Anyone disappointed after watching this? NOT ME.
An incredible series that GMM25 has delivered and a dangerous new standard for the upcoming series. Why? Read below. This is a longer review than usual, but this series is INCREDIBLE and therefore incredibly hard to only put into only a few paragraphs. :))(Quick recommendation. Listen to this while reading: https://youtu.be/__6Eb2jhceo)
The story is unique and nothing that anyone has easily come close to achieving. Political topics have a high risk of not being well received by the viewers because the pacing often becomes very sluggish and boring if it is not implemented correctly. Another danger with this trope is that romance can often feel redundant and inappropriate, thus degrading the quality of the story. Neither is the case here. Why? The answer is not very simple.
PRODUCTION
Let´s start with the production and filming/ writing of the scenes. Throughout the entire series, one can not deny the beautiful shots that were taken. Everything seems to have gone under detailed planning of how to use the natural light the best and how to film beautiful scenes at locations, that doesn´t depend on much editing. However, one thing is certain, professionals are at work. Both in the filming and editing, but also in the individual usage and choice of music. Incomparable to other series.
Praise to Nuchy Anucha Boonyawatana, Noolek Sureechary and M Rittiktai Kanjanawiphu for the incredible screenwriting. I did not stumble across any grievous mistakes. Personally, I want to thank the creator of "Not Me”, Dem Thanutnun Vitsivakun, for creating this incredible story. She has succeeded in merging the topics of politics, injustice, LGBTQ+ and revenge to a point where you can only be amazed.
And of course, praise for the cinematographer Beat Pramett Chankrasse, he gifted us with captures of breathtakingly beautiful moments. The scenes embody the emotions of all the characters and carefully embrace them. But how are other series supposed to keep up now, mister? I have no idea.
The difficulty that this series has met was the decreased amount of episodes because of budget problems. This problem was briefly felt towards the end, but the overall presentation is so brilliant that the few inconveniences can be overlooked, really!
PLOT
Black and White are twins with a powerful connection but the two are as different as day and night. White is very dedicated to reveal the truth behind the state of his hospitalized brother, but his personality is FORTUNATELY too different to not cause other problems, incidents, etc. This fact is very well implemented by the writers: Without being too obvious about it they make White purposely misbehave in his role as Black. The story and its execution go hand in hand in this series.
The entire plot had so many risks in its adaption, but the series succeeded in not getting trapped by them. On the contrary, they used this fear to create a masterpiece that will amaze everyone, probably even the people involved themselves. The expectations were more than met.
The side stories also have their unique charm, and the introduction of a mute person just gives the overall picture that certain something of realistic scenario that you get addicted to watching. No matter if politics, injustice, LGBTQ+, revenge or disadvantages, each topic is accurate and not exaggerated.
The female characters did not meet the cliché standards of many other BL, on the contrary, they were no tools for the story but - and that should be the norm - they were their own masters, had their own lives and did not have any unexplainable toxic trades. All their reactions were understandable and well implemented.
The characters aren't denied their mistakes either, rather in the series these people try to work on their mistakes. That's what makes them so human and the series so perfect.
ACTORS
Before I get to Gun´s outstanding performance, I start with the supporting cast. The acting of all of them was solid and no one seemed to be uncomfortable to look at. Additionally, I also want to praise whoever cast this outrageous cast. Because even smaller roles like the parents or the antagonist have proved themselves well and worked fine with the plot.
Film (Eugene) and Lookjun (Namo) delivered two incredible performances as two female characters in a gay romance oriented series. They acted very naturally, and one could sympathize with their portrayed roles. Especially Film was well cast for her role as Eugene. Filmshy was also doing a good job, but she didn´t have much screen time, so it´s hard for me to review it.
Let´s get to the boys. Oh. I have so much to say but I don´t know where to start. I have never imagined Sing to ever get this kind of role, but he succeeded in any means. If you ask me, he deserves to get more main roles in series because he is such a flexible and good actor.
The leader of the garage, Gumpa played by Papang. Two words. Unexpected Gem. This guy did such a good job in his role. He also deserves more screentime because he is truly gifted. The same goes for Mond, who portrayed Gram. Personally, I like this actor a lot because he always managed to meet my expectations and I love the control he has over his facial expressions.
When it comes to emotions and portrayed intimacy, First (Yok) and Fluke (Dan) were blowing my mind. I loved their shots and on-screen scenes. Everything in this series worked incredibly well together but especially these two. After watching their sequences, I got inspired and overwhelmed by a sudden wave of motivation. I will miss them. I will miss the PAIN. THE PAIN.
