Watch this One for the Smiles......

…..and I mean both the smiles that this series will bring to your face, and also the lovely smiles on the faces of the adorable lead actors.

Plot: This is definitely the opposite of an angst-filled LGBT drama. It is a lovely, light and more than a bit ribald BL rom-com with a straightforward storyline and super-appealing young actors. It doesn’t take itself too seriously (I mean really….the lead characters meet when they just happen to be wearing identical facemasks with a penis motif????) But that’s great as it leave you bemused and smiling – and that is the entire goal of this series!

There are also some serious laugh-out-loud scenes, such as:
-- The moment when the totally lovestruck and befuddled Key unconsciously wraps himself in the curtains while focusing entirely on his “confession” phone conversation with Chen. (Ali King is superb as the lovestruck teenager.)
-- The moment when Chen is having a video conversation with Key, and in the background the goofy security guard Whilce is using his temperature sensor gun to probe his scrotal warmth.
-- The moment when the shirtless (woof!) security volunteer Dicky, having worked up a sweat while learning to dance for Tik Tok vids, picks up his shirt and sniffs the armpits to see if he can put it back on.

There’s no homophobia in this world filled with young love – even the security guards are encouraging the two boys to get together. Chen feels no hesitation about consulting his sister (and guardian) about posting a vlog in which he declares how much he feels for Key.

So it’s all about love, love, love and how to deal with its onset. The only source of angst is the pandemic. The scene in which sister Libby breaks down because of the pandemic-induced stress on her is quite vivid, and you get the impression it was really heartfelt (including just a touch of political rant about poor national leadership). The people making this series were all heavily impacted by the pandemic, and their real feelings shine through in that scene. And the final scene is all about hope in the middle of the pandemic. That scene was memorable because of the build-up to the kiss, yes.....but even more because of the pandemic messaging. Chen and Key, beset by despair and uncertainty on all sides, make a choice for love and hope.

Acting: None of the actors have much experience. But they all had a lot of raw talent. The lead actors did a wonderful job of reflecting the emotions of the characters – even while wearing masks, their eyes did the smiling, and it was SUPER cute and appealing. The supporting actors were also great – Teetin Villanueva as sister Libby was superb in the breakdown scene. And Luis Padilla provided serious eye candy as Dicky.

Production: Very well done, with nice use of close-up shots. Lighting and color very bright, as suited the ambience of the story. Good choice of sets. Background music nicely integrated into the story-telling. I have to give particular tribute to the make-up artists who helped turn young actors with – in the case of Ali King – very prominent five o’clock shadows into fresh-faced youths. There was one scene which showed Ali’s hairy legs, and that’s what made me realize what a good job the makeup team did on the faces!)

But anyway, if you want to finish a series feeling good about life and love, watch this one. I think this series hasn’t gotten the applause it deserves.

P.S. After my third rewatch, I had to go back and upgrade my ratings. I've decided Ep 4 of this series is one of the best, happiest, most true-to-life reflections of awkward/intense young love I have ever seen. If I could bottle the essence of Ali King's smiles, I could cure the ills of humanity.....

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A Lifelong Story that is well worth watching

I have not read the manga or watched the series, so I came to this "Director's Cut" movie version with no preconceptions. I thought the story was excellent, the actors gave clear and relatable performances and the cinematography was also really good. A few comments:

-- The screenwriters succeeded beautifully in capturing "Life" in just 110 minutes. From the happy-go-lucky days of youth through tough decisions about career and family, to the enduring quality of love. The ending was as close to a happy ending as one can get, while still being realistic about the inevitability of mortality.

-- Beyond the basic plot elements there were some very important issues handled, and in a very good way. The issue of one partner forcing himself on the other was dealt with in a firm but sensitive manner, and -- even after the issue is resolved with a bit of humor (the electrocution line) -- the audience is left in no doubt about the importance of consent. The question of mixed marriages (with foreigners of different races) was confronted squarely and clearly. (I LOVED Hakira's line "Well now you can see that compared to a homosexual relationship, a mixed marriage isn't so bad!")

-- The cinematography was quite good throughout. Loved the image of the two boys on the line, approaching each other. And the sunrise scene on the beach was spectacular, both for the cinematography and the joyous acting. Never in my life before this have I gotten teary over a cigarette lighter.......

-- While Hakira's angst over his life choices was quite real to me, I thought there was a bit of unreality in the supportive reactions of all the family members -- his sister and father, and Yuki's mother. Maybe I'm just a pessimist, but I don't think they would be won over quite so easily. It was a nice warm touch, though, that Hakira was able to support his sister in her love, after she had supported him years ago over his attraction to Yuki.

