Audience Member
No me gusto el final, la pelÃcula es muy aburrido.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Simply eye-candy ... that's all.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/13/23
Full Review
Audience Member
I've seen mainstream romantic comedies that are less cheesy and more in touch with reality than this. Even if you accept how synthetic the story feels and try to enjoy it as guilty entertainment, you'll still be let down. The actors are trying so hard to get into their roles that I feel sorry for them, but this is soap opera acting at its worst. During the bathroom stall tryst, the protagonist was probably aiming for a hybrid of shame and pleasure, but he looks sort of constipated. And the cliches are too many to count, from the mysterious past of the love interest to the "nice guy" best friend turning out to be a romantic rival, and not standing a chance. But despite all of this movie being pretty poor, the ending is still the worst part. It is so ridiculous and uncalled for that the story loses any chance at credibility it had left, and all I could do was cringe.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/12/23
Full Review
Audience Member
"Boys Love" is filled with famous 'love' quotations which signal the beginning of an emotional arch or they are used as a scene transition. There is no question that the director, Kotaro Terauchi, put a lot of love and craftsmanship into this film. He said that neither he, nor his principle actors or crew were gay. He relied on research from reading and hanging out in gay bars. Given the huge population and severe competition actors must face in Japan, I wouldn't think of questioning the director's honesty. If the main actors are not gay, they put new meaning in the phrase, 'gay for pay' for not only are the kissing and love making scenes realistic, there is considerable nudity for a non-porn film. "Boys Love" is in no way pornographic. However formulaic the story is, the film makes the action in "Brokeback Mountain" seem almost slight.
The film opens with a spectacular night shot of the city of Tokyo. The subway car is immaculately clean and only has two riders. They're very attractive and are holding hands -- looking very much in love. Cocktail or nightclub music plays when we shift to the first meeting between magazine editor Taishin Mamiya (wonderfully played by Yoshikazu Kotani) and bad boy model Noel Kisaragi (Takumi Saito). It takes place in an apartment Kisaragi's modeling agency supplies and is magnificently furnished. Mamiya is writing a feature story on the artistic nature of Kisaragi for the magazine, 'Splash'. It is his first big assignment as a reporter instead of as an editor. There is clearly chemistry between the two. The interview continues at a swanky restaurant where we get a dose of typical sit-com humor until Mamiya excuses himself to go to the rest room. Kisaragi follows him in and within a few moments has Mamiya in a stall ready to give him a blowjob! After having consumed a bottle of Dom Perignon, Mamiya is flabbergasted over his experience with Kisaragi. The next day he is still stunned as he thinks about his experience with Noel Kisaragi.
As a ploy to see Mamiya again, Noel calls his modeling agency to complain about the treatment he received from the interview. He wants Mamiya to come to his apartment and apologize. When Mamiya arrives at the apartment, gift in hand, Noel answers the door naked, except for a sheet. Mamiya has come when Noel has finished up with an older man. Noel tries to seduce Mamiya once more only to be rejected. After this experience, Mamiya begs his publisher to have another reporter finish the piece -- even though 80% of the article is complete. The publisher agrees.
In an attempt to get Noel off his mind, Mamiya gets drunk and beats on a punching bag. Nothing helps, so he returns to Noel's apartment only to find the third piece of our triangle, Chidori Furumura (Hiroya Matsumoto). Chidori is a classmate and childhood friend of Noel's. He is in love with Noel, although Noel doesn't think of Chidori in the same way. Mamiya talks with Chidori and finds out a great deal about the real Noel Kisaragi. Chidori's chat fills Mamiya with compassion and he goes to meet Noel at a swimming pool. They joke around the pool and make a strong connection. Noel starts to take school seriously.
Chidori notices a change in Noel and starts to become jealous. He goes to Mamiya's apartment at 1:00 a.m. expecting to find Noel. When he doesn't, Chidori goes berserk. He steals a prized painting Noel drew many years ago and causes a major scene. Noel goes out and gets drunk. In this vulnerable state, he is bashed and raped. It is one of the most realistically violent segments I have ever seen on film. All of his modeling assignments get cancelled.
Mamiya doesn't find out about the bashing until he reads it in the newspaper. When he rushes over to Noel's apartment, he finds Noel up to his old tricks. The remaining scenes are like a big sloppy, soapy melodrama. It may be pure soap and you might have some idea how the film ends but it is thoroughly delicious. You may consider this one of my biggest guilty pleasures, but if you like gay interest films I'm highly recommending you see "Boys Love". This one is not for the kiddies; nor is it recommended to any of your macho friends. For those who love sappy romances, and strikingly handsome Japanese males, you will have a special treat in store.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/29/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Though the endingis tragic, the story right up until the end is a good coming-of-age film, but the ending was falling into the cliche for gay teen films, tragic.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
Audience Member
I had seen this movie earlier today on youtube. It was a decent storyline, (the middle of the movie is quite well written because of the character development) however the ending is very cliched but did tug a little at my emotions.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/14/23
Full Review
Read all reviews
>