There was also incomparable harmony between Gun (Black/ White) and Off (Sean), again ... but honestly, how do they do it? How crazy can one succeed in their role? The two are a great match and I hope to see more of them in the future. Speaking of how incredible these two are, Gun deserves a special mention. He managed to draw a clear line between Black and White. Cold and warm. Physical and psychological. He was playing both twins, but you could tell them apart. Manifestly! What an incredibly good actor! Mastering a twin role alone is something many have attempted and failed, but none has been as good or compelling as Gun. Give him a huge award and lots of love and attention.
OVERALL
At this point I´d like to cite our POP-Queen Lady Gaga:
NOT ME is “talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, (…)”. In a nutshell, this show is everything and more the LGBTQ+ film community has ever wished for. The sceneries and shots are breathtaking, the actors outstanding and the edit incomparable. Even the use of music has been merging with the entire awesomeness of this show. Every expectation is being met and it´s honestly nothing you should miss.
The upcoming series has a lot of work ahead if they ever want to meet this extreme standard of perfection.
Who am I lying to ... it´s impossible.
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1A lot of words that start with the letter P, and perfect for me...
What do you get if you combine the best parts of Who are you, school 2015 with My Name and add some political fight the power stuff and make it in Thailand instead of South Korea?
Nothing perfect, but definitely something for me... This drama just ticked so many boxes with things I loved taking me on an exciting journey with a powerful political statement in-bedded in a nail-biting plot with just the perfect amount of bromance, romance, and everything in-between...
A drama where the plot is so good that all the "ohh they are so cute" just feel like an added bonus, do not get me wrong there is plenty of fan service such as oil wrestling, dimples and what not... but it does not take over and feels true to the plot. So to say that I loved this is an understatement...
The cinematography the directing, the styling, the writing everything was all well done, there is one point where the clothes more or less match the colors in the abandoned building. Fine there where where a few plot holes here and there, like running around and leaving fingers prints all over the place... and some plot twists were pretty predictable... but as a whole this was really high quality and highly entertaining at the same time (a more rare combination than one might think) . And what can I say even the PPL was noticeable but not over the top. And the so called sex-scenes where very tastefully made.
The relationships are for the most part pretty consensual, though they do seem to punch each other a lot, fight till the brink of death and may just have a Punch and make up kind of take to the classic kiss and make upp... but once you look past that most of the characters are actually rather nice , not so very toxic and definitely likeable.
There is some pretty powerful art and da3nce and the take on identical twins is very interesting.
To conclude definitely a good highly bingable drama for anyone one who enjoys a bit of fight the power, with a side of romance.
P.S After watching Theory of love I was already very impressed by Guns acting while not as impressed by Offs acting however this drama only strengthened my adoration for Gun and gave me a new found one for Off... Their chemistry is phenomenal so I am starting to get the whole OffGun Hype if there is one.
Also, this is one of those dramas where time flies, you start watching it and poof you are half way thru it without noticing the time...
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Not Your Typical BL
My thoughts on this show are below:STORY: I truly feel like this is one of the most well written BL stories I have ever had the pleasure of watching. For most of my viewing, I felt that the writing style was purposeful, captivating, and effective. I felt like the story was well thought out overall and compared to most other BL’s I have seen… it didn’t have as many moments that left me confused when it came to the writing aspect. I will say though that I had to give the story portion a 7.5 objectively because as the series came closer to the end… there started to be some plot holes regarding certain characters and some minor hiccups in terms of when you compare how certain characters and situations were in the beginning to how they were closer to the end. Some of the story aspects felt just a little disjointed in the last few episodes if I am being completely honest. Also, the finale left something to be desired as well. Even though I may say that… I still think that overall the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to this show. I loved that the story also revolved around serious topics such as politics and social issues. It isn’t your typical BL story at all. I could understand why more serious topics for a BL might turn some people off, but I feel like you would be missing out on a good story if you decided to skip this one.
ACTING/CAST: I MUST shoutout the king Gun Atthaphan for playing two roles with such grace. He got the nuisances of Black and White’s characters down perfectly. You could tell the distinct differences in the characters very well. It must be hard playing two roles, but Gun always impresses me with his acting. He knocks it out of the park every time. When it comes to Off Jumpol, I was equally impressed. His acting just keeps improving from project to project. I am proud of him!!! As for the rest of the cast, I believe that they all brought their A game for this show. A standout character for me was Mond Tanutchai who played Gram. I loved his fiery and determined yet balanced personality. On the surface, he may seem tough and assertive but underneath he had a heart of gold and I love characters like that. I also loved that this show explored morally grey characters even more because it really got the viewer to debate on the ethics of the characters actions to a greater degree. The female characters actually had substance to them as well which I loved. Usually, female characters in BL shows are reduced to being nuisances to the main characters... so it was refreshing to see strong women who had their passions. There was not anyone that made me question there acting abilities. There was no cringiness or awkwardness. It was honestly like I was watching multiple award-winning actors on screen. Oh, and one more thing that I wanted to point out was that I LOVED the characterization of each person in this series. You didn't get one-note characters. You got people with depth and meaning. I also loved seeing the backstories of characters. When a character is fleshed out like how these characters were, I feel it really takes the show to the next level. THEY ALL DID WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE!!!