-- I found it impossible to suspend my disbelief over the concept that, with no contact at all, Yuki and Hakira would find themselves in faraway Alaska in the same place at the same time, so they could reunite. Just a bit too much of a coincidence for me. Oh well, I just had to take it as a bit of fantasy storytelling.

But don't be dissuaded by my niggles. Altogether, this is a movie well worth watching.

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This just didn't grab me

This was an interesting story, produced well with very attractive camera work. Among the actors, Adrian Lindayag gave a wonderful performance. (I don't find effeminate gay characters very appealing, but he managed to get beneath my skepticism.)

For the rest, I just didn't feel any chemistry between the actors. The whole thing just seemed a bit two-dimensional. The Luke character was going through a serious emotional crisis but I never felt any of that. It all seemed to fall a it flat.

Also, I have to say that the setting in a Catholic boys' school induced a huge dose of disbelief on my part. Maybe things have changed in the church since I was a boy (I HOPE so) but I find it hard to believe that the level of tolerance for sexual minorities that is depicted in the movie is anywhere near real-life.

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What a wonderful story!

This is a story of love that triumphs over fear and incomprehension. It leaves you feeling wonderful, and happy. (Very different from some of the other great BL stories being told.) I would warmly recommend this to literally anyone.

The plot is constructed around this mythical "magic" device. It sounds hokey, and it isolation it probably would be hokey. But when you suspend your disbelief for only a minute, the other story grabs you -- this is about a young man (Adachi) who is painfully shy and totally lacking in confidence, and how he comes to be drawn out of his shell and into a loving relationship. Despite all that, it doesn't really take itself too seriously -- the various humoristic touches are amusing and enjoyable and they contribute to making the story very watchable.

Strong points: The plot is very good. The acting throughout is also very good. Akaso Eji does a great job of conveying the changes in Adachi as the story arc proceeds -- in the first few episodes Akaso never ever leaves character and makes the viewer really feel Adachi's panic at having his isolation bubble breached. He always looks terrorized. But then, as the story progresses, his face softens and his expressions occasionally light up. When he sheds tears near the end, you know (because Akaso has shown you so clearly) that they are tears of joy. Kudos for a great performance. Machida Keita was also very good as Kurosawa......whose character was not exactly open and spontaneous, either, though he at least recognized what he wanted.

The production values are high, and the outdoor/nighttime sequences are very well done. While there was not a LOT of music, I liked the theme music, and the occasional use of piano and violin solos as background in important moments was excellent.

For me, another plus was just watching the Japanese interactions. I have not watched much Japanese video before and it was fascinating to watch how these guys dealt with each other.

Weak points: I didn't much appreciate the Tsuge character, though he is important to Adachi's journey. I also don't think the story was realistic in any sense in its representation of Japanese society and its acceptance of two guys in love.

But the fantasy is a very nice one, and overall, this is well worth watching.

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Thinking about Life, and Love

I have really mixed emotions about this series. No one should watch it expecting to finding fluffy BL content. It is much more in the tradition of Pinoy LGBT cinema. Taking place on a sunlit farm, it is not literally dark, but the subject matter is dark indeed -- especially if, like me, you are not much of a believer.

The Good Points:

-- The story makes you really think about life, and love and hope (or the absence of hope) and what it means to confront all of those challenges as a gay guy. Some seriously heavy stuff. On balance, I thought this was one of the strongest points in the series -- it doesn't paper over the issues, but makes you think about them and about what you really believe. It also frames these issues in a context of Christian/Catholic belief, which is obviously spot on for the Philippines, but maybe not for everyone.

-- All three of the actors were excellent. Kaleb Ong is clearly a very talented actor and I hope to see more of him in different kinds of roles in the future. His progression from hopeless depression to caring and loving, even while staring death in the face, is the major theme of the plot, and he pulls it off quite well. (The scene where he jumps out of bed, and up into Enzo's arms was so full of joy......what a contrast to the suicide scene.) I also really liked Gio Emprese, whose character Peter is a beautiful man -- so giving of himself to his hopeless nephew, and yet torn by so many doubts and fears. At first I kept asking myself what his motivation could be -- and then later in the series we discover it is purely religious/philosophical. Anyway, I thought Gio's performance was very convincing.

