Patong Girl

The story of a German family spending Christmas in Thailand, where their teenage son finds love, is not profound or revelatory, but the characters are vaguely likeable and we are willing to overlook absurdities to let it work.

The blurb teases a twist but I doubt it comes as a surprise to many. Characters change the habits of a lifetime at a moment's notice; some appalling behaviour is overlooked or excused; some beliefs are shown to be hollow and ridiculous.

Relationships within the family are well-handled - sibling rivalry, the routines of a lengthy marriage, Mother Bear attitudes - and Thai culture is not mocked or denigrated. Not all Thai families are poor; communism only really went away in Western Europe; many expats live shallow existences in bars and tourism hotspots.

On the downside, no character is fully-fleshed out. Life-changing events are treated lightly. Some acting is a little hammy, huge issues are left unresolved, some minor characters are no more than stereotype cameos.

Overall, though, an enjoyable soap opera. It didn't Rick my world, but didn't leave me feeling cheated.