MUSIC: THE MUSIC IN THIS SHOW IS SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!! This is one of those shows that had me looking up the music being played on Spotify so I could add it to my library. Music is very important to me so when a production does it right… I am elated!!! Not Me’s soundtrack really added to the mood and tone of the scenes taking place. Sometimes the music can either make or break a scene and the music turned Not Me from a good show into a great one. Here’s a link to music that appeared in Not Me: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0wln5IkDmnp5fGCf0LWws8?si=48f09b1643224ac7
REWATCH VALUE: I think this show is one that you can rewatch over and over and not get bored because there are many details that you can pick up on through repeated viewing. I was already rewatching episodes over again as it was airing right after they came out, so I think that tells you all that you need to know lmao.
PRODUCTION/CINEMATOGRAPHY: WOW the production on the is show is TOP NOTCH!!! I haven’t seen many BL’s that look this crisp and clean. Everything from the camera angles, to the shots used, to the use of minimal makeup, to the clothing choices, to the locations, to the coloring of the scenes, to the voiceovers. I literally could go on and on. You can tell that a lot of detail was put into the pre and postproduction of Not Me and it shows heavily. It honestly looked like I was watching a high budget movie and to be honest, it looked better than some high budget movies I have seen. The production crew and cinematographer deserve ALL of the awards in the world for their work on this show.
In conclusion, Not Me is one of the BEST shows I have seen lately and I hope it continues to receive all of the love in the world because it’s well deserved!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
This is bigger than us
Who always expects a typical BL will probably be disappointed because this series is so much more. Instead of just giving us a series with a good plot, Not Me manages to combine sophistication and entertainment to create unique art.This series breaks conventions on so many levels, be it visual, auditory (one of the best soundtracks!), or narrative, and ultimately sweeps you away with a storm of emotion.
It has a lot of epic scenes to offer when the sun shines through the palm of a hand and the words "Freedom is the oxygen of life" can be heard, it touches you just as much when a deaf-mute mother tells of her unemployment or when main character Gun dances under a rainbow flag and shouts loudly for equality and justice.
But Not Me is not a clean, beautiful series. It is a bloody and dirty ballad, told with rage, but also a vulnerability, as only the affected themselves can do.
To sum it up, Not Me is an exceptional show that breaks up multiple genres and takes you on a trip, that leaves you breathless and exhausted. But it’s also an important series, who dares to say true things in a world that is getting more and more out of joint.
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A true treasure among the BL shows.
I noticed this while scrolling through the feeds, and everyone seemed to like it. I was in the mood for a thriller at the time, so I chose this one.This drama's mystery plot isn't particularly well developed; it felt almost predictable to me. The political aspect of this drama, on the other hand, is extremely well done. If not well executed, it could have been extremely boring. The romance, which often feels unwanted or unnecessary in these types of dramas, is something I really liked in this. This is a one-of-a-kind drama that successfully blends romance and politics without making either feel out of place.
This drama is about twins, Black and White, who have a powerful bond that causes them to feel each other's agony during a near-death experience. Their personalities are as diametrically opposed as chalk and cheese. They were separated after their parents divorced, causing them to lose contact with one another. One day, after returning to Thailand, White learns from Tod, a childhood friend, that Black is in a coma following a brutal attack on him, which rekindled White's connection with Black. He also learns that Black is now a member of a motorcycle gang, and he suspects that one of the members—Gram, Yok, or Sean—is to blame for Black's current state. As a result, he disguises himself as Black and joins the gang to discover the truth.
Although Black appeared to be a little different to everyone, no one noticed that it was another person disguised as Black, nor did anyone know that Black had a twin. Sean seemed to be the most affected by Black's sudden change, as he began to develop feelings for him.
In a BL, usually the supporting characters, as well as the female characters, usually play minor roles. They are used as tools to bring the main characters together or to cause conflict between them. However, in this drama, they each had their own point of view and story to tell. This really impressed me. Except for a few scenes, the characters in this drama are very well developed, and their actions and reactions are understandable. Of course, the characters aren't perfect, but they all have their own unique charms.
Both the main character and the supporting characters did an excellent job. Gun's performance was out standing and so was Off's. They portrayed every emotion almost flawlessly (Of course, nothing is perfect). Gun should be specially appreciated for successfully portraying two characters at a time who are too different to compare. The chemistry between the main leads was a visual treat and is very pleasing to watch. I hope to see Gun and Off together more often in the future. The actors who played Gram, Yok and even the actors who portrayed small roles like Grumpa and Tod were able to meet my expectations. The antagonists too were so well portrayed and this made this drama more appealing and entertaining.
