This review may contain spoilers
SO CLOSE TO BEING PERFECT
Honestly, the premise of the story is so intriguing and new. Everything was near perfect but the more it went on, the more went bad.The first few episodes were honestly very nice and good. The fluff scene were also cute. TBH out of the characters, I like Phat and Thian the most. In my opinion, both didn't have any issues and they were both pretty honest about what they feel.
My issue is with Tai near the end, and of course Lomfon. WTF. Honestly, it wasn't so weird if the writers wanted to introduce a new element to the whole soulmate premise, but it feels very random and sudden, as if they just put it there to force a conflict arc.
Tai needs a reality check. Bro need to grow up and accept the fact his parents divorced and will never get back together. This guy reminds me of Theo honestly, whose personality I lowkey dislike. Moreover, why the fuck would he suddenly be confuse who to choose when Lomfon suddenly confess? Didn't you literally had a whole moment/went out a bunch of times with Phat??? Suddenly a new enemy appear and you have a change of heart or something? IMO, highkey feels like Tai thinking everything revolves around him or something. Yeh you're the main character but don't like it. //this is giving me Step by Step flashbacks//
The last episodes, I was only rooting for Phat and Thian. Both deserve way more. I honestly was glad Phat went somewhere far so that Tai has to be the one who searches for him. Phat did a lot already, bro is tired of waiting for you.
All in all, I only like the episodes before the conflict starts, because the plot was pretty ok as well as some characters. After that, it went downhill imo. :/
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A Unique Fantasy Drama
There are many Fantasy dramas out there but what makes this unique is its introduction. Where Tai Says "I don't know what kind of world you live in. But in the world I live in............". As though the screenwriter is telling us that this drama is shot in an entirely different world and they are not trying to show some cringey stuff as shown in few dramas.I may be a bit prejudiced about this drama as the first episode itself got me hooked and I have never felt like that for any of the BL's I have watched. I totally liked this drama and the actors conveyed the story really well. Although I had few complaints with Saengtai where he tried to act childish sometimes when with Phat especially in the cafe and the hospital. But in the end all my complaints disappeared.
The first part of the drama is really really interesting and the second half is all about how their relationship goes how are they going to tackle their issues it might seem boring but it was worth the watch. I think the highlight was Ep10 where leads try to figure out their relationship. I especially liked Phat's acting at the end of Ep10. I can justify that Phat was worried about their relationship if only Saengtai instead of remaining silent assure his feelings for Phat just like Phat did for Saengtai(In Ep8).
I really didn't like Lomfon's character (Not the actor lol). I wonder if people like him even exist. But then again thanks to him that our leads fought which made their relation even more stronger. I really liked Tien's Character always stable and likeable.
Kudos to the actors and the team for making this drama. If you want a good story with constant character development then this drama is for you. Go watch it!!
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An intelligent show for the intelligent audience.
This show does not follow the traditional BL path. You have to be willing to watch with an open mind and accept the fact that things will not go as you expect. If you are willing to do that, you are in for an experience!This show is aimed at a more mature audience. It doesn't only feature mature adult characters on paper - these characters actually live mature adult lives. They struggle with real issues, doubts, insecurities, and hang-ups. The characters are allowed to make mistakes and experience the consequences. It shows what real-life growth looks like. This show doesn't waste our time with fantasy and magic solutions, it does however, use the fantasy element of the soulmate connection to show how damaging it can be to relationships when you expect "magic" solutions.
This show is about making relationships work in the real world. This show is about communication. I think that what I love most about this show is that it uses a fantasy element to tell a BL story (a fantasy in itself) and ends up being the most realistic portrayal of actual relationships, of any kind for that matter. You get parents/children, brothers, romantic relationships, friendships, divorced couple. All are represented truthfully and thoughtfully.
