des trucs que je viens de critiquer, bon ok ça signifie peut-être que j'ai quelques biais en faveur de ce drama, on ne va pas se mentir, mais ça me conforte surtout dans l'idée que malgré ses quelques défauts la série reste de bonne qualité, et qu'elle est parvenue à me surprendre dans le bon sens.
Pour conclure, je dirai que ce BL mérite vraiment qu'on lui donne une chance, d'une part parce que le sujet est original et bien exploité, d'autre part grâce aux acteurs qui font un assez bon job. En plus, l'histoire sait éviter les clichés, ainsi que les moments gênants ou ridicules qu'on a l'habitude de voir dans ce type de production. C'est assez rare qu'un BL ne prenne pas ses spectateurs pour des cons, donc allez-y sans crainte.
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Incroyable
Le scénario change énormément des autres BL classique, surtout quand on connaît les classiques de GMMTV.Au delà des amourettes le fond du scénario est vraiment intéressant et mériterait d’être encore plus développé dans une saison 2.
L’acting est vraiment de très bonne qualité, surtout du côté de Gun et Off qui ont fait un travail formidable (ils m’ont fait beaucoup pleurer)
La musique dans cette série est incroyable ?? Première fois qu’un BL thaï me touchent avec leurs choix musicaux.
Tous étaient très bien organisés, le scénario intéressant, chaque plan est utile et beau. Je recommande a fond !
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
J'ai d'abord été intriguée par la pochette de ce drama, je l'ai donc regardé (et le titre sortait de l'ordinaire)... J'ai été agréablement surprise par l'ambiance en général, le fait qu'il y ait des jumeaux car je trouve ça plutôt rare, la lutte entre classes sociales et les problèmes de société, les gangs et même les artistes. De plus, il y a de l'action, la musique est chouette, et tous les acteurs sont bien. Chaque épisode est intéressant, même si c'est très court. Je ne regrette pas de l'avoir regardé ; j'ai trouvé ce drama très bien.Cet avis était-il utile?
Anyone disappointed after watching this? NOT ME.
An incredible series that GMM25 has delivered and a dangerous new standard for the upcoming series. Why? Read below. This is a longer review than usual, but this series is INCREDIBLE and therefore incredibly hard to only put into only a few paragraphs. :))(Quick recommendation. Listen to this while reading: https://youtu.be/__6Eb2jhceo)
The story is unique and nothing that anyone has easily come close to achieving. Political topics have a high risk of not being well received by the viewers because the pacing often becomes very sluggish and boring if it is not implemented correctly. Another danger with this trope is that romance can often feel redundant and inappropriate, thus degrading the quality of the story. Neither is the case here. Why? The answer is not very simple.
PRODUCTION
Let´s start with the production and filming/ writing of the scenes. Throughout the entire series, one can not deny the beautiful shots that were taken. Everything seems to have gone under detailed planning of how to use the natural light the best and how to film beautiful scenes at locations, that doesn´t depend on much editing. However, one thing is certain, professionals are at work. Both in the filming and editing, but also in the individual usage and choice of music. Incomparable to other series.
Praise to Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana, Noolek Sureechary and M Rittiktai Kanjanawiphu for the incredible screenwriting. I did not stumble across any grievous mistakes. Personally, I want to thank the creator of "Not Me”, Dem Thanutnun Vitsivakun, for creating this incredible story. She has succeeded in merging the topics of politics, injustice, LGBTQ+ and revenge to a point where you can only be amazed.
And of course, praise for the cinematographer Beat Pramett Chankrasse, he gifted us with captures of breathtakingly beautiful moments. The scenes embody the emotions of all the characters and carefully embrace them. But how are other series supposed to keep up now, mister? I have no idea.
The difficulty that this series has met was the decreased amount of episodes because of budget problems. This problem was briefly felt towards the end, but the overall presentation is so brilliant that the few inconveniences can be overlooked, really!
