Review by Amos Lassen
By: Amos Lassen
Do not let the title mislead you-this movie is not about playing checkers at all; rather it teaches us about 'fair' systems with unfair practices, the futility of believing in karma, and life among the lower class residents of Thailand. It is based o...
Read More
Do not let the title mislead you-this movie is not about playing checkers at all; rather it teaches us about 'fair' systems with unfair practices, the futility of believing in karma, and life among the lower class residents of Thailand. It is based on two short stories by Rattawut Lapcharoensap that director Josh Kimi brings together to create an examination of how brotherly love can be misunderstood. Additionally it looks at sexual politics in Thailand and the famous kathoey (ladyboys). The film was made using flashback by it shows two specific events that he young Oat (Ingkarat Damrongsakkul) is reminded of through a dream he is haunts him regularly. One of these events is the image of his brother Ek (Thira Chutikul) accidentally self-immolating when mixing homemade methamphetamine.
The title of the movie comes from the book that young Oat picks up at the market one day. Ek has told him that he will only take him out drinking one night when he beats him in one their regular checkers games.
Thailand has a compulsory draft lottery for all of its male citizens at 21, and they are held in public. Oat watches his brother's attempts to deal with the reality of being too poor to bribe his way out of it, and his desperate attempts to earn money at the local cafe. The draft is quite an issue because Ek is the primary source of income for him and his sister, but also because of rising tensions in the south, and the fact that his rich boyfriend Jai (Arthur Navarat) has bribed his way out. When Oat attempts to help by stealing said bribe, Ek is only placed in a more perilous position, being to work as more than just a bartender for the local extortioner and crime boss. This is a story of the triumph of the will over the that conspire against the individual. Thailand is considered progressive with regard to LGBT people, and Ek and Oat's frank friendship with local pre-op woman Kitty (Natarat Lakha) supports this. The film is critical about the issues that surround gays in both in military life and prostitution.
As Oat tries to learn how to best his brother in checkers, he learns that for someone to win, the opponent has to lose, whether it's fair or not. This is quite a gritty film but it is never exploitative even while it treads a line between incendiary subjects, it is restrained. The film was made with flashbacks and even with flashbacks-within-a-flashback. Oat, as an adult, (Toni Rakkaen) remembers events from ten years earlier, when his older brother Ek (Thira Chutikul) faced the draft lottery.
Let's look back in time for a few moments. Ek is openly gay and has been dating Jai since they met at high school and they are very much an 'item' even though Jai is everything that Ek isn't. He's rich, tall, and white. What is waiting for the two lovers is as they are about to have their 21st birthdays they will have to take part in the compulsory State Lottery to see if they will have to do Military Service or not. Jai's wealthy father gave money to the local Crime lord to bribe the Officials so that his son makes a good draw, but Jai doesn't share with his Ek. However young Oat overhears the deal going down and when he cannot convince Ek of what he has heard, he takes matters in his own hands and tries to steal some money so that his big brother will also be safe from military duty.
However, Oat's plan fails and Ek has to face losing his job as a bartender and becoming an escort so that the family can eat. He refuses to buy his way out of the army and he refuses to believe that his Jai would ever agree to being party to such an arrangement.
That Ek and Jai are gay does not matter to anyone and even Oat accepts his brother's sexuality and never even thinks about it. There is also a subplot of teen who is transitioning and he/she was excused from the draft with no questions.
This story of social inequality could easily have become melodramatic but the director Josh Kim has successfully avoided that and this is because of the concentration on friendship rather than stereotypes. This is Korean/American filmmaker Josh Kim's first feature-length dramatic film and it beautifully flows with warmth, contemplation and social criticism. In fact, it is Korea's submission to this year's Oscar race and this alone speaks for the wonderful film that we have here.
The two dominant themes here are coming-of-age and family and the film is a balanced look at life in Thailand, a country where the opportunities and privileges enjoyed by the rich, and the hardships endured by the poor are far more visible than they here in America. It is also wonderful to see that the sexuality and gender identities of the characters are almost incidental. Yet, the film does not avoid the less pleasant aspects of the life Ek lives. It is a life in which Ek cannot protect Oat from seeing and, to some degree, eventually becoming part of. (This includes work in the sex trade, as well as some degree of unsavory conduct that we never learn about in detail). It is suggested is that Oat grows up to play the games of the haves in order to escape his status as a have-not.
The film is beautifully shot by cinematographer Nikorn Sripongwarakul and the wonderful music score is by Boovar Isbjornsson.