Overall, this is a really outstanding BL that, in my opinion, deserves more attention and love. Almost every aspect of this drama is well-executed. This is a totally unique show that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys BLs, politics, or the actors.
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Good drama but with some flaws (spoilers ahead!)
I didn't really have any expectations about this series, so went in with a fairly open mind. The casting looked good and the acting certainly was much better than what we're sometimes used to from many of GMMTV's other programs. No slapstick comedy, the characters felt more real and down to earth. No heavy make-up and perfect surroundings. It was gritty and dark, but had love, hopes and dreams as well. I liked the style of directing, the choice of music and the bold topics covered which I can imagine are borderline taboo in Thailand considering its political situation. It was refreshing to see a series which touched on several of these difficult topics, sparked debate and highlighted the plight and issues faced by many in society - including the feeling of helplessness but also the power normal people can have to force change. For all that I applaud the director/writer(s).The acting was good. A special shout out to First who did a superb job portraying Yok as confident, cocky and self sure but also vulnerable, loyal, loving and a cute hopeless romantic. He embodied the character really well and his acting skills have really improved. I can tell he takes his craft seriously. Overall the entire cast did a very good job and the directing was also very good, and you could see the actors feeling comfortable with the topics and conveying the messages.
I think where I struggled was some parts of the story. There were many loose ends and undeveloped arcs. For instance Tod's storyline. At the start he seemed to be a central character to the mystery and you suspected he was involved in the beating of Black somehow. He was the reason White was brought back to "replace" Black so as not to rouse attention of what he had done, and to allow the gang to continue with their attempts to bring Tawi down so Tod could increase his own power. I'm willing to buy that, and it did turn out in the end that he was behind Black's beating. But then his character didn't really go anywhere. We didn't really see his rivalry with Tawi. For several episodes it just seemed to be him and Black randomly fighting, until the very end when we see Tod in hospital - presumably beaten up by Black. Was that it? I would have expected the rivalry between Tod and Tawi to manifest itself somehow on the gang. Apart from White and Black, the others were oblivious to Tod's existence. Even White's interactions with him suddenly stopped. Meanwhile what happened to Tawi and his empire? The gang was rescued from being kidnapped by the people protesting, and then we didn't hear or see anything more.
I also find it hard to believe that Gumpa knew all along who White was but didn't say anything knowing what was at stake. It's somehow not believable. I would've believed it if Gumpa had confronted White early on and said he was onto him but would keep it a secret from the others. It would give White a chance to explain what happened to his brother and it would open up a whole new arc and possibility to the story. In the end Black came back, beat everyone up and then went away somewhere. Meanwhile Sean and White rode off into the sunset.
I'm going to say something which is going to be controversial and many of you won't like, but I don't think the relationship between Sean and White added anything to the story - nor did it progress it in a significant way (if at all). I actually thought it was a mistake. Unlike Yok and Dan's relationship which was linked to the overall storyline, White and Sean's relationship didn't really make an impact. It took up a lot of time which could have been used to tie up all the loose ends, plug the gaps and expand the mystery. I know this isn't a BL, and I'm sure the creators didn't want it to be a BL - but the fact that so much time and focus was spent on Sean & White it pretty much took it in that direction anyway and it ended up being one. The actual storyline in some ways became secondary to them. The two actors work well together and have chemistry, and I am generally an OffGun fan but in this drama I think it was superfluous.
It would have been enough to have the relationship between Yok and Dan and Gram and Eugene. Yok and Dan's relationship to my mind was much more intriguing, interesting and playful - and could've been even more integral to the part of the story considering Dan was a police officer. First and Gawin did a terrific job and they had great chemistry. I hope they get another series together. It was nice to see a happy ending to their relationship, but it would have been good to see them going back to Dan's hometown as he had promised Yok.
So in summary: I did not, not enjoy this, but I think I was left feeling I needed "more". Not more episodes, just more tying up of loose ends and a more cohesive storyline between the characters. There were some missed opportunities with this one. Maybe there will be a season two - who knows? - where the story will get expanded. I hope so at it has a decent base to build on, and good characters.
Aside from the gripes, it was well acted and brought to light many important issues which should never be ignored in any society, and I applaud the team and actors for taking that risk and pulling it off.
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It Had Its Moments
I think, overall, my main issue with this show was that what I thought it was going to be, based off the trailers and such, was not what it actually was. Was it a bad show? No, definitely not. Was it an important show? Yes, absolutely! Was it what I wanted it to be?No.