PLOT
Black and White are twins with a powerful connection but the two are as different as day and night. White is very dedicated to reveal the truth behind the state of his hospitalized brother, but his personality is FORTUNATELY too different to not cause other problems, incidents, etc. This fact is very well implemented by the writers: Without being too obvious about it they make White purposely misbehave in his role as Black. The story and its execution go hand in hand in this series.
The entire plot had so many risks in its adaption, but the series succeeded in not getting trapped by them. On the contrary, they used this fear to create a masterpiece that will amaze everyone, probably even the people involved themselves. The expectations were more than met.
The side stories also have their unique charm, and the introduction of a mute person just gives the overall picture that certain something of realistic scenario that you get addicted to watching. No matter if politics, injustice, LGBTQ+, revenge or disadvantages, each topic is accurate and not exaggerated.
The female characters did not meet the cliché standards of many other BL, on the contrary, they were no tools for the story but - and that should be the norm - they were their own masters, had their own lives and did not have any unexplainable toxic trades. All their reactions were understandable and well implemented.
The characters aren't denied their mistakes either, rather in the series these people try to work on their mistakes. That's what makes them so human and the series so perfect.
ACTORS
Before I get to Gun´s outstanding performance, I start with the supporting cast. The acting of all of them was solid and no one seemed to be uncomfortable to look at. Additionally, I also want to praise whoever cast this outrageous cast. Because even smaller roles like the parents or the antagonist have proved themselves well and worked fine with the plot.
Film (Eugene) and Lookjun (Namo) delivered two incredible performances as two female characters in a gay romance oriented series. They acted very naturally, and one could sympathize with their portrayed roles. Especially Film was well cast for her role as Eugene. Filmshy was also doing a good job, but she didn´t have much screen time, so it´s hard for me to review it.
Let´s get to the boys. Oh. I have so much to say but I don´t know where to start. I have never imagined Sing to ever get this kind of role, but he succeeded in any means. If you ask me, he deserves to get more main roles in series because he is such a flexible and good actor.
The leader of the garage, Gumpa played by Papang. Two words. Unexpected Gem. This guy did such a good job in his role. He also deserves more screentime because he is truly gifted. The same goes for Mond, who portrayed Gram. Personally, I like this actor a lot because he always managed to meet my expectations and I love the control he has over his facial expressions.
When it comes to emotions and portrayed intimacy, First (Yok) and Fluke (Dan) were blowing my mind. I loved their shots and on-screen scenes. Everything in this series worked incredibly well together but especially these two. After watching their sequences, I got inspired and overwhelmed by a sudden wave of motivation. I will miss them. I will miss the PAIN. THE PAIN.
There was also incomparable harmony between Gun (Black/ White) and Off (Sean), again ... but honestly, how do they do it? How crazy can one succeed in their role? The two are a great match and I hope to see more of them in the future. Speaking of how incredible these two are, Gun deserves a special mention. He managed to draw a clear line between Black and White. Cold and warm. Physical and psychological. He was playing both twins, but you could tell them apart. Manifestly! What an incredibly good actor! Mastering a twin role alone is something many have attempted and failed, but none has been as good or compelling as Gun. Give him a huge award and lots of love and attention.
OVERALL
At this point I´d like to cite our POP-Queen Lady Gaga:
NOT ME is “talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, (…)”. In a nutshell, this show is everything and more the LGBTQ+ film community has ever wished for. The sceneries and shots are breathtaking, the actors outstanding and the edit incomparable. Even the use of music has been merging with the entire awesomeness of this show. Every expectation is being met and it´s honestly nothing you should miss.
The upcoming series has a lot of work ahead if they ever want to meet this extreme standard of perfection.
Who am I lying to ... it´s impossible.
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1A lot of words that start with the letter P, and perfect for me...
What do you get if you combine the best parts of Who are you, school 2015 with My Name and add some political fight the power stuff and make it in Thailand instead of South Korea?