I saw some reviews saying that the characters behave off-character and there are no explanations for their behavior. I think that this is a very surface level read of these characters. I would encourage you to re-watch the series and see how EVERY ACTION is justified and based in each character's actions and thought process since ep 1. Everything these characters do is justified and we are blessed with a show that really sees its audience as intelligent viewers. It doesn't insult us with useless expositions or characters that scream the subtext. It shows and tells its story in an intelligent, thought provoking way that is so satisfying to watch.
So, if any of this sounds good to you, you WILL enjoy this show. Just remember to come clean of the usual BL expectations and really watch the show.
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Is there truth to the soulmates trope?
This BL takes to task the fated mates trope and what it means to have love chained intimately to predestination. This show is about how faith in destiny before choice diminishes the authenticity of emotion, relationships, and connection.This is a high concept to examine through the lens of a BL.
By activating + examining the soulmates trope this show is challenging a foundation of romance: the idea that there is one person meant to be your one romantic partner all your life. This means that we, as viewers, spend much of the show worried about it having a happy ending, and that’s the source of both its brilliance and tension: would the narrative have the strength to truly challenge its own romantic core?
But, ultimately, all this elevated complexity was executed in a somewhat shaky and clumsy manner with the narrative derailing into some serious pacing issues and characters manipulated by miscommunication.
However, with good chemistry and decent acting all around, plus some excellent high heat and representation of consent and a few other rare tropes, this one has to (like it’s sibling show My Ride) earn a high rating for me. I LIKE high concept. I like that we got something rare for BL. I enjoyed it even as it made me think, so despite its flaws.
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This review may contain spoilers
La Pluie Deserves a Standing Ovation
La Pluie has been one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had as a viewer of TV ever. This show told us exactly what it was from the very opening scenes, and then spent the entire show paying that off. This show opened with an explanation about soulmates, and then immediately countered that with Tai’s parents’ divorce, the note that the pairing of people is ultra-rare, and a happy couple that wasn’t a soulmate pair in a café. Throughout the show it repeatedly stressed that love is about how we treat each other and not something you win via a lottery. It’s so rare these days that we get a show that trusts their audience this much to follow the thread and think about the big ideas along the way.Doubt and Faith in Acts
One of my favorite things I observed in the show is that only Patts and Tien consistently make the kinds of choices that lead to long-term love without getting their asses handed to them. This story featured four different kinds of believers: an apostate, an agnostic, a believer, and an atheist. It’s notable that the apostate (Tai) and the atheist (Lomfon) are the ones causing the most harm to other people in the way they treat others.
Throughout the show, both Tai and Lomfon keep making standoffish choices. Tai has cut off his mom and avoids his coworkers. Lomfon is rude and standoffish. Neither of them is able to hold on to their loves because they are incapable of letting go of their own bullshit.
Conversely, Tien goes out of his way to take care of his brother, his family, and eventually Lomfon. I actually liked that Tai and Lomfon had to make opposite choices in the finale. Lomfon needed to show in his actions that he was serious about Tien, whereas Tai needed to show in his words that he was actually listening to what Patts had been asking for.
For Patts, he doesn’t believe that he and Saengtai are meant to be together because they’re connected by the rain. He does the work of caring for Tai because he is kind. He loves Tai because he’s Tai and not because he’s his soulmate. Patts stays present for Tai. He respects his boundaries. He tries to help Tai deal with his problems. He trusts him.
The Ambiguity
As a lapsed Catholic, I gotta say that I really love the way this show ended without fixing all of the soulmate stuff and giving concrete answers. I like that the show holds firm to its conviction that love is not ordained by the narrative; it is something built by people doing the work to be together. I love how this show challenged the notion of the narrative itself mandating the characters be together and instead reminding them (and us) to be present for our loved ones and to listen to their needs.
I think this show would have been weaker if Tai and Patts had restored their rain connection at the end. Besides, I think it gives them room to play with that idea if they get a second season. I also liked that Tien started hearing someone at the end of the season. He is a believer in soulmates, and I think it’ll be interesting to see someone as earnest as him face that challenge.