-- Those are the pros. There are unfortunately also many cons. Poor sound quality, which particularly grated during the loud scenes when the characters berated God and each other. Very slow pacing. I'm afraid many people will switch off before they get to the last few episodes where the whole point is discussed -- I thought the scene where Angelo and Damon are talking, in bed, about what it means to be gay, is the best scene of the series (and no one moves!!) and it is a shame that I think many viewers will never get there. The end tries to provide a bit of uplift, but I think it fails just because it turns a drama into a cartoon (figuratively). And it all happens against the background info that Damon has suffered through five more months of debilitating disease and weakness before finding rest. I did not find the cartoon ending at all reassuring.....

So my recommendation is to watch this one if you are in the mood to accept some serious contemplation. Even better if you have some level of belief yourself, because then the struggles of the actors will seem more relatable. But don't expect a polished, high-quality production.

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An Unexpected Pleasure!

I stumbled across this miniseries (thank you, oh Mighty Algorithm) and had no particular expectations. But after two episodes I was completely hooked, and ended up binge-watching the rest all in one go. (Not my usual practice.) It surprised me -- a rough gem waiting to be discovered.

-- The story is straightforward but the dialogues are in many cases truly excellent. The tensions and attractions between the two lead characters make for a confused mix of emotions and the scriptwriter did a great job of bringing them out. As a previous reviewer said, this is all about the closet and the damage it does to people trying to figure themselves out. Apart from the main direction of the plot there was ample room to discover the back-stories of the characters, a discovery process which really added to the dramatic tension in the last few episodes.

-- I also really appreciated the realistic social subcontext. Rocky comes from a background that is altogether too real in the Philippines (or Thailand) -- he can't finish his education because his impoverished family is depending on him for support. The script is not heavy-handed and there is no preaching.....but man, do you get the idea. (And Rocky's devotion to his father and siblings makes him even more attractive as a character.) Many many BL dramas from the Philippines and Thailand inhabit an imaginary world where everyone exists in comfortable urban affluence. This one introduces real-world concerns without being moralistic.

-- The acting was really good. Royce Cabrera is excellent (and super-attractive) as the stoic Rocky. (I could have used a bit more emotion from him at various points, but it's part of the character's stoicism and fatalism.) Kyo Quijano is a new actor, and it shows.....a lot of people dislike his character, Judah, who is kind of a spoiled brat. (Gives a bad name to gay people). But I tend to give Kyo credit -- HE's not the spoiled brat, Judah is, and I take the fact that Kyo was able to repel the audience at times with his whining as a tribute to his ability to get into the role. This series is really just about these two characters -- the supporting roles are really really minor. And the two have very good chemistry (despite the huge gulf in their personalities/backgrounds.) Memorable moment for me: Rocky lying on the bed talking about his family concerns. He lies on his back, unmoving and looking straight up; he is controlled and stoic -- even while talking about his greatest anxieties. But then.....a tear runs down his cheek. That just grabbed my heart -- it says so much about concepts of masculinity and what they do to people.

-- This was clearly not a big-budget production, but it was very successfully done. Virtually all of the scenes took place in the shared apartment. The lighting and camerawork were very good and the music, while not memorable, provided nice backgrounds for the characters. I really liked the balcony scenes, where the two (drunken) characters play truth or dare and end up discovering each other in unexpected ways. On the other hand, the "artwork" in that apartment was pretty appalling. That unicorn had to be the most un-subtle piece of neon art ever -- and for neon art that is really saying something!

-- The plot twists up until the end were good enough that I was actually surprised by the ending. That doesn't happen much. And the sex scene was tastefully done. (I liked that they fell into bed first, and starting thinking about their relationship afterwards. That struck me as highly realistic!)

So I would warmly recommend this as an entertaining and rewarding watch. Don't be put off by Judah's whining, and think about what the drama is telling you, beyond just the characters' interplay. There's a lot to unpack.

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I liked this series a lot. It certainly had its flaws, but I think the strong points more than made up for that.

Pros: Unlike so much of the BL universe this is a highly professional production. Good sets, beautiful camera work (the scenes on the bridge) mostly top-quality actors who gave very good performances. Nice music. I'm glad they pushed through and completed it despite the pandemic and ABS-CBN's problems -- it would have been a shame to leave it uncompleted.

Another pro is the representation of various sexual minorities, which included very sympathetic depictions of their problems and struggles. It's great to see the mainstream media companies in the Philippines espousing these themes.