Nothing perfect, but definitely something for me... This drama just ticked so many boxes with things I loved taking me on an exciting journey with a powerful political statement in-bedded in a nail-biting plot with just the perfect amount of bromance, romance, and everything in-between...
A drama where the plot is so good that all the "ohh they are so cute" just feel like an added bonus, do not get me wrong there is plenty of fan service such as oil wrestling, dimples and what not... but it does not take over and feels true to the plot. So to say that I loved this is an understatement...
The cinematography the directing, the styling, the writing everything was all well done, there is one point where the clothes more or less match the colors in the abandoned building. Fine there where where a few plot holes here and there, like running around and leaving fingers prints all over the place... and some plot twists were pretty predictable... but as a whole this was really high quality and highly entertaining at the same time (a more rare combination than one might think) . And what can I say even the PPL was noticeable but not over the top. And the so called sex-scenes where very tastefully made.
The relationships are for the most part pretty consensual, though they do seem to punch each other a lot, fight till the brink of death and may just have a Punch and make up kind of take to the classic kiss and make upp... but once you look past that most of the characters are actually rather nice , not so very toxic and definitely likeable.
There is some pretty powerful art and da3nce and the take on identical twins is very interesting.
To conclude definitely a good highly bingable drama for anyone one who enjoys a bit of fight the power, with a side of romance.
P.S After watching Theory of love I was already very impressed by Guns acting while not as impressed by Offs acting however this drama only strengthened my adoration for Gun and gave me a new found one for Off... Their chemistry is phenomenal so I am starting to get the whole OffGun Hype if there is one.
Also, this is one of those dramas where time flies, you start watching it and poof you are half way thru it without noticing the time...
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Not Your Typical BL
My thoughts on this show are below:STORY: I truly feel like this is one of the most well written BL stories I have ever had the pleasure of watching. For most of my viewing, I felt that the writing style was purposeful, captivating, and effective. I felt like the story was well thought out overall and compared to most other BL’s I have seen… it didn’t have as many moments that left me confused when it came to the writing aspect. I will say though that I had to give the story portion a 7.5 objectively because as the series came closer to the end… there started to be some plot holes regarding certain characters and some minor hiccups in terms of when you compare how certain characters and situations were in the beginning to how they were closer to the end. Some of the story aspects felt just a little disjointed in the last few episodes if I am being completely honest. Also, the finale left something to be desired as well. Even though I may say that… I still think that overall the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to this show. I loved that the story also revolved around serious topics such as politics and social issues. It isn’t your typical BL story at all. I could understand why more serious topics for a BL might turn some people off, but I feel like you would be missing out on a good story if you decided to skip this one.
ACTING/CAST: I MUST shoutout the king Gun Atthaphan for playing two roles with such grace. He got the nuisances of Black and White’s characters down perfectly. You could tell the distinct differences in the characters very well. It must be hard playing two roles, but Gun always impresses me with his acting. He knocks it out of the park every time. When it comes to Off Jumpol, I was equally impressed. His acting just keeps improving from project to project. I am proud of him!!! As for the rest of the cast, I believe that they all brought their A game for this show. A standout character for me was Mond Tanutchai who played Gram. I loved his fiery and determined yet balanced personality. On the surface, he may seem tough and assertive but underneath he had a heart of gold and I love characters like that. I also loved that this show explored morally grey characters even more because it really got the viewer to debate on the ethics of the characters actions to a greater degree. The female characters actually had substance to them as well which I loved. Usually, female characters in BL shows are reduced to being nuisances to the main characters... so it was refreshing to see strong women who had their passions. There was not anyone that made me question there acting abilities. There was no cringiness or awkwardness. It was honestly like I was watching multiple award-winning actors on screen. Oh, and one more thing that I wanted to point out was that I LOVED the characterization of each person in this series. You didn't get one-note characters. You got people with depth and meaning. I also loved seeing the backstories of characters. When a character is fleshed out like how these characters were, I feel it really takes the show to the next level. THEY ALL DID WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE!!!