Releasing the Tension
Before I get to wrapping up, I want to reiterate again that this show has two plot-relevant blowjobs in it. So often these shows tease us and then don’t release the tension. Worse, when they do release the tension it doesn’t always feel like it’s something the characters lean into with their new dynamic.
After episode 5 I had a moment of panic that maybe I was misreading the show and that somehow Patts wasn’t into Saengtai because of how often I’ve been tricked or teased. Instead, these two end up making out on the floor and Patts was going to blow that man. Then, we don’t cut away from them. We watch them talk about what happened and why Tai is holding back.
Later, on the mountain trip, they delve directly into the tension of having two people who are already dating and know they want each other to follow through on that tension as well with their second scene. Instead of cutting away from it, they keep up the drama of Tai’s hesitancy and allow him to maintain a sense of control by giving Patts pleasure instead. This is something so rarely shown in any genre.
Going further, they let Patts and Tai find peace and closure with Nara. Moreover, they treat Nara’s heartbreak seriously. She isn’t ejected from the group, and is allowed to be disappointed and sad about the loss. At the end of the show, they also confirm our suspicions about her and Dream.
It’s just incredible to have watched a show that didn’t rely on teasing us and instead treated the sex and intimacy seriously.
Thank You To Everyone Who Watched La Pluie
I think, if you have held off on watching this show because you’ve been waiting for confirmation about one plot point or another, just watch it if you’re still on the fence. When you do watch it, try to let go of what you think is supposed to happen or what you want to happen, and instead respond to what the show is giving you. This has been the most legible show at this caliber I’ve experienced since I Told Sunset About You (2020).
At no point did this show try to trick us about anything, and it trusts us to keep up and engage. This show is better when you lean in. It’s better when you discuss it with others. For a show so much about questioning belief, it is amazing how much this show rewards you for believing in it. I don’t know a better show this year.
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LA PLUIE IS PHENOMENAL
Listen, this show may take a couple episodes to warm up, I didn't fully lean in to it until Episode 4, but it is an utter masterpiece of writing, the way that it is able to subvert the ideas and expectations around a soulmate story. The fact that the barrier to the two main characters getting together is the *fact that they are soulmates* is an incredible, refreshing take on the idea of fated lovers. La Pluie has SO. MUCH. TO. SAY. about love, what you choose, and how regardless of how two people come together, you have to put in the work to maintain and cultivate a relationship. This show has one of the best eruptions I have ever seen displayed on screen when it comes to the BL "cursed episode" and the writers know exactly what each character deserves. Title is a master of microexpressions, Pee Peerawich is FANTASTIC in his macroexpressions, and how quickly and precisely he can run through emotions. Suar is a gift, and is so good, especially in the final episodes that I am now feeling compelled to watch all of the rest of his work. Copter is still new, and I think he may be a little stiff in general, but as the show progresses his performance gets better, and his character of Lomfon is reserved any way so it works out all the same. La Pluie has so much to say, and everyone need to listen to it's message. This show is perfection. Please watch it.Was this review helpful to you?
“Unfuck it!” – that’s what I call good advice
I really like the premise of the series. I’m usually a bit meh on soulmate plots as they tend to be very cliché, I admit that, but I found this one really interesting. Probably because it’s something I haven’t heard of before. Also, the idea that both decided to not act upon the whole soulmate bond intrigued me.Patt & Tai: Their first meeting was adorable. I did find Tai’s sudden interest in his soulmate a bit weird. Why did he suddenly decide to give him a chance when he ignored the man for over two years? I can understand his wariness on the subject, but the sudden change was a bit unexpected. Is it only because Patt is hot? I can understand Patt’s decision to defy his destiny. He seems like a dream man. He has his life together, is loving, honest. I found the two adorable. There are a lot of things that I don’t really like about the two either. Tai is too forgiving and too understanding at times, he doesn’t know how to communicate his feelings and his needs. Patt tends to keep secrets, he doesn’t always see his faults and tends to react quite aggressively and impulsively. Pee and Title have great on screen chemistry, I can’t deny that. I really enjoy seeing the two together. Their kiss scenes were amazing! Title has also done incredibly in the silent crying scene. My heart broke for him, I think we all felt it.
