I have seen quite a few LGBT films, and while many are very poorly done and have been cheesier than I care to admit, this film is somewhat more impressive in that nothing much happens, at least nothing that hasn't been done in other films. The movie is SLOW, and deals with the family drama of losing a business, and having a closeted son in the Asian culture over actually being a "gay" movie. This film does plenty of things right; the acting is superb, the use of language is handled in a very interesting way (it's great seeing Korean actors speaking Spanish), and a lot of the cinematography was top notch. But for a lot of the film, nothing much happens. They eat, he "studies", they drink, they eat, they fight, etc. But not much is really shown about being gay. It's really a story about a young boy figuring himself out, not having any life experience, and making the most out of a very difficult situation.
Overall, this film kept my interest to the end, but I would not recommend it to anyone, least of all anyone looking for a real insight into the closeted Asian mindset. If anything, it is an exercise in restraint, and aside from some very tame sex scenes, it really could have been a made for TV film. It also ends abruptly, and you never really get any closure. I was just not happy with the final product. For a directorial debut, it could use with a better editor and some punch-ups in the writing department. That being said, this is simply an average film that could have been something much more if they didn't restrain themselves so much. It's almost like everyone involved had no real idea what it's like to be gay in Los Angeles, which is unfortunate.
A note to the creative team; This is an adult film. Start treating your audience like adults.
Overall, this film kept my interest to the end, but I would not recommend it to anyone, least of all anyone looking for a real insight into the closeted Asian mindset. If anything, it is an exercise in restraint, and aside from some very tame sex scenes, it really could have been a made for TV film. It also ends abruptly, and you never really get any closure. I was just not happy with the final product. For a directorial debut, it could use with a better editor and some punch-ups in the writing department. That being said, this is simply an average film that could have been something much more if they didn't restrain themselves so much. It's almost like everyone involved had no real idea what it's like to be gay in Los Angeles, which is unfortunate.
A note to the creative team; This is an adult film. Start treating your audience like adults.