MUSIC: THE MUSIC IN THIS SHOW IS SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!! This is one of those shows that had me looking up the music being played on Spotify so I could add it to my library. Music is very important to me so when a production does it right… I am elated!!! Not Me’s soundtrack really added to the mood and tone of the scenes taking place. Sometimes the music can either make or break a scene and the music turned Not Me from a good show into a great one. Here’s a link to music that appeared in Not Me: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0wln5IkDmnp5fGCf0LWws8?si=48f09b1643224ac7
REWATCH VALUE: I think this show is one that you can rewatch over and over and not get bored because there are many details that you can pick up on through repeated viewing. I was already rewatching episodes over again as it was airing right after they came out, so I think that tells you all that you need to know lmao.
PRODUCTION/CINEMATOGRAPHY: WOW the production on the is show is TOP NOTCH!!! I haven’t seen many BL’s that look this crisp and clean. Everything from the camera angles, to the shots used, to the use of minimal makeup, to the clothing choices, to the locations, to the coloring of the scenes, to the voiceovers. I literally could go on and on. You can tell that a lot of detail was put into the pre and postproduction of Not Me and it shows heavily. It honestly looked like I was watching a high budget movie and to be honest, it looked better than some high budget movies I have seen. The production crew and cinematographer deserve ALL of the awards in the world for their work on this show.
In conclusion, Not Me is one of the BEST shows I have seen lately and I hope it continues to receive all of the love in the world because it’s well deserved!!!
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
This is bigger than us
Who always expects a typical BL will probably be disappointed because this series is so much more. Instead of just giving us a series with a good plot, Not Me manages to combine sophistication and entertainment to create unique art.This series breaks conventions on so many levels, be it visual, auditory (one of the best soundtracks!), or narrative, and ultimately sweeps you away with a storm of emotion.
It has a lot of epic scenes to offer when the sun shines through the palm of a hand and the words "Freedom is the oxygen of life" can be heard, it touches you just as much when a deaf-mute mother tells of her unemployment or when main character Gun dances under a rainbow flag and shouts loudly for equality and justice.
But Not Me is not a clean, beautiful series. It is a bloody and dirty ballad, told with rage, but also a vulnerability, as only the affected themselves can do.
To sum it up, Not Me is an exceptional show that breaks up multiple genres and takes you on a trip, that leaves you breathless and exhausted. But it’s also an important series, who dares to say true things in a world that is getting more and more out of joint.
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
A true treasure among the BL shows.
I noticed this while scrolling through the feeds, and everyone seemed to like it. I was in the mood for a thriller at the time, so I chose this one.This drama's mystery plot isn't particularly well developed; it felt almost predictable to me. The political aspect of this drama, on the other hand, is extremely well done. If not well executed, it could have been extremely boring. The romance, which often feels unwanted or unnecessary in these types of dramas, is something I really liked in this. This is a one-of-a-kind drama that successfully blends romance and politics without making either feel out of place.
This drama is about twins, Black and White, who have a powerful bond that causes them to feel each other's agony during a near-death experience. Their personalities are as diametrically opposed as chalk and cheese. They were separated after their parents divorced, causing them to lose contact with one another. One day, after returning to Thailand, White learns from Tod, a childhood friend, that Black is in a coma following a brutal attack on him, which rekindled White's connection with Black. He also learns that Black is now a member of a motorcycle gang, and he suspects that one of the members—Gram, Yok, or Sean—is to blame for Black's current state. As a result, he disguises himself as Black and joins the gang to discover the truth.
Although Black appeared to be a little different to everyone, no one noticed that it was another person disguised as Black, nor did anyone know that Black had a twin. Sean seemed to be the most affected by Black's sudden change, as he began to develop feelings for him.
In a BL, usually the supporting characters, as well as the female characters, usually play minor roles. They are used as tools to bring the main characters together or to cause conflict between them. However, in this drama, they each had their own point of view and story to tell. This really impressed me. Except for a few scenes, the characters in this drama are very well developed, and their actions and reactions are understandable. Of course, the characters aren't perfect, but they all have their own unique charms.