Lomfon & Tien: I find Tien a bit childish at times. He’s a brat, that’s what he is. But he also seems to be quite mature when it comes to giving advice to Tai. And I really like that, because it shows that just because he is quick to anger, he can show maturity when needed. Or when he feels like doing so. He and Lomfon have everything set for a good enemies to lovers kind of story. With some love triangle thrown into the mix. And I am here for it. Tien’s confusion is something I am really enjoying. He’s so cute, especially when drunk. Lomfon appears to be much more responsible and often ends up being as a not so happy babysitter. He is also someone who tends to think about everything which sometimes ends up backfiring on him. He doesn’t always act rationally, even if that is something he tries to do.
The whole situation between Phat, Tai and Lomfon is interesting. I like in how many different ways the situation can be interpreted. I wanted them all to find some sort of clarity while solving the mess. It might not be a perfect situation, but it is what it is. I just wish this would play a bigger role in the series. The climax to the situation happened fairly late into the series, I expected it to happen sooner and be more important part of the story, especially as it was shown in the trailer for the series.
There are some plot holes or things that make absolutely no sense. From how the boys (don’t) know each other, to why they are keeping secrets from one another, to the café scene, the whole hearing loss soulmates thing … And even why Tai’s parents felt the need to keep their mouths shut about how they are handling the divorce. The boys were all in their teens and older when the two separated, meaning they were all old enough to understand it.
And while on the topic of divorce, I really like the message they showed through the relationship of Tai’s parents. Being soulmates doesn’t necessarily guarantee a romantic compatibility. It might set things up for it, but it does not mean it will work. Love is not enough, there are many other factors that play a big role in maintaining a relationship. And seeing the two parents still be friends is another great message – they might not be right for one another, but they can still be friends and raise their children in a loving environment. Coming from someone with divorced parents who have great relationship even after everything, I can’t stress enough how important is for parents to be able to act like adults and not try to make their children hate the other parent.
One of my favorite advice in all of BLs I have seen, is definitely Tien’s love advice to Tai. When you fuck something up, you need to find a way to unfuck it. Simple and straight to the point. All in all, I really liked the relationship between all four brothers, but especially Tai’s and Tien’s. It’s very realistic love-hate relationship. Like we can annoy each other, but when you need me, you know I am always there for you.
I really liked the scenery and cinematography of it. The locations were beautiful, and the rain often made everything look even prettier. The OST is nice, the sound effects weren’t distracting and it all went nice with what was going on in the story.
The ending though… is that a set up for second season? I am honestly not sure how I feel about that. With this series starting great and ending meh, I don’t know how they could turn S2 better. Plus, I don’t think I like the love triangle they have in mind for possible season 2.
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Rain with a hint of sunshine
From the first episode of La Pluie, no, actually from the early trailers and teasers of La Pluie, we can acknowledge what we're signing up for. This is more than just a love story surrounded by rose petals and glitter; the roses' thorns keep on scratching the wounds and the glitter attempts to cover the vulnerable bruises. We can't merely depend on love in order to stay together with our loved ones.In order to truly understand the story of La Pluie, you must be willing to take part in it.
La Pluie is a realistic portrayal of love, misunderstood feelings, lack of communication, and morals. Each character is imperfect in their own way, there are no antagonists. La Pluie truly grasps the philosophy as such; "no one is a bad person, we just do bad things". That's human nature. Everyone makes mistakes, what truly matters is whether they'll be able to redeem themselves for them or not. La Pluie explores these feelings of regret beautifully.
