User reviews

I didn't see many Thai movies even though I'm Thai. I picked up this movie from shelf 3 weeks ago because I just wanted to hear some old musics I like.

However, 110 minutes of the movie was the time I was traveling back to the past. Canal, fresh market, classroom, and schoolmates activities are surrounding me again. I laughed, I cried and sometime I sat back silently and think about myself as a boy, doing the same thing as in the movie. That was a happy moment of mine.

Its production is very simple. Easy camera movement, easy dialog and plain plot but very impressive.

If you are not Thai, try this and you might like it.

If you are Thai, try this and you will love it.

This Thai comedic drama deserves American distribution, at least on the independent film circuit. The young cast, and team of directors and producers who all worked on this film, deserve applause for making such a tender and nostalgic look at youth and growing up.

In exploring these universal themes, which have been portrayed by many other movies in the past, this film makes a mature and inquisitive portrait into a child's point of view of growing up within a particular rural family community and interacting with the adults, parents, and childhood peers of that surrounding neighborhood group. Upon viewing the film, many audience members will probably fondly remember how growing up, as portrayed in the film, was so tentative, yet joyful and at other times sad and disappointing. This is the gritty reality of life that rings so true for all of us, who have grown up, and is so boldly explored in this courageous film.

The fact that the subject matter and themes dealt with by the film are notoriously taboo in Thai society makes this film even more of a cinematic celebration, particularly by members of the Thai community. And don't be surprised if the film forces you to cry at a couple of points in the film, as it makes its emotional impact in subtle and realistic ways.

To be commended for their acting portrayals are the young boy and young girl leads, who play Jeab and Noi-Naa respectively, as well as the standout performance by the enterprising bully, who I believe was called Jack in the film. The rest of the cast also give quite credible performances of their characters. Overall grade: A-.

By far the best of the many Thai films I have seen, this will utterly astonish anyone expecting the melodrama and poor acting so often encountered in Thai cinema. As even by the standards of the latter, its budget was low, it shows in the tradition of which The Bicycle Thieves is perhaps the most spectacular example, that with fine acting and masterful direction, depiction of the emotions in a simple story can trump a budget of any size.

A young man called Jeap is invited to the wedding of his long-lost childhood friend Noi-Naa. His initial decision to give precedence to a prior engagement is soon abandoned when in his car he listens to the musical hits of his childhood and memories flood back in the way old music is perhaps uniquely powerful in making them do. Most of the story then focuses on Jeap as a ten-year-old agonisingly torn between the super-girlish circle of his oldest friend and neighbour Noi-Naa and a gang of characterful boys led by an amiably-roguish fat bully called Jack. Extremely nostalgic and wittily recounted, it is definitely a story to make one both laugh and cry. The acting is superb.

The title and cover are misleading. Touching as the deeply-felt friendship of Jeap and Noi-Naa is, Fan Chan is not a romance, but a story about friendships and their meaning in the emotional world of the nearly pubescent boy. The idea of its being romantic is actually deeply ironic, for what it does perhaps most convincingly and interestingly is to remind us of a truth that was obvious to everyone until a generation or two ago: that beyond his mother's love, a boy's needs until well into adolescence are for his own sex. Nowadays this tends to be obscured by contrived gender-blindness combined with a silly and uncomfortably half-hearted wish to see children prematurely aping their parents' romantic antics.

Unfortunately, the full mind-blowing emotional impact will only be felt by those with nostalgic memories of the lost simplicity of rural Thailand in the 1980s, and especially those who were children then. These above all accounted for its being the extraordinary and unexpected local hit it was, but even with its impact diluted, it fully deserves a global audience.

Edmund Marlowe, author of Alexander's Choice, a novel of boyhood, www.amazon.com/dp/1481222112.

It's an honor for me to be the first to comment on this movie. I had a chance to see this film a few months ago. As a Thai guy, it flashes back my childhood memory and that made me smile all the way through the end.

Even though it is not a high budget movie comparing to those from Hollywood, I believe that the simplified storyline is the strength of this movie.

After watching this movie, I had a warm feeling and it really made my day. The movie also has some funny moments like 'the chinese martial art fantasy scene'. I can't guarantee if the non-Thai viewers will enjoy it but I am sure that most of the Thais will definitely like it. :D

10/10 for a Thai.

Hi, this is my 3rd Thai movie after Tony jaa's movies. I am from India and just happened to watch this movie which was translated in English. I just loved the movie .It just took me back to my childhood memories. Going with friends on cycles. Fighting with friends and getting back together again. Going back home after a long time away and observing that things are different. Thats how real life is. And more ever i like the emotional part of the relationship between jean and noi. Its so original. Good job done, Ill need a few days to get over it like jeab needed a few days to get out of his down in life after noi moved away. I would rate it as one of the best i have seen...