I loved the premise of the show— a boy pretending to be his twin brother and joining a gang to find out what happened to him, and then ultimately falling for the gang member his brother hates the most. But the premise got lost quickly in the political lectures and long-winded justifications for the gang's actions, and although I think the love story was done well, I don't think the rest of it really was.
Black and White get, maybe, three meaningful scenes together throughout the whole show. In the end, their mystical twin connection was a pointless addition to the show to— what? Give the parents a reason to pull a "Parent Trap" and separate them for years? Hell, half the time after Black woke up he was just gone, doing stuff off-screen that we never got to see. In the end, his whole character was practically unnecessary. Just a means to an end to get White into the gang. White seems to forget quite often why he was even there, and just allowed himself to get swept into the gang's plots without actually doing anything to figure out who hurt Black. In the end, he doesn't even figure out who did it! He has to be told, because he literally just stopped trying.
I can see what they wanted to do with this show— the messages they wanted to get across and, in general, what they wanted to say about the current political climate in Thailand. But, especially in the first half of the show, it felt so heavy-handed and spoon-fed to the audience. Half the episodes were us listening to law students debate rule of law or the gang explaining why their country's justice system sucks. What they were saying was important, but it clogged the story down so much and was honestly quite boring. It picked up around the midpoint-ish (more like episode 9 or 10), when there was actually plot instead of long-winded lectures every five minutes. There were many other ways I think they could have formulated scenes to show us what they wanted us to know without just telling us outright, and I wish they'd tried more to do that.
I also disliked how much time was spent on justifying the gang's missions and the work they were trying to do. I get it, they wanted us to root for the gang and to see them as vigilantes who are trying to take down the bad guys and do good, rather than seeing them as criminals. To be quite honest, the trailer (especially the initial one) made it look more like illegal gang activities than activism, and I wanted that more. I was ready to root for some anti-heroes, so the justifications felt boring and unneeded to me.
I do feel like the ending wrapped up too easily, and again had them just writing off Black and White not really caring at all (???), but ultimately the last four or five episodes of the show were much better than the rest.
Acting-wise, though, this show was AMAZING! Every actor in this show impressed me at some point. Gun— of course we knew he would kill at this, but the duality between White and Black was so perfect and insane to see. Especially in the (few) scenes with both of them, it was so distinct on who was who. Beautiful job. First, as well, knocked it right out of the park. He's always been a showstopping actor in my opinion, but he really just shined in this role. (Also his chemistry with Fluke??? Unmatched.) Off did a really good job in his role as Sean— I went in not knowing how I'd feel about him in this type of role, but he really delivered!
I will say, I do think I'm in the minority when it comes to my opinion of the show. If you're thinking of watching the show, I'd say probably just go for it and keep more of an open mind than I was able to as I watched.
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"Don't You Cry in Front of Them. Because We Didn't Lose.."
It's clear I'm not the only one who was deeply touched by this series and everything it had to offer. On top of getting to see the most iconic duo of BL, we see a genuine story full of power, materialism, vengeance, self-deprivation, love, and discovery. This series has done something I've never seen ever in a Thai series, and that's talk about the problems associated with their government, on top of openly supporting the LGBTQ+ community with no hesitation. Not Me has yet again set the bar for others series to come. Not just BL alone, but for any show coming out of GMMTV. Period.Let's Dive In.
Not Me is an astonishing drama of students fighting for what they believe in, and in the midst, they fall in love. This is why I enjoyed Not Me as much as I do, cause it wasn't just a BL -- it would be stupid to only categorize it as such. On top of boys being in love, we have them fight for justice, we see the tearing and repairing of the system and its lousy implications within the community, we see a deeper corruption within the workplace, and we get to watch all of it play out, with the protests, the fight for equality, and the yearning for peace and righteousness. This series will be one I hold dear to me. I'm sad to even see it go, and can't help but have an abruptly large wave of dejection cross through me as I write this.
Let's start with the things that could use working on since there is little to nothing that needed improving: I do wish that we got to see more of Gumpha's personal life. Other than him being the gang leader, what else did he have to offer? Who was he outside of that? Did he have a family? That's the easiest explanation why we all had our thoughts about him possibly being the traitor of the group, cause we know little to nothing about him. For him to only turn around and not be the traitor, just a guy we don't know all that well. I would've loved to see more of him and his life.
I wish GMMTV would just get rid of their ridiculously ads altogether, since, in my eyes, they really aren't in the need of money from outside companies. Keep them, sure, but just have the ads at the beginning and end of the series, and that's should be it. It caused me to be drawn out when they would start drinking these random drinks, or when they all drove the same car. However, this series was probably one of the first that made it look as subtle as possible. so I do appreciate that.