While La Pluie has realistic characters with their own individual morals and ideals, the writing as a whole is astounding. Some comments stated that La Pluie didn't fully explain things and that the soulmate system didn't make any sense in the end, some even thinking that the story wouldn't have been all that much different without their soulmate connection- but that's where I want to step in, because that's exactly the point of this show.
The soulmate system supposedly not making much sense isn't a plot hole. What would make it a plot hole is if we were continuously fed facts about it while being assured that it's a solid connection between two people, but La Pluie didn't do that. It was made sure that we knew that the soulmate connection is still a mystery in their reality as well, so it doesn't really have any known logic to it.
The message of La Pluie was that whatever your supposed connection is, and no matter how much you love each other, what matters most is whether you can get through your hardships together or not. That's true to reality.
To put it shortly:
What I liked:
- Depth of the characters
- Realism
- Phasing
- Writing
What I didn't like:
- Awkward cutting of OST at some parts
- Using a similar plot device twice
Overall, you won't enjoy La Pluie if you're expecting to get confirmation and explanations for everything, this story is told from Saengtai's perspective and therefore we know as much as he does.
Slight spoiler ahead:
It was a pleasant yet significant detail that La Pluie is a book published by Saengtai himself, therefore the story is told in past tense and we get to see other viewpoints even while he might've not acknowledged them in those moments. An amazing end to a series and I can't wait for the hinted season 2.
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Just had high hopes
Just an FYI I had been watching this with a friend as it released and we both said no its not worth the last 4 episodes after what they just pulled.So like I had been looking forward to this show ever since I had initially heard of it when I was getting back into bls in late 2022 early 2023 and I thought the whole soulmates that can only hear each other in the rain was a really cute concept and like just inherently unique to my knowledge.
Then when the show was releasing I had found it strange that the supporting characters (side couple) were getting so much screen time which I get that like they need development and everything but most shows would only do around 15-20 minutes screentime per episode for them. Unfortunately this show did not end up doing that and it was pretty 50/50 with the distribution which I was unsure about for a good while and then ultimately hated because of how the characters were written. But hey I get it I love a good enemies to lovers kind of thing but like I hated that Lomfon was so dead set on ruining Saengtais relationship with his soulmate just because he had feelings for him. They just made Lomfon such an unlikeable character and then introduced the worst piece of writing I could think of as a viewer with the whole Lomfon can now hear Saengtai and Phat in the rain when Saengtai and Phat are soulmates and I bet they ended up giving a reason for it and all but I literally dropped the show the second I had seen that happen because you had a perfectly good plot and beautiful story for soulmates and then ruined it all just because you wanted to have side character relevance when they are literally side characters and no hate to the actors or anything but this is something I would never recommend to someone to watch just because of how poorly it ends up being written down the line .
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This review may contain spoilers
Spoilers are at the end of the review.I often hesitate to start a show, if people disliked it much. But I try to get less influenced and built my own opinion. So far; I don't think this show is that bad. But the ending is the problem here.. I am really sad right now, lmao.
What I liked:
+ PingPong, Lomfon and Thian. While I didn't care much about them in the beginning, I started to really like them and in the end, they are my favorite characters in the show!
+ The humour is funny and most of the time I liked the editing - even though there were a bunch of mistakes, like things changing their position.
+ The OST is beautiful. I started to watch BLs this year and after watching some shows with OSTs from Boy Sompob, I definitely get why so many people are in love with him. I am too.
+ I could understand Lomfon, Thian, Tai and Phat. Even if their behaviour was not productive or unlogically for some people, I could totally understand all of them, everytime.
+ This show has for real one of the hottest kissscenes. I wonder why not more people talk about them! They shots are pretty, the kissing is great, the chemistry is kinda hot, so...yeah, I don't know why it's not mentioned more often. :D
Room for Improvement:
- around episode 7 I started to dislike Phat. I don't even know why, but somehow I lost my interest in their lovestory.
- the end was way too dragged.
