Rak haeng Siam

I enjoyed tremendously this coming-of-age Thai film.

It could easily hit the world market if it is wisely edited: 2 hours and 10 minutes is too much for a non-Thai public; the story drags for too long. The script tries to touch some issues that derive the plot from its center. Some scenes are too slow and even reiterative. The casting is good enough as the two boys are cute and the rest of the cast fit their roles with different success. The acting is very credible for the two main characters and also the mother of Tong and the granny of Mew, not that much for the others. The music is an important feature in this film and it is very nice. The placing and moving of the camera is very fresh and helps to enhance the situations. Lighting and photography are good enough. I wish the best to this film and its director.

I watched 'Rak haeng Siam' a week ago. And I love this movie!

Despite the recent controversy about gay issues in Thailand, this movie is not focused only on gay romances, but love in general.

In the movie, we witness various types of people's relationships and the acts of love they do to each other, whether they are of mother and son, brother and sister, grandmother and grandson, husband and wife, or the love among friends.

'As long as there's love, there's hope'. This sentence is from one of the film's theme songs (which are mostly written by the director-writer himself), and it exactly presents the tone of the movie: heartwarming and hopeful.

While being promoted as a movie about love, 'Rak haeng Siam' is also one of the best family and coming of age movies ever made. We can see how the characters have to cope with their past losses, and how they overcome their grief. The teenagers have found who they really are, what they want, and go on with their lives. These serious topics are delicately presented, thanks to the director who brilliantly helms the movie.

All the main cast are at their best, especially veteran Sinjai Plengpanit, as a woman who's desperate to save her family from being torn apart. Her performance is heartbreaking. Another praise for newcomers Witwisit Hirunwongkul and Mario Maurer, who play the major teenage roles. They are so into the characters we could believe this is real.

'Rak haeng Siam' is indeed a good film as many have said. It tells us even though our love is unanswered, we can still learn from it, and we should be grateful that, at least, we are once capable of loving.

Needless to say that so many people have been touched by the movie. But why? I can't even remember which was the last movie that touched me for years...

I would say it's due to "purity". Nothing but love in the movie, all kinds of love, family, friends, lovers... everyone in the movie loves everyone else in the movie in their own ways, almost, but very tragical at the same time...

There is not much contrast used in the movie, unlike other love movies, e.g. love vs. war, or love vs. religion etc... even the boy-boy love looks so natural...

They are just common people, common family, common school, common boys and girls, you cannot say anything from their material lives that you don't have, but i bet you may not have their love.

And some thinks the movie is too long... but i would say, this is why the movie is so depictive... i recall a flavour of famous Shanghai female writer... the very old song played by the granny is from Shanghai singer, Wu Yingyin, who's still alive and singing. :)

I am not a Thai...so I watched this movie with English subtitles...

I love this movie and from last weekend, I watched this movie at least twice.

After I watched this movie, I wanted to share my feelings, and I was confused because some people say this movie is a gay movie...

I strongly disagree with that.

I am living away from my parents. I am going back to my country in about a month.

In this movie, there are many love cases. Family love, Friends love... and so on...

Even though it was sad when Mew cried after Tong said to him that he can't be his boyfriend. But for me, my tears flowed when Tong's mom was in desperate situations. Her husband was alcoholic and she found out that Tong may be homosexual. She was so realistic. I could see her love for Tong, her son.

After I watched this movie, I missed my family and friends. I felt like whether I can take this being-alone thing... What if all these things turn out to be nothing...the things that Mew said about love were really touching to me... Especially I miss my family and friends.

This is not a gay movie. I did not feel like this is a gay movie except for the part when Tong and Mew kissed. But I understood that the director wanted to emphasize that point which means that Tong and Mew finally expressed how each one feels about the others.

This movie is about LOVE in our life. I agree that this movie does contain a gay-theme, but that is just a part of it.

Just some general commentary as a U.S. viewer watching this movie: It's beautifully directed. I can't comment much on the writing, but as a gay viewer in particular, I really appreciate that the script interweaves two stories: coming out and the coherence of family in a time of grief. The reason I appreciate this is that, even in the U.S., when movies deal with homosexuality, it is generally treated as a singular issue that is separate and distinct from all others. In reality it is one part of the fabric of family and love that comprises everyone's life. Without this key insight, I think the movie would deal with the issue in too patronizing or shallow a manner, as many gay-themed movies do.

Prior to watching I was acutely aware of the commentary that the movie is overlong and not focused enough. There is some truth to this; it is a very long movie for its subject matter. But I think the movie's main strength is in its characters and central subject matter. With too much editing, I could easily see how the core of the movie would be lost. For me personally I was glad the director erred in favor of too much immersion in the interplay between his characters.

As to acting -- clearly I don't speak or understand Thai. But I think some things are universal, like the mother's strength and resolve in times of crisis. And of course Mew's smile. The connection is there.

I loved the movie and I hope it finds its way to broader distribution. If nothing else, the soundtrack should -- it's truly great.

Cheers!