This review may contain spoilers
YNEH just gave me the hardest slap of reality fr!!!!
This is one of the well-made BL out there, raw and real. The roughest depiction of reality about the "back in the day" era where homosexuality is seen sinful and prejudiced by many. Yes those instances where a group of straight male peers who tried to set fire in a gay's dick in the bathroom! I love how the drama was portrayed especially with two commendable main leads. I'm really a sucker for actors who delivers the drama that I needed and what is needed. Edward Chen's acting is superb and outstanding especially where the drama became intense: Chang Jia Han having intense dialogue with the priest about how homosexuality is a sin and him and Birdy having steamy scene in the bathroom and the dramatic fight in the guidance's office where Jia Han defends Birdy from his father. Tseng Jing Hua as Birdy delivered very well too.
I also love how the drama swayed from stigma towards LGBTQIA to the realistically relatable feeling of Jia Han struggling to hold his emotions because he fell out of love bucz of Birdy. I was like being so invested in the drama that I love the sequencing of it. It didn't really stayed on one topic which is homophobia but also martial law, unrequited love and rebellion of youth group. The drama never failed to stab daggers in my heart everytime Jia Han get hurt. I imagined that I was him and just wanting to own Birdy all by myself.
One of the scene that stood out to me was the one dialogue of Jia Han something along the lines "If homosexuality is a sin and gay people condemned into hell then I beg Him to put me in hell to be happy to who I want to love, please I'm begging you!" That line from me is gut wrenching bcuz Jia Han begs to be understood as a man begging to be happy loving another man regardless.
Jia Han just stood out to me bcuz of how passionate he is to Birdy and how he go through extreme extent to protect him. Birdy, on the other hand, needs a brick in the head to realize how hurtful it is for Jia Han to be ignored and pushed aside just bcuz a girl entered the scene. I hate the scene where Birdy punched Jia Han bcuz he was interfering his confrontation with his father in the office. I don't really get why he did that. That's just awful bcuz Jia Han never deserve something like that.
I love the direction, the jumping on every different scenes in the series. One scene after another which overlapped beautifully. The cinematography is aesthetically nostalgic which kinda resembles that of I Told Sunset About You. It's just beautiful when they incorporate that effect to emphasize the nostalgia of living back in the day. The writings for this movie is well executed. The realistic depiction of this raw ass movie is just outstanding for me. The explicit scenes in the grave where these hoes getting steamy with guys in a cemetery lot, the sensual touch of Jia towards Birdy's body, the scene in beach where Jia and Birdy got naked enjoying the water and laying naked in the sand. Those, were just chef's kiss. One of the touching scenes of the movie that I also love was the one Jia conversing with Birdy through the telephone and tearfully played his written song for him to listen. It's just a beautiful scene just enough to make your eyes watery and provoke your emotions.
I also want to pinpoint very few flaws of the movie. The fact that the two never really end up together and they grew older separately only to meet up years later. That's something I think they need to change. While that can be something true to happen, it's just dissatisfying for me. Not really a fan of them being separated then grew older just to cross paths with each other again. I kinda like the ending tho but I think there must be another cool ending to that.
Overall, this is really a very good movie to just get you in your emotions and make your eyes sore from crying. I might add that this was one of the best BLs out there bcuz it mirrors reality about how people in the past being prejudiced toward gay people. This is just a masterpiece I never expected but greatly appreciated.
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