Butterfly Man

Beautiful location shots and richly lit interiors fail to provide sufficient distraction from a naive and clumsily told story.

Lacking in emotional credibility Adam and Em mechanically fulfil what the plot demands of them, reaching an epiphany that elicited groans of derision not tears of empathy from a fidgeting audience.

One would hope that an independent film-maker working to a limited budget would attempt to punch above his weight with an emphasis on strong character and believable dialogue. Instead we are delivered a series of preachy monologue, awkward plot exposition and clichéd melodrama that squanders any goodwill the audience may have had.

Kaprice Kea is undoubtedly a talented cinematographer, and I for one will be looking forward to his next film, but let's hope that this time he leaves the writing duties to others.

I wanted to see this movie only because it was filmed in Koh Samui, one of my favorite places. Koh Samui is a hidden gem (at least hidden to most Americans) and I would describe this movie in the same way.

Notwithstanding the negative comments of others, I was pleasantly surprised to find it was a compelling film. Low budget, and a bit simplistic, but nonetheless very moving. With her broken English, Napakpapha Nakpprassite conveys a beauty and vulnerability that was extremely effective. If you want to see a movie that captures the life and the beauty but also the desperation that you can find on the islands of Thailand, skip "The Beach" and watch this instead.

Thailand is infamous for being a sexual shangri-la for Western men, a place where even a dopey-looking Brit (like the guy in this movie) can be a "butterfly man", flitting from one pretty Thai girl to another. Nevertheless, this movie seems VERY romanticized. In fact, it borrows heavily from one of the most romantic love stories of all times, "A Farewell to Arms", even though the Far East "sex tourist" trade hardly provides the dramaticic background of the World War I setting of the famous Hemingway novel.

I've only spent a short time in Thailand myself, but nevertheless several things in this movie struck me as inaccurate or at least very highly romanticized. The Thai prostitutes may be more demure than other prostitutes, but they're probably no more likely to have the mythical "heart of gold" like the girl in this movie does. I also found it a little too convenient, given today's political climate, that the girl's vicious pimp is an American. American soldiers may have heavily subsidized the Thai sex trade during the Vietnam War, but it probably owes a lot more today to the Europeans, the Aussies, and the Japanese. And Americans certainly are not running things (the guys who were always trying to drag me off the Bangkok streets and into the go-go bars and massage parlors all pretty much seemed to be locals).

This movie is lyrical and heart-breaking like other reviewers have said, but it is also somewhat at odds with a reality that is often just seedy and depressing. See it by all means, but balance it out with something like "Lilya 4ever" which is equally lyrical and heart-breaking but also much more realistic.

Butterfly Man is a touching and complex movie about the despair and hope of a British backpacker who finds a deeper sense of purpose in the colorful and beautiful world he experiences in Thailand. The visuals of this movie will make you feel that you are in an island paradise yourself, as they're filled with prelapserian visions of purity and sweetness.

Plus, there's a truly wonderful theme underneath the movie: the dangers of Colonialism and expansion, and the exploitation that such endeavors come with. I really liked this movie.

The two main characters, Adam and Em, acted expertly by Stuart Laing and Napakpapha "Mamee" Nakprasitte, share a passionate bond, one that will make you believe in the redemptive and soulful power of compassion.

Again I noticed that votes on IMDb are not always representable. When you compare 'The Beach' the MTV kids vote higher because DiCaprio plays in it. I watched both movies in a short period, and this movie 'Butterfly Man' was a real good story! I liked it even more because there were no real famous actors in it, which made it more realistic. Nowadays you see george clooney in every movie, with beard - without, you get tired of the same faces in every movie. The cast & acting was great!!!! You really should hire or buy this one if you like real good movies, suspense is build up good, you can't easily predict what is going to happen. I'm not going to reveal the story, don't read the rest, just go for the movie, you won't regret. It's not as lame as the beach where DiCaprio stops a shark with his HAND :) that was a laugh! It's realistic, you see real Thai life, atmosphere, and the nice Budha statues and sunsets. One word : definitely recommended, 8/10. Beware of other movies with low votings due to mtv kids! They need famous actors, guns and violence. I need a good story,good acting and atmosphere, that is what movies are about. I wandered about 1 hour in the local videostore and chose this one. I think I'm becoming a movie-geek with all the bad movies coming out :)