This is only me being nit-picky, but there were so many different times when they all should've died. Jumping rooftops, running away from the cops, getting shot, being held hostage. I mean, can I really believe that Black (small, tiny little Gun) could out-do multiple SWAT-looking dudes? Or even have the capacity to un-arm them? No, absolutely not, and in a real situation, he would've died, instantly. Again, me just being nit-picky, and of course, the series couldn't go very far if they actually died in a situation that would've realistically gotten them killed.
Sorry cause I'm being nit-picky again, but it was hard for me to grasp the fact that Gun and Off were supposed to be playing scary gang members when they are -- just the complete opposite of that. So in those terms, it was hard for me to completely get into their story when all these actual scary-looking guys were frightened by Black. it took me until maybe the middle of the series to take them seriously. Before then I kind of giggled at their scary attempts or even their fighting sequences since they both have the build of teenagers going through a growth spurt and puberty.
Onto everything else that was relatively perfect: All the romances were incredibly detailed and written by Gods. Sean and White played an incredible love story, although a bit faint in the beginning, it came on strong by the end. Seeing how hard Sean fell for White really hurt when he's being brutally beaten up on the ground by who he supposed was White. Him just sitting there and begging while he's bleeding was so hurtful to see. I didn't have any doubts about this pairing, since it was being played by Off and Gun, who just got it without even having to try. Their intimate moments were so vibrant and so patient while also being so romantically sensual. God, only they could do it. I'm happy that they got their happy ending, there's nothing more that they needed cause they already had it.
Moving onto Yok and Dan, they were just so sexy in a dismal way. Anytime they were together, you just felt this drift of sadness. They were both battling with their own demons but still did it together which made it even more substantial. Dan feeling comfortable to expose himself to Yok like that in such a vulnerable way -- *chef's kiss*. The subtle looks they shared, hugs, feelings, even the very rare times they did share a kiss, it was so impactful on screen. When we find out that Dan is somewhat the traitor, you physically feel the pain in Yok's eyes and the tears that can't stop falling, His artisticness mixed with Dan's as well, was perfection. I'm going to miss them dearly, but I'm stoked to see First in The Ecplise alongside Khaotung.
Gram and Eugene are a nice surprise. Like others, I thought Gram was secretly in love with Black, but in other events, we couldn't have been more wrong (lol). I didn't think I was going to be able to read into their romance, but closer to the end, I just become so obsessed with their relationship. Gram cared for Eugene more than he could even realize himself. Their ending was as I wished it to be, and I loved that we get to see a healthy hetero relationship that's not full of toxic behaviors or weird patriarchy. I won't speak too much on Todd and Black since we don't get to see their relationship as much, but the way the writers were able to add subtle hints and implications, while also giving us a very dramatic, but however the most beautiful somewhat confession scene is bewildering. Their love was a for-sure messed up one, but in some way, you can't help but long for them.
Onto the plot that was seamlessly perfect. The revelations, the secrets revealed, the turnabouts of situations we all analyze at the beginning -- it was just so much fun to see how everything turns out. Gram actually being in love with Eugene and not Black, Dan being the one who killed Sean's dad, Black and Todd being in love, Dan being the traitor. This part of the series was fun, getting to theorize and then see it play out. Which is why I give a huge applause to the screenwriters who did an above-and-beyond job. And also for them to add in their troubles of the government and be confident enough to show it on screen. Speaking politics in a series is hard, cause for some, that can be their dropping point. But this series speak out on what corruption and unfairness looks like in their country, and while doing so, they teach others outside of Thailand that not everything is peaches and roses. Even for them to speak about situations going on outside of Thailand was a surreal surprise, for example, the BLM movement in the US. If I could, I would give the screenwriters anything they wanted.
The acting is superb. There is nothing really more to say. It's just absolutely perfect, and they couldn't have picked a better cast. Them all being able to cry without trying too hard, the underlying pain we could see as they tried to act strong. Urgh, it was all just so good. Gun was by-far my favorite. The way he is able to play two completely different characters which such vastly different personalities, and do it FLAWLESSLY is beyond me. Episodes 12-14 really just spotlighted how versatile of an actor he is. His performance as Black in these last few episodes took my breath away. The way he's able to carry the emotions of Black in his eyes, his voice, his posture. Black is a tough guy who doesn't cry, but Gun plays him so perfectly that you see the hurt and anger through so many other ways. A moment that I can't ever forget was in episode 12 when Black simply lets a few tears drop while hugging White to implicate his sadness, but to also still hold the facade he has, ist's BRILLANT. On top of this, there are the others' performance moments that just blow my mind to pieces.
Last thing, the wardrobe fit so nicely. The grunge, the dirtiness, the dark colors urgh, it's so good. Also just going to applaud the makeup department with the bruises and cuts and whatnot. I remember physically not being able to look at Sean's face cause it was so disgusting. And I loved it. Some of the most realistic makeup I've ever seen.
