Love is Dangerous. BANGKOK LOVE STORY

Bangkok Love Story (2007) Directed by Poj Arnon

The plot here, oddly enough, reminds me of a line from Army of Darkness.  “First you want to kill me, then you want to kiss me.  Blow.”  Makt (translation: Cloud Rattanaballang Tohssawat) is a hit man.  He has to support his mother and brother Mawk (Translation: Fog. Wiradit Srimalai).  His mother suffers from AIDS, infected by her husband.  Fog is HIV positive; also infected by his Stepfather.  However, Cloud has a conscience, and only eliminates other criminals.

However, when he is told to bring in his next victim Itt (Translation: Stone. Chaiwat Thongsaeng) he discovers he is only an annoyance to the Mob Boss, a witness that needs to be eliminated.  Cloud balks, refusing to kill an innocent.  His defiance devolves into a shooting match, with Stone doing most of the shooting.  Cloud is hit in the arm, but the two men manage to escape.  Stone takes his assassin turned savior to Cloud’s rooftop shack, and there, treats Cloud’s injury, digging the slug out of him, and nursing him tenderly.  His sponge bath of the unconscious Cloud is probably the start of something that will shape both men’s destinies.  Over the next few days, Stone takes care of the weakened Cloud, and together the men, with a big dollop of good luck, foil and kill an assassin sent to eliminate them.

The next day, as Cloud bathes in tub for the first time, Stone helps him scrub his back, then his shoulders, his chest, stomach…one thing leads to another, and the two men fall into a passionate embrace, consumed by pent up lusts given sudden expression. 

It is earth shattering for both of them.  For Stone, it is liberation, an acknowledgement if his inmost cravings.  For Cloud, it is shocking, disturbing, and scary.  And what scares Cloud, he points a gun at.  He drives Stone away.

Stone has more than just unrequited love to deal with; there is the small matter of his wife, Saai (Translation: Sand. Chutcha Rujinanon.) She senses there is something amiss when Stone returns, but is closed to her, and distant.

The movie is truly a melodrama, geared for the angst thirsty Asian market.  Cloud and Stone’s trials are far from over; the Tong bosses are still gunning for them.  Stone is crazy with love; Cloud is torn between what he feels, and what he thinks.  His duty to his family weighs on him, his feelings are torn, and Stone pursues him relentlessly.  Yet amongst the violence, and the melodrama, the two men manage to convey a story of surprising passion and tenderness.  Sadly, these are momentary interludes, and the overall story fails to achieve it’s potential greatness, instead striving to wrench every possible tear from the audience.  This may be a high art in Asia , but it sadly robs this story of deeper meaning and insight.

Still, it is beautiful; the cinematography of the rainy city, the poverty, and the opulence, all serving to tell the tale.  I find it fascinating that Cloud’s sky top shanty is more beautiful and inviting than Stone and Sand’s clean crisp modern apartment.

And he uses the men themselves, the warm flesh tones, the curves and angles of their bodies to create art.  Stunning images abound.

But the real joy of the movie is the acting, and the chemistry between the principles.  Tohssawat as the fierce, slightly scruffy Cloud brings a lurking menace, and a volatile passion.  His personality makes him believable as the top in the relationship over the larger Thongsaeng.  Thongsaeng’s classic good looks and buff muscular build belies the tenderness that flows naturally from him.  He is not mincing drag queen, despite his enthusiastic acceptance of the bottom position in the relationship.  He is strong, brave, a good shot, and fearless in protecting what he cares about.  This is a wonderful departure from the classic view of the Uke in Thai cinema.  And his numerous scenes dressed only in boxers or tighty whiteys up the sex appeal of the film, in addition to his one brief buttshot.

Taken all together, this is not a masterpiece, but it is a worthwhile piece of cinema, and an excellent date movie.  It suffers, to American eyes, from an excess of tragedy and melodrama.  This is a cultural difference.  In Asian cinema, it is frequently the best movies where everyone dies, where love is thwarted, and where no one lives happily ever after.   Still, this is far too beautiful to overlook. 

Gay Movies:

La Mission***Burnt Money***8: The Mormon Propo$ition***In The Flesh***The Sensei***The 24th Day***Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon***ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction***East Side Story***Dorian Blues***Creatures From the Pink Lagoon***Satyricon***Ice Men***Richard O'Briens Rocky Horror Tribute Show***Prom Queen***The Kids are All Right***Between Love and Goodbye***The Mudge Boy***That Man: Peter Berlin***A Single Man***Almost Normal***Outing Riley***Outrage!***Law of Desire***Love is the Devil***Cowboy Junction***Horror in the Wind***Bedrooms and Hallways***Cut Sleeve Boys***Big Eden***For A Lost Soldier***Midnight Cowboy***Redwoods***The Massuer***Boy Culture***Breakfast With Scot***The Fluffer***Flesh***Little Ashes***L.I.E. ***Dorian Gray***9 Dead Gay Guys***Shank***I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry***Beautiful Boxer***Bangkok Love Story***Schoolboy Crush***Shelter***Back Soon***Dog Tags***Theft***The Mulligans***The Velvet Goldmine***Swashbuckler***Smoke Signals
***C'Thulhu***Milk***The Picture of Dorian Gray***Brideshead Revisited***Notes on a Scandal***RocknRolla***Mamma Mia!
***Priscillia: Queen of the Desert***The History Boys***Brokeback Mountain***The Broken Hearts Club*** Yaji and Kita: Midnight Pilgrims ***Surge of Power ***In & Out ***Mambo Italiano ***Touch of Pink ***To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar ***Wolves of Kromer ***Rocky Horror Picture Show ***Taboo ***Deathtrap 


Gay Themed Series:

Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Dante's Cove
Hex
Carnivale Season One
Carnivale Season Two
Rome Season One
Rome Season Two
True Blood
True Blood: Season Two
The Book of Daniel: The Complete Series
Torchwood: Children of Earth
Torchwood: Season One


Gay Animation:

Pirate's Booty***Sensitive Pornograph***Loveless: The Complete Series***Loveless: Hope on the Run***Loveless: Soul of Chains***Loveless: Lost and Found***Embracing Love: A Cicada in Winter***Embracing Love: Cherished Spring ***Stonewall & Riot***Drawn Together Movie: The Movie***Drawn Together: Season 2***Drawn Together: Season 3

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