Both the main character and the supporting characters did an excellent job. Gun's performance was out standing and so was Off's. They portrayed every emotion almost flawlessly (Of course, nothing is perfect). Gun should be specially appreciated for successfully portraying two characters at a time who are too different to compare. The chemistry between the main leads was a visual treat and is very pleasing to watch. I hope to see Gun and Off together more often in the future. The actors who played Gram, Yok and even the actors who portrayed small roles like Grumpa and Tod were able to meet my expectations. The antagonists too were so well portrayed and this made this drama more appealing and entertaining.
Overall, this is a really outstanding BL that, in my opinion, deserves more attention and love. Almost every aspect of this drama is well-executed. This is a totally unique show that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys BLs, politics, or the actors.
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Good drama but with some flaws (spoilers ahead!)
I didn't really have any expectations about this series, so went in with a fairly open mind. The casting looked good and the acting certainly was much better than what we're sometimes used to from many of GMMTV's other programs. No slapstick comedy, the characters felt more real and down to earth. No heavy make-up and perfect surroundings. It was gritty and dark, but had love, hopes and dreams as well. I liked the style of directing, the choice of music and the bold topics covered which I can imagine are borderline taboo in Thailand considering its political situation. It was refreshing to see a series which touched on several of these difficult topics, sparked debate and highlighted the plight and issues faced by many in society - including the feeling of helplessness but also the power normal people can have to force change. For all that I applaud the director/writer(s).The acting was good. A special shout out to First who did a superb job portraying Yok as confident, cocky and self sure but also vulnerable, loyal, loving and a cute hopeless romantic. He embodied the character really well and his acting skills have really improved. I can tell he takes his craft seriously. Overall the entire cast did a very good job and the directing was also very good, and you could see the actors feeling comfortable with the topics and conveying the messages.
I think where I struggled was some parts of the story. There were many loose ends and undeveloped arcs. For instance Tod's storyline. At the start he seemed to be a central character to the mystery and you suspected he was involved in the beating of Black somehow. He was the reason White was brought back to "replace" Black so as not to rouse attention of what he had done, and to allow the gang to continue with their attempts to bring Tawi down so Tod could increase his own power. I'm willing to buy that, and it did turn out in the end that he was behind Black's beating. But then his character didn't really go anywhere. We didn't really see his rivalry with Tawi. For several episodes it just seemed to be him and Black randomly fighting, until the very end when we see Tod in hospital - presumably beaten up by Black. Was that it? I would have expected the rivalry between Tod and Tawi to manifest itself somehow on the gang. Apart from White and Black, the others were oblivious to Tod's existence. Even White's interactions with him suddenly stopped. Meanwhile what happened to Tawi and his empire? The gang was rescued from being kidnapped by the people protesting, and then we didn't hear or see anything more.
I also find it hard to believe that Gumpa knew all along who White was but didn't say anything knowing what was at stake. It's somehow not believable. I would've believed it if Gumpa had confronted White early on and said he was onto him but would keep it a secret from the others. It would give White a chance to explain what happened to his brother and it would open up a whole new arc and possibility to the story. In the end Black came back, beat everyone up and then went away somewhere. Meanwhile Sean and White rode off into the sunset.
I'm going to say something which is going to be controversial and many of you won't like, but I don't think the relationship between Sean and White added anything to the story - nor did it progress it in a significant way (if at all). I actually thought it was a mistake. Unlike Yok and Dan's relationship which was linked to the overall storyline, White and Sean's relationship didn't really make an impact. It took up a lot of time which could have been used to tie up all the loose ends, plug the gaps and expand the mystery. I know this isn't a BL, and I'm sure the creators didn't want it to be a BL - but the fact that so much time and focus was spent on Sean & White it pretty much took it in that direction anyway and it ended up being one. The actual storyline in some ways became secondary to them. The two actors work well together and have chemistry, and I am generally an OffGun fan but in this drama I think it was superfluous.