Sometimes you listen to a particular old song, or you open a particular page of an old book, or you go and sit by the old playground you used to play, and thats it. The next few days, you won't sleep at night, sometimes you will laugh, and sometimes tears will flow along your cheek, silently, and ... alone... nobody else would know sweetness of that pain.

This movie will make you feel exactly that.. and much more...

The movie may not attract a lot of westerners. May be because they do not have these kinds of memories. But for the Asians, who in their childhood have struggled as well as enjoyed the meaning of childhood, this movie is the one. And if you don't want to interrupt your daily routine, this is not for you, because this will surely change you routines for the next few days.

Directed by a committee of art school graduates, fresh out of school with no commercial film-making experience, the film break one of the central tenets of Thai film-making of never work with children, animals and trans gender/vestite/gays.

The film start with the protagonist driving to his hometown of rural Thailand, the music plays through the radio and begins the flashback... It is unfortunate that much of the effort of this film is deep rooted in Thai popculture, from the soundtrack to the games that the children plays, this film is a step back in time and in essence manages to capture childhood, this film unfortunately is very specific in the audience of 20-30 yr old Thais, without the context of the experience, what's left is a very formulaic story of growing up, and no matter how polished the film is, it is impossible for the film to transcends global audience the same level that it mesmerise Thai audience, this is not an escape of reality of the traditional cinema, but rather a reminisce of simpler time, lost on much of the current generation of Thais themselves. To the global audience, what is left is a snapshot of life of Thailand a couple of decades ago, the emotional impact of the film itself is not through the story but the way they makes the audience recall their childhood, and in that respect, the essence of the film is totally lost in translation.

I was just surfing channels & came across this movie on World Movies. The title was not very interesting but then they showed the synopsis of the movie & I was immediately drawn into this one. This movie is just not Thai specific as few have commented. This movie does appeal for non-thai viewers as well. I have grown up with similar neighborhood, friends, games & so I could really connect with the movie. This brought me back my childhood memories in a small town India where I spent a few years. Excellent acting by the lead roles & supporting cast made movie seem realistic & enjoyable.

This was my first Thai movie & it really made me consider watching a couple of more Thai movies...

What a movie! This was the first Thai movie I ever watched and it played on some random foreign movie channel that we had during the mid to late 2000s. I've watched amazing movies from that channel and this one ranks up there.

I was blown away by how good this movie was. It reminds me of my childhood even though I never lived in Thailand and even though my cultural background is completely different, I could identify with both the main characters and their friends. It's such a nostalgic trip. I would recommend any one who is planning to watch this movie to definitely give it a try.

This is absolutely beautiful, brilliant movie. Too many cooks spoil the broth, but, here 6 Directors beautifully executed this sweet movie. The child artists were also excellent. Set in Thailand, but totally relatable to Indians, which gives a nostalgic kick. From the beginning the movie is memorable, especially the end makes it remain in your heart forever. A must watch feel good, romance drama.

One of the best Thai film I've ever watched. It seems similar to Love of Siam minus the romantic part. I grew up in Asia so I can relate. This film show things that I thought I forgot. Watching this film just brings back so many memories. I wish it was longer. However I got no complain at least the ending is satisfactory. Overall, if you live in Asia, you can related it to your childhood. However, if you don't live in Asia, I believe it's still going to be a good film.

There are some movies. which makes you watch again and again. This comes into that category.

Story, direction, lighting, editing, music, subtle acting of lead boy and his group are fantastic.

I've spent some time travel ling interiors of Thai, It's a mesmerizing place. I took a road to Cambodia on train and bus from Thailand. The places shot in this movie are very similar to the lovely locations i've seen.

It surely a nostalgic movie. makes me remember my own childhood and the cute gal friend who went with her family to other city :) it's a must watch when Hollywood weaving movies just our of few computers....

Sometimes, memories is the best thing .Because we can imagine it and we can live in memories.

Nice Feel Good movie with a familiar childhood memories. Sometimes it's funny. The little actors did their job nicely.

Not as bad as expected. Kinda good, actually. One thing for sure they have chosen a good location for the film. Unlike other Thai film this one has been done in a pretty good manner all that editing, sound, and the pace of the movie. And one best thing was … you could actually sit through it till the movie end. And if you're not in Thailand, I don't think it will remind you of the past. Try to give it a shot… you might like it.

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Max: 7.5/10