I liked the actors/representations of all the main characters. I thought Mando's father was a particularly good depiction of a man who has faced his own struggles and come out better (more accepting) for them. And the trans teacher was great. The only one I didn't really care for was the goofy friend. Such a repulsive stereotype!! (And such a clash with the values in the rest of the characters)

Cons: I didn't care for the "Rapunzel" sequences. Kokoy in a wig was neither sympathetic nor believable. (Maybe I'm biased because I'm a big fan of Kokoy, and those parts didn't show him off very well. The dramatic/struggle/humor scenes were much better for him than the fantasy bits.) I also didn't find the central premise very believable -- that Barry would profess to adore his sister while (figuratively) knifing her in the back and then say "oh no, don't tell because I can't hurt my loving sister." WTF?

I'd recommend giving this a watch, if you want to see how BL productions CAN look if they are done with the right professional inputs and resources. (The iWantTFC platform has various subscription options, and the basic is not expensive. Plus, when Hello Stranger the Movie comes out, it will also be featured on this platform.)

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Light and Entertaining

I found this to be an entertaining little story. The love story is not going to make anyone cry, but it is a good way to fill a pandemic evening or two.

Plot: The basic plot of following the love interest of a pastry chef is pretty cool. Some of the scenes of pastry-tastings were well done, and reminded me of "Babette's Feast." Yi-fan starts off to be a stern task master, and the "i don't really care" Kai-en is a nice contrast. Sadly, the relationship development between Kai-en and Yi-fan is weak. You never get the feeling of real love blossoming (or why?). It just happens.

Aside from the tasting scene, the most memorable scene for me was the one where Yi-fan gets trapped during a power outage. David Chiu played that scene very well, and it had a considerable impact on me.

Actors: I thought the leads were pretty good. Chiu is strong. Cheng Chang Fan is adorable in a diffident sort of way as Kai-en. This is Cheng's first movie role, and I hope he goes on to develop his art further. (I'm gonna look for his florist shop the next time I visit Taipei, in hopes of seeing him for real.) The supporting actors were just okay, in my opinion.

Production: Not lavish, but pretty good. Nice sets in the pastry shop. Modern and bright. I did think the wedding scene , while visually nice, was a bit cloying and over the top. (Yes, I know it is highly significant that Taiwan is the only place in Asia to allow marriage equality, but watching that scene was like eating a piece of too-sweet pastry.)

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Entertaining BL: in the Entertainment Industry

One of the best parts of this Pinoy BL series is its siting in the music industry. You get a feel for the pressures that the characters feel (in addition to their romantic pressures) and the music tracks are quite good! (I came away from every episode humming...... Love, Love Love.) So kudos for originality.

The story line was not quite so original......handsome lead is sexually confused. Gay colleague falls in love with him, and suffers heartache as a result. Etc etc.

The actors were fresh. Not all very polished, but good to watch. (I learn from a Youtube interview that Danny and Rico are actually a committed gay couple in real life.....and in that interview they talked about the difficulties of Danny having passionate kissing scenes with Aiden while Rico (Louie Gabarda) is on set. Interesting angle.) Danny's character was by far the most conflicted and the one with whom I had the most empathy. Aiden's challenges never seemed realistic to me. (It was pretty obvious that he didn't love his girlfriend anyway.)

Like another reviewer here, I really regretted that the Josh and Jamie relationship didn't go anywhere......Josh sparked my interest early on and I was sorry that story line wasn't more developed. (Maybe in Season Two?)

The production values were only so-so. Money was clearly an issue. Thankfully they did not skimp on developing the music.

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Great to Watch -- and Then Watch Again

I hesitate to call this a BL drama, because it is head-and-shoulders above the rest of the genre. Plot, production values, actors and soundtrack are all top-notch. There are no tropes, and no easy solutions for Karl, the guy who is soooo scared of his own gayness. But it has a clear message of humanity and the universality of love and longing to belong -- all packaged in a drama that starts out as a rom-com but ends up being much, much more. It is well worth watching (and then watching again, to catch the details of the characters' evolution in their relationship to each other -- and to themselves.)

The production values are very high and the OST superbly suited to the ambience that the director sought to create.

There are a couple of long reviews in this thread that talk about why the messaging is so important, and I won't repeat them. But the reviewers are so right......we have all known somebody -- or been that somebody -- who is shown in this film. And the message that gay people are ordinary lovers and brothers/sisters and sons/daughters who want the same things that everyone else wants (love and home and acceptance and an end to fear) comes through very powerfully. Kudos to Globe Studios for "coming out" on the messaging. Kudos to JMS for knowing what needs to be said, and saying it so powerfully. And Kudos to Ian and Paolo for bringing to life all the contradictions of being human.

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