It would have been enough to have the relationship between Yok and Dan and Gram and Eugene. Yok and Dan's relationship to my mind was much more intriguing, interesting and playful - and could've been even more integral to the part of the story considering Dan was a police officer. First and Gawin did a terrific job and they had great chemistry. I hope they get another series together. It was nice to see a happy ending to their relationship, but it would have been good to see them going back to Dan's hometown as he had promised Yok.
So in summary: I did not, not enjoy this, but I think I was left feeling I needed "more". Not more episodes, just more tying up of loose ends and a more cohesive storyline between the characters. There were some missed opportunities with this one. Maybe there will be a season two - who knows? - where the story will get expanded. I hope so at it has a decent base to build on, and good characters.
Aside from the gripes, it was well acted and brought to light many important issues which should never be ignored in any society, and I applaud the team and actors for taking that risk and pulling it off.
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It Had Its Moments
I think, overall, my main issue with this show was that what I thought it was going to be, based off the trailers and such, was not what it actually was. Was it a bad show? No, definitely not. Was it an important show? Yes, absolutely! Was it what I wanted it to be?No.
I loved the premise of the show— a boy pretending to be his twin brother and joining a gang to find out what happened to him, and then ultimately falling for the gang member his brother hates the most. But the premise got lost quickly in the political lectures and long-winded justifications for the gang's actions, and although I think the love story was done well, I don't think the rest of it really was.
Black and White get, maybe, three meaningful scenes together throughout the whole show. In the end, their mystical twin connection was a pointless addition to the show to— what? Give the parents a reason to pull a "Parent Trap" and separate them for years? Hell, half the time after Black woke up he was just gone, doing stuff off-screen that we never got to see. In the end, his whole character was practically unnecessary. Just a means to an end to get White into the gang. White seems to forget quite often why he was even there, and just allowed himself to get swept into the gang's plots without actually doing anything to figure out who hurt Black. In the end, he doesn't even figure out who did it! He has to be told, because he literally just stopped trying.
I can see what they wanted to do with this show— the messages they wanted to get across and, in general, what they wanted to say about the current political climate in Thailand. But, especially in the first half of the show, it felt so heavy-handed and spoon-fed to the audience. Half the episodes were us listening to law students debate rule of law or the gang explaining why their country's justice system sucks. What they were saying was important, but it clogged the story down so much and was honestly quite boring. It picked up around the midpoint-ish (more like episode 9 or 10), when there was actually plot instead of long-winded lectures every five minutes. There were many other ways I think they could have formulated scenes to show us what they wanted us to know without just telling us outright, and I wish they'd tried more to do that.
I also disliked how much time was spent on justifying the gang's missions and the work they were trying to do. I get it, they wanted us to root for the gang and to see them as vigilantes who are trying to take down the bad guys and do good, rather than seeing them as criminals. To be quite honest, the trailer (especially the initial one) made it look more like illegal gang activities than activism, and I wanted that more. I was ready to root for some anti-heroes, so the justifications felt boring and unneeded to me.
I do feel like the ending wrapped up too easily, and again had them just writing off Black and White not really caring at all (???), but ultimately the last four or five episodes of the show were much better than the rest.
Acting-wise, though, this show was AMAZING! Every actor in this show impressed me at some point. Gun— of course we knew he would kill at this, but the duality between White and Black was so perfect and insane to see. Especially in the (few) scenes with both of them, it was so distinct on who was who. Beautiful job. First, as well, knocked it right out of the park. He's always been a showstopping actor in my opinion, but he really just shined in this role. (Also his chemistry with Fluke??? Unmatched.) Off did a really good job in his role as Sean— I went in not knowing how I'd feel about him in this type of role, but he really delivered!
I will say, I do think I'm in the minority when it comes to my opinion of the show. If you're thinking of watching the show, I'd say probably just go for it and keep more of an open mind than I was able to as I watched.
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