Ratings:
Story: 9 - I'll take a star off cause I wish we would've seen more of Gumpha and his story. Other than that, everything is pretty close to perfection. I didn't speak much on White pretending to be Black, but that was excellent too. Getting to see him figure out Black's life, trying to find justice, while also trying not to get caught (which he does so bad at lol).
Acting: 9.5 - I can't see anything wrong with any of the acting, even when I tried my best to think of something. But everyone did perfectly. The only thing I could think of was that at the beginning, I was drawn out a few times from Sean and White/Black, just cause I couldn't stop seeing Gun and Off, but that would be it.
Music: 8 - God, the OST was amazing. The way the songs alone caused so much emotion out of me. The time when Yok and Gram were having a heart-to-heart moment? Yeah, I was weeping cause of the ballad. Them in the van crying cause they're scared to die? the sad instrumentals that played in the back? Yeah, I was weeping, Music was one of Not Me's strongest aspects. God, I'm going to miss it.
Rewatch Value: 1 - This series was a tough one for me, cause I was mad at how the justice system was treating them and the way they were hurting, and it physically caused me to hurt too. I think this will be my little gem to remember, but I think it would be too tough to continuously rewatch. I might go back to some of those beautifully vulnerable moments being the main pairings, but that's it.
Overall, this is a high recommendation. I remember being worried about Off and Gun in this because I loved Theory of Love so much, and I was scared that I would have a different feeling if they were to play completely different characters, but I loved the more here than I ever had before. If this is the last time we are to see them in a BL together then I'm not disappointed. They left with a bang, and we are to for sure remember them for as long as we can. Thank you Not Me, for being such a standalone series not afraid to speak up on topics so endearing. I shall miss you with all my heart.
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One of the best shows ever
Let's start by saying I am a huge OffGun fan and an even bigger bl fan. This show has made me realize that you can have a show that is "bl" but is also bigger than bl. This show is so good and touches on so many different themes that I sometimes forget I'm watching a bl show. To me it is one of the best shows I have seen in a long time - the acting, the directing, the cinematography are all so good. Also the song choices match very well to the tone of the scenes.I think this is honestly some of the best acting I have seen from Off, Gun, Gawin and First - those 4 have made me cry multiple times (especially Gawin and Off) and the way the director is able to get such a good performance and find the best camera angle to capture the actors is really a masterpiece.
Highly recommend this show to anyone
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Went into it expecting something different, but it had its moments
I think, overall, my main issue with this show was that what I thought it was going to be, based off the insanely cool edits on my fyp. This was not what it actually ended up being. Was it a bad show? No. Was is meaningful? Yes. Could it have been better? Absolutely, because it wasn't want I was expecting out of the show.As a social criticism drama - this hits the mark with a full ten stars. However, everything else was a mess.
The premise is absolutely the best part and is part of the reason why I was so interested in this show. I am a twin myself, so I am always excited to see them be the main characters. However, this show did not deliver on that front. White goes undercover to find out who hurt his brother - yet he quickly stops doing that. He barely investigated Blacks gang, he was way too trusting and even when they told him how Black usually acts he didn't try to change his behavior to fit in better. Actually, it seems as if he actually has no interest in his brother at all - which is a real shame bc his brother immediately came to him when he felt him getting hurt but he never did that for Black. It was always Black who found White first.
Including White, most characters acted very juvenile in their action. You are committing pretty harsh crimes yet they don't take the necessary precautions. They should be wearing gloves considering they could easily be found through their DNA for how severe their crimes are. The only exceptions of those who always seem to think things through or actually have the skills to get through severe rough patches are Gumpa and Black. Gumpa makes the plans and they are well thought out plus he has many skills he teaches to the others and form what I understand Blacks plans always worked out and he manages to get himself out of situations the others can't.
However, the most disappointing thing I've seen in this is the lack of showtime between Black and White - the whole premise starts with them but they have no scenes together and when Black is awake we never know what he's doing. He's the one with enemies yet we never know what he is doing. I believe the most interesting character is Black which is why its a real shame we never got to understand or see him in action better. The most disappointing thing about Blacks character is his extreme change form those growing up a privledged life and turning into the absolute opposite. i mean, there has to be a reason why he is willing to live like he grew up a gutter rat and is apparently mean to everyone around him. They should have gone into his character more. He was ironically the character I liked the most and I liked Euch as well bc of how she was necessary to the plot in basically playing devils advocate for the law to show both sides.
Besides the incomprehensible behavior of nearly al the characters - there were so many plot holes that could have been solved if they cut down on unnecessary side interests. Show more of the villain's motives so it feels like a well-rounded story and stop jumping from one activity to another without a leading line to show how we got there like the ROL suddenly gaining traction when there should have been more focused on it since it was important in the conclusion.
