Skip to main content

Present Perfect (Thai)

After a few non-stop Thai series, it's time to catch up on some films and that too a Thai film set in Japan. It's interesting to see the vast difference in stories, presentation, direction , acting and everything else in both those mediums. I guess most LGBTQ Thai series that I have seen so far are all focussed on young adults and hence the stark difference between the two.

The story of this film is actually pretty simple. The main focus in on Toey, a young Thai boy, who has just come to Japan for a solo holiday after a bad breakup with his girlfriend of 5 years. His Japanese friend Yumi helps him with his lodging and is there for him when needed. Toey meets Oat, who is living in the cottage next door, who also happens to be Thai, and is on his finale bachelor trip before he gets married in a few months. The two men start hanging out together and via conversations it comes out that Oat is gay. One thing leads to another and after a drunken shameful night, which Toey regrets, he starts feeling a connection with Oat and clearly romance soon blossoms. Not judging the two men, Yumi tries to be supportive of her friends. Unfortunately, reality soon strikes in. When Yumi announces that she is pregnant, Oat confides in Toey that his girlfriend is also pregnant and that now he feels guilty to have led Toey on. Heartbroken the two men go back home on their individual paths only to very briefly meet at the airport four years later and connect through facebook.

The copy of the film that I had had really bad audio. Not sure, if it just me but because of it focusing on the film was hard. Its heartwarming to see, how the two strangers, traveling alone, becomes friends, start getting comfortable with each other and then also become romantically involved. The film story is simple but is unnecessarily stretched. It can easily be trimmed by 30 minutes. Thankfully the guys act well and Oat is extremely good looking too. They do share a good chemistry. This encounter forms a beautiful relationship between two men, because each has his own trauma. The locations of Japan were really beautiful and you would feel like visiting.

It is a heartwarming journey as we follow the simple pursuit of love. Unfortunately, the very slow pace of the narrative takes away from the high points of the film. (6.5/10)

Comments

Edward said…
I felt very similar and interested enough that I checked out the recently released sequel Present Still Perfect.
Golu said…
That's next on my list :)
Had I not watched the sequel before, I probably would not have liked it... It's pretty uncommon to do that, but I really wanted to know how these two had fallen for each other. I'll agree the pace may a bit slow, but that's how it was meant to be, as there was little physical involvement or kissing. The director already had the sequel in mind, which is why he took time to develop the characters and plant seeds for what's coming next, or so I believe.
A beautiful first chapter.
Golu said…
you are probbaly the first who saw the sequel before the actual first film. lol
Sailor Maan said…
It was nice, yet really slow and needed better editing (by adding some music for example). The scene with natto had us laugh a lot though, bringing some (horrible) memories. So far we have yet to eat it cooked properly, that will make for a new excuse to return to Japan lol.
Golu said…
I have never had natty. maybe time to try ?
Sailor Maan said…
Ooooh be carefull what you wish for hahaha!
Natto is often mentioned in mangas as a very particular dish that, when you don't know how to prepare it, tastes absolutely awful. So of course I really wanted to try it, had no clue it had to be cooked in a special way, and ended up absolutely not disapointed by the famous horrible taste lmao.
Still I hope I can taste some properly cooked one day. In all the countries I've been to, Japan came with the most surprising/unexpected meals, often to amazing results.
Golu said…
Japan is definitely on my wish list. It is surprising that despite having been to 102 countries, Japan has still not happened
Sailor Maan said…
Wow 102 countrie, that's amazing!!! You must have so many memories and things to tell.
In addition to your movies recommandations, I'll take your places to visit recommandations as well now lol.

Popular posts from this blog

The Shortest Distance is Round 3: Fallen Flowers

Continuing with the weird trilogy of "The Shortest Distance", I am so glad that finally I am done with part 3 and won't have to deal with this again in future. Thankfully, as of now the makers have not announced any further parts; which will save all of us on this earth from the embarrassment of watching this in near future. After the first 10 minutes are used in sort of recapping bits of first two parts, the story moves forward. Haruto is now starting to have feelings for Ruka, the mysterious pole dancer from second part. In a fit of rage, Ruka ends up killing the goat man and to save him and Haruto, Shibahara asks them to go underground. Meanwhile Shibahara continues the search for Seiya (the guy who had cut off Haruto's penis). It turns out Seiya is now also taking care of the original club owner from part 1. Both of them were released after they had informed Shibahara of Aoyama's secret location. Shibahara tortures Seiya's boyfriend leading to Seiya killin

One Summer Night (Korean)

I really wanted to like this film but for non native speakers, these movie leaves a lot to be understood and the way scenes were unfolding in front of me, I wasn't sure many times what was really going on. The story had potential button getting any back story on any of the characters limited my ability to empathize with any of these actors. Film starts with two North Korea military guys Yong Joon and Jae Sung having sex and they are caught red handed and they run. Three years later we see Yong Joon in Seoul leading a very mundane and poor life. He has a boyfriend Tae-Kyu, who is a weird guy. He is carefree, doesn't do any work and is completely emotional and financially dependent on Young Joon. In fact, even Yong Joon will go to any lengths to protect him , fend for him and taking care of him to the extent of even taking up prostitution. Suddenly one day Jae Sung appears in their life again. His motivation is not clear but it is obvious he wants Yong Joon back in his life, who

Ultimate masturbation: Shigoki no yama (Japanese) [The Ultimate Masturbation]

I would never know what was the point behind making this film. Was it supposed to be a comedy, cos it wasn't. It wasn't even porn. It was just a silly attempt at making something absolutely senseless and ridiculous. The story, as well as direction is equally shoddy. You could laugh for having seen something so bad, but I wouldn't call that comedy. An old man runs a camp about gay masturbation. The explanation given is that gays masturbate for pleasure unlike straight men, for whom the act is seen as shame or because they can't find a woman. One day a straight man shows up and wants to join the camp for his thesis. After discussion, he is allowed in. Rules include that you can masturbate together, you can masturbate one another, but there is no fellatio or anal sex. Some students of course breaks rule. The teacher then talks about 2 forms of masturbation which gives ultimate pleasure. He shows one without touching and then refuses to talk of the other. Somehow suddenly,