Review by Amos Lassen
By: Amos Lassen
Do not let the title mislead you-this movie is not about playing checkers at all; rather it teaches us about 'fair' systems with unfair practices, the futility of believing in karma, and life among the lower class residents of Thailand. It is based o...
Read More
Do not let the title mislead you-this movie is not about playing checkers at all; rather it teaches us about 'fair' systems with unfair practices, the futility of believing in karma, and life among the lower class residents of Thailand. It is based on two short stories by Rattawut Lapcharoensap that director Josh Kimi brings together to create an examination of how brotherly love can be misunderstood. Additionally it looks at sexual politics in Thailand and the famous kathoey (ladyboys). The film was made using flashback by it shows two specific events that he young Oat (Ingkarat Damrongsakkul) is reminded of through a dream he is haunts him regularly. One of these events is the image of his brother Ek (Thira Chutikul) accidentally self-immolating when mixing homemade methamphetamine.
The title of the movie comes from the book that young Oat picks up at the market one day. Ek has told him that he will only take him out drinking one night when he beats him in one their regular checkers games.
Thailand has a compulsory draft lottery for all of its male citizens at 21, and they are held in public. Oat watches his brother's attempts to deal with the reality of being too poor to bribe his way out of it, and his desperate attempts to earn money at the local cafe. The draft is quite an issue because Ek is the primary source of income for him and his sister, but also because of rising tensions in the south, and the fact that his rich boyfriend Jai (Arthur Navarat) has bribed his way out. When Oat attempts to help by stealing said bribe, Ek is only placed in a more perilous position, being to work as more than just a bartender for the local extortioner and crime boss. This is a story of the triumph of the will over the that conspire against the individual. Thailand is considered progressive with regard to LGBT people, and Ek and Oat's frank friendship with local pre-op woman Kitty (Natarat Lakha) supports this. The film is critical about the issues that surround gays in both in military life and prostitution.
As Oat tries to learn how to best his brother in checkers, he learns that for someone to win, the opponent has to lose, whether it's fair or not. This is quite a gritty film but it is never exploitative even while it treads a line between incendiary subjects, it is restrained. The film was made with flashbacks and even with flashbacks-within-a-flashback. Oat, as an adult, (Toni Rakkaen) remembers events from ten years earlier, when his older brother Ek (Thira Chutikul) faced the draft lottery.
Let's look back in time for a few moments. Ek is openly gay and has been dating Jai since they met at high school and they are very much an 'item' even though Jai is everything that Ek isn't. He's rich, tall, and white. What is waiting for the two lovers is as they are about to have their 21st birthdays they will have to take part in the compulsory State Lottery to see if they will have to do Military Service or not. Jai's wealthy father gave money to the local Crime lord to bribe the Officials so that his son makes a good draw, but Jai doesn't share with his Ek. However young Oat overhears the deal going down and when he cannot convince Ek of what he has heard, he takes matters in his own hands and tries to steal some money so that his big brother will also be safe from military duty.
However, Oat's plan fails and Ek has to face losing his job as a bartender and becoming an escort so that the family can eat. He refuses to buy his way out of the army and he refuses to believe that his Jai would ever agree to being party to such an arrangement.
That Ek and Jai are gay does not matter to anyone and even Oat accepts his brother's sexuality and never even thinks about it. There is also a subplot of teen who is transitioning and he/she was excused from the draft with no questions.
how to win4
This story of social inequality could easily have become melodramatic but the director Josh Kim has successfully avoided that and this is because of the concentration on friendship rather than stereotypes. This is Korean/American filmmaker Josh Kim's first feature-length dramatic film and it beautifully flows with warmth, contemplation and social criticism. In fact, it is Korea's submission to this year's Oscar race and this alone speaks for the wonderful film that we have here.
The two dominant themes here are coming-of-age and family and the film is a balanced look at life in Thailand, a country where the opportunities and privileges enjoyed by the rich, and the hardships endured by the poor are far more visible than they here in America. It is also wonderful to see that the sexuality and gender identities of the characters are almost incidental. Yet, the film does not avoid the less pleasant aspects of the life Ek lives. It is a life in which Ek cannot protect Oat from seeing and, to some degree, eventually becoming part of. (This includes work in the sex trade, as well as some degree of unsavory conduct that we never learn about in detail). It is suggested is that Oat grows up to play the games of the haves in order to escape his status as a have-not.
The film is beautifully shot by cinematographer Nikorn Sripongwarakul and the wonderful music score is by Boovar Isbjornsson.