NightTime (2019)

I was surprised by the high marks I ended up giving this little 3-episode series. But it's an exquisite miniature. There's a story. A beginning, a middle, an end. Two characters who are on screen almost the whole time. No extraneous plotlines. Often a scene is played out in one very plain room, or sometimes outdoors. Everything about it is modest.

Also the lifestyle of the characters. Unlike so many of our most beloved gay love story heroes in Thailand, they are not rich. Not at all, quite the opposite - at least one of them is poor, very poor, struggling, an orphan. And we see that also in the settings, the streets, the clothes, the props, the absence of any fancy cars. Both actors are absolutely compelling to look at - but they are not spectacularly beautiful. I say that as one who is a great fan of spectacularly beautiful Thai actors - I adore those gorgeous guys. But these two hold our attention because of their expressions and movements: their acting. They look like normal, average, pleasant-looking young men. But I'll never forget the beauty of their faces in many scenes: a beauty which they and the camera create. And the story, meanwhile, likewise modest and simple, anything but convoluted, is interesting, as it starts with the idea of repentance, compensation, a wrongdoer trying to make up for his crime.

Some declare this series low-budget, marked by poor production standards etc. It's not a glossy, high-budget production, no. But praising its modesty and simplicity isn't a way of dressing up its shortcomings as virtues. Not at all. It really IS admirably modest and simple in many ways - which in some scenes are rather breathtaking: the dialogue, the facial expressions and movements of the actors, the wonderful slowness of certain scenes (yet in such a short series), the silences, the moments of love, self-realisation, intimacy and total vulnerability. Also the score, a very lyrical piano accompaniment which reminds one at times of some very classy, famous films. Again, modest and simple and just right.

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This film is worth (re)watching for at least five reasons; and though I have only watched the film once, I suspect I'll rate it 10/10 after a second and third viewing. First, the actors act shyly towards each, which is very refreshing. Second, each character reveals to the other that he is confused about their developing relationship, while Time cares for Night. Third, there is a believable and moving shyness about their relationship, an awkwardness between them because their relationship seems to emerge from nowhere, and neither has expected to develop such intense feelings for the other. Fourth, the story develops the themes of personal responsibility, sensitivity, openness, and atonement, all important themes to reflect on in our lives and relationships. Fifth, a very tender scene happens at the edge of the bed, when Time insists on washing Night, who can not bathe himself properly because of his injured arm. Nor should you be put off by the ending, which inspires hope as Night and Time experience their first struggle being apart as a couple.

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This is a mini series with about 20 minutes per episode, so we can't expect a very complex story. The series starts with Time shooting Night by accident and then trying to make amends for it. It's a BL series of sorts, so not unexpectedly, they fall in love. The part about the shooting is ignored until the very end of the series.

There are quite a number of inexplicable moments in the story: what on earth is Time doing with a gun? Why doesn't Time seem scared of being caught by the police at any point in the story? Why does Time suddenly leave Night and asks his girlfriend/ex-girlfriend to meet him?

Then just after I have managed to suspend my disbelief about how Time can get away with possessing a gun and shooting someone and embrace the happy ending, Time is suddenly caught by the police in the ending sequence, almost as if the scriptwriters suddenly thought, "Hey, we forgot to follow up on the shooting incident. Let's use it to create an unhappy ending because we hate the viewers!"

On top of the sudden turn that ends the series, the cinematography is rather strange. The arrest of Time is filmed from a distance without any dialogue. We can guess the emotions of the characters, but why film it from so far away? (Incidentally, there were some scenes where the close-ups were not very helpful.) One wonders if it is because of a lack of faith in the actors' acting. Oak, who plays Night, delivers his role competently enough. The shyness he exudes as Night is endearing if somewhat exaggerated, and it would have been interesting to see how he would act in the final scene.

