I was initially impressed that this was a drama, considering most gay-themed films tend to be either campy comedies or soft-core porn, or, as in the majority of cases, both. This film tries SO hard to be so different, so serious, so relevant and so great that the film itself crumbles under its own weight.
The biggest flaw to this film are its two lead characters. The heart of the story is their love for one another. However, that "love" felt completely forced and unnatural. The only way I can rationalize it is that Stockholm Syndrome developed. Really, the increasing attempts at showing how much these two characters love each other actually made me despise them even more. The characters just became whiny and pathetic and I couldn't sympathize with them. If I could the rest of the film may have been bearable...
The second flaw to the film is melodrama overload. This is where the film becomes extremely pretentious. This director seems to be the type who thinks that piling on over-the-top drama nonstop is going to get the audience sobbing and love and praise the film. Much like with the relationship between the leads, the scenarios were contrived, forced and so melodramatic that its just annoying. It's not necessary, it makes no sense. With two already obnoxious lead characters, obnoxious melodrama doesn't make you sympathize with them. It makes you flabbergasted and makes you want to yell at the screen for the stupidity of the characters for being so, well, stupidly and unnaturally.
The cinematography however was absolutely stunning, particularly the cloud/sky and weather shots. But I thought the Wong Kar-Wai-esquire saturated coloring was unnecessary and added more to the pretentious-level. The two lead actors were initially hot, but by mid-film any sex appeal vanished.
Overall, the film is like that one person always desperate for attention so they constantly concoct completely over-the-top stories in which you know is a total fabrication in a lame attempt to get some attention. Probably best if you just watch it on free television on mute.