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This review may contain spoilers
More than a BL series
This series is literally more than a bl series, as far as I can remember this is the only bl series that sucessfully made its lessons, representation and issues come through in a very clear way.Like where have you even seen two people who love each other go under the pride flag, holding each others hands and shouting out for equal rights? No where except Not Me.
The acting of Off and Gun is top tier and I really applaud Off for his acting, you can really see how much he improved through out the years. And Gun, lets not start with him because when I say his actings good IT REALLY IS! I also appreciate Mond, First, Papang, Fluke, and especially Sing's acting!!!!!
The OST's for this series is perfect and addicting. Lastly, I really admire how P'Nutchy (the director) is so brave in putting out this series knowing the backlash she might receive from other people's opinions about opening up about the government and society itself.
I highly recommend watching this series, this is beyond any other series not just in the BL genre!
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Just...wow.
I...don't even know where to start. Grab some water and a sandwich, 'cause you're in for a long ride with this review. I literally don't have words for how much I love this show, and it was still airing when I wrote most of this review. I...don't usually rate shows 10/10 because baby I'm hard to please, but I pretty much don't think anything could take away from my score, not even a cursed episode eleven. I also know not everyone likes the same stuff, so if this show just doesn't do it for you, that's great too! Anywho, I'll update when it's done airing. :)Let's start with the story. Say what you want about originality, but this story is developed and executed so well. I'm literally on the edge of my seat every Sunday. I personally don't like the fluffy, nerd meets jock romances and tend towards the more moody and dramatic like Manner of Death or ITSAY, so getting to see more shows with suspense and crime just floats my boat! Even so, the drama in Not Me is reasonable and believable, with realistic conflict and even more realistic conflict management. I've only paused to take a calming (angry) deep breath twice as opposed to TharnType's whopping 59. Not Me's story flows nicely, and each episode adds layers of plot and character depth as the mystery deepens and relationships form. And those relationships, man, I literally can't. Off and Gun are at it again, still recognizable in their chemistry but novel in their delivery and performance. First and Fluke Gawin! This pairing snuck up on me like a car without headlights and then BAM, literally rent-free. Both of these on-screen relationships, and others, were built up bit by bit in a natural progression just dripping with tension, and I can't get enough. The whole Not Me world is so solid and detailed, and every character has their own traits, story, and reasons behind what they do (even the adults for once!), and I can't thank the director enough for how beautifully this show unfolded. Last important note, Not Me takes on incredibly important topics like citizen's rights, lgbtq+ rights, police corruption and brutality, disability, and even beauty standards, all of which are handled so thoroughly and well to the point of tears.
On to the acting--oh boy do I love this cast! It's perfect, and each actor has tackled their characters with such grace and maturity, I'm blown away. I've loved watching them all grow up over the years in their respective careers, especially the people I'm relatively new to like First and Mond and Lookjun, so I'm literally so excited to support them through this journey of sorts as they get more and more chances to showcase their talent. The eye contact and facial expressions are really what get me with this show. I don't know how they do it, but I genuinely forget I'm watching people act when each character is on screen. A script is really what makes or breaks a show for me, and this show gets full marks. The dialogue is fluid, thoughtful, and realistic, and even the set blocking is great. The story along with each character is fully done justice by the actors and director. But alas, if I had to pick one person who really takes the cake, it would be Gun. I could barely recognize him when I first started watching--everything is different, from his body language to his tone of voice to his attitude. I'm obsessed, and he deserves so much credit and recognition, as does the rest of the cast and staff behind the scenes. I also want to point out how seriously all the set effects were taken, from real flames to nudity to heights, it's all genuine and just adds to the electric atmosphere.
Visual effects. I'm adding this because I want to talk about the LIGHTING and the MAKEUP! Wowowow I'm in love with the warm tones and finally seeing some skin texture. I can't stand when shows come out of post-production looking like no one even touched the color palette, and when actors are caked with one foundation color and a fuschia lip tint. Stop that, no one asked for that. Not Me looks like...what the world looks like through a person's own eyes, flaws and all. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous. Just...wow.
Ok, music--9/10 as something I don't really care about but am fond of for this show. The OST isn't my favorite but it's nice, and I think the only thing I have to say is that whatever music does play throughout the show feels natural. For example, I get so pissed when shows portray an emotional scene and layer too-loud, cheesy music over it trying to tell the viewers what they're supposed to be feeling--we know what we're supposed to feel, let us feel it. This show isn't afraid of a little silence, and I love that, and when there is a backtrack it's non-disruptive and evokes just the right amount of emotion. A win for me!
Rewatch value. I watch each episode twice when they come out. I haven't even finished it all and still want to watch it all again. 10/10, sue me.
Overall, I'm absolutely starstruck by this show. It's gone above and beyond the bar. Please watch this, you won't regret it. xoxo
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