I think the strongest flaw in the series is the failure to make the shooting incident something that lingers in the background. Time's friends could have mentioned that the police are looking for him, and Night could have at least shown some concern about whether Time would be arrested. Alternatively, the writers could simply have opted for an alternative story and happy ending that renders the shooting incident unnecessary. An alternative story could have Time injuring Night by accident: the rest of the story can still make sense with minor tweaks and the story can end with a happy ending after Night gives Time a watch. This alternative story may have nothing interesting, but the actual story isn't actually any better and at least the alternative story would have more coherence and a crowd-pleasing happy ending.

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Too long at under an hour

So little happens here, with even less real character development, that I can’t recommend this one. It’s a student film quality project. The boys meet, with very little interaction they fall in love, one gets confused for a moment, then it ends tragically. There’s not enough here to truly invest in these characters and their journey. Too many unanswered question (as other reviewers point out), not enough of an arc for either character. We are left guessing and filling in the blanks. Lazy writing at best.

Both actors have cringe worthy moments, but then both show great vulnerability, awkwardness and delight that bubbles over. I want to see them in better roles with better direction.

A quick distraction at best but not really worth your time.

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(I think you should watch this BL mini-mini-series... you'll enjoy it!!)

Tiene sólo tres capítulos, y dura poco más de 60 minutos, pero esta encantadora mini-serie dirigida por Nicchi Chaianun te gustará. La trama, a pesar de su sencillez y que da pistas de por donde sigue la historia, es poco vista en el género. Y, lo más importante, "suena a verdad". Lo que cuenta, simplemente, es verosímil y te lo crees.

Bien es cierto que los actores son cuasi-noveles y eso se nota. Pero tienen suficiente carisma y solvencia para interpretar sus papeles más que bien. Los protagonistas Puwanart Runapnain (Night) y Film Worawit (Time) son dos actores a los que seguir. La banda sonora es fabulosa y la canción principal es brillantísima. Se te queda pegada a las neuronas y la volverás a tararear y escuchar un montón.

Es una serie breve, es cierto, y te quedas con muchas ganas de conocer más de estos personajes. Ese es el éxito de "NightTime". Y que tenga más de 1.000.000 de reproducciones en su canal oficial de YouTube, siendo una historia "pequeña" de una productora "pequeña", sinceramente, me alegra. Dale un oportunidad.

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Assista por sua conta e risco

Meu Deus, que perda da tempo terrível ver esses 3 eps. Ainda bem que são apenas 3, se fossem mais eu iria dropar.

Comecemos pelo plot mais sem sentido que já vi. Um indivíduo, que aparentemente não é boa bisca, inicia um tiroteio que fere um rapaz. O rapaz estava vestido como um guarda, um policial, sei lá, mas na verdade ele é apenas um estudante do ensino médio. O cara que atirou tem uma crise de consciência e vai até a casa do ferido se oferecer para ajudá-lo, já que é o culpado por ele estar machucado e não poder fazer certas coisas. O querido que levou um tiro, ao ver o agressor, faz o que? Chama a polícia para prendê-lo? Não, faz melhor, abre as portas de sua casa para que o lindo entre e o ajude (??????).
Com o passar dos dias se apaixona por ele, gente, eu quis morrer de vergonha alheia do absurdo que foi ele praticamente convidando o atirador para o quarto dele, pelo amor de God. Enfim eles tem uma noite de sexo e o lindo some pq na verdade tem uma namorada, a tal gangue da qual ele fazia parte sumiu no ar, a polícia não o procurou, mas apareceu uma namorada que só terminou o relacionamento pq ela quis, pois ele aparentemente pretendia empurrar com a barriga. E a cereja do bolo foi vítima e agressor terminarem juntos, depois de romantizarem violência, crime, agressão, traição, mentira. Tô chocada.

A série é de baixo orçamento, de uma empresa pequena, poucos atores e locações, sem uma ost decente e a atuação é péssima. Eu não perderia meu tempo revendo, mas caso queira ver, que seja por sua conta, e vá sabendo que vai passar raiva. Sem mais.

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