- not every character was as easy to understand as Lomfon, Thian, Tai and Phat. x)
- i would like to sue the cinematographer for the shitty shots we've got from LomfonThian in the last episode. They did so well with the first couple, so what was this?! We were robbed!!! T_T
Overall the show started strong, but the last two episodes were too dragged. I still like the show, but I really have to fight my bad feelings, especially about the very very last scene.
From here, I will mention spoilers:
- Excuse me, what the f*ck was this ending, please?! I swear to god, LomfonThian are adorable, don't you dare to separate them!!! T____T
- The GL couple in the end was cute, but unnecessary. The same goes for the other couples that suddenly popped up.
- The lies were so much nonsense, wow.
- I also don't get why the parents weren't just honest. It was really not that big of a deal, lol. I thought they also found out that one of them has two soulmates, or they lost their connection, lul.
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Good if it had half the episodes - Saengthian is the reason I'm giving it a 7
I won't waste much time doing a lengthy review, I'm just here sharing my 2 cents.Saengthian and the brothers relationship is the only thing that made me unable to give it lower than a 7/10 (actually a 6.8 but oh well). Saengthian turned out to be my favorite character in this series, even if I found him a bit childish in the beginning.
Good start but what happened in the last few episodes??? characters changing personality completely, tons of stuff left unexplained, bad choice of narrative - what directing was that?
I actually really liked it at the beginning and questioned the rating in here but I get it now. So much potential lost!? There were some beautiful shots along the way but overall I could blame the directing for most of my issues with this show. The random cuts here and there, the amount of plot holes/missing scenes, the weirdest camera angles at times, the instructions given to the actors during certain scenes (episode 10 I'm looking at you), etc.
Oh and don't even get me started on the writing. What the hell was this universe? Setting rules and set truths just to break them with no explanation? I started watching this show because it has the same screenwriters as My Ride The Series - which is a very beloved series of mine, especially when it comes to character likeability. However, I feel disappointed.
Also, the Saengtai in the show synopsis, "the man who dislikes strangers and talking to people unnecessarily" is advertised at the beginning but never makes an appearance. If he dislikes strangers and talking to people unnecessarily so much, how come everyone and their mother becomes his friend? How come he immediately gets along with Lomfon or Nara? With Nara, they even comment on it, as if that didn't happen with every single one of the other characters. If you're going to try and create an introverted character with leftover trauma and rarely goes out - then make it believable. Saengtai, who dislikes strangers, doesn't like working at the office but spends his day in a bustling coffee shop instead? He, who dislikes going out, is rarely seen at home during the day? Come on T-T
When finishing episode 6 I was wondering what they would do to fill up 12 episodes - for me the series could've ended with 6 or 7. If the show ended without the amount of things happening starting from ep 7, I would've given it a higher rating.
I'm sorry, but I can't make myself forgive the mess the last 5 episodes were. 6.8 is already too high for this show if I were to focus on those - but I'm focusing on the good moments this series actually has - like Saengtai and Saengthian's brotherhood, Dream's friendship, Nara's maturity, Bow's concern, etc. I'm not gonna lie, though reluctant to keep watching in between ep 8 and 9, then after ep 10, I still kept coming back and I was hooked every single time.
Overall, if you don't know what to watch to pass time, you can watch this one. But if you have a ton of better things to watch, I would not make this a priority.
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Worst direction and writing. Annoying dumb ML
This is the most pathetic direction and writing series I have ever watched in Thailand drama. So much annoying flash back. They leave the current situation and again and again fall in flash backs. On repeat basis. Seriously it's so annoying. Why they can process the story in normal way. I had to fast forward it again and again. And now the main lead. He is so annoying. Any random person can kiss him in the middle of the road and then he expects his boyfriend to be okay with it. Seriously????. Is this a joke. Then this annoying soulmate thing. After wasting my all Saturday off, I hate this series. I was watching it just because of taien. Sorry but I don't like it at all.Was this review helpful to you?
