--Directed by Adisorn Tresirikasem
-- Screenplay by Benjamaporn Srabua, Navapol Thamrongruttanarit and Adisorn Tresirikasem
-- Starring: Sirin Horwang and Theeradej Wongpuapan
-- Duration: 126 min.
-- Tomatometer: N/A
-- IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
-- Chocometer: 8.5 chocolates
My quest to watching 111 movies for this year continues. This time, I am featuring a Thai romantic comedy called Bangkok Traffic Love Story. What is this movie about? In one sentence, I would say that this movie was created to slap us with the bitter reality that being alone blows ass.
I am serious.
After watching this movie, I have never felt more alone in my life. I know it is a romantic comedy, COMEDY being the operational word, but behind the laughter (and corny jokes) is the truth that we need someone in our life.
So let me start with the summary. Napakadetailed ko magkwento, pasensya na.
WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD. Proceed at your own risk. :p
The movie is set in Bangkok and revolves around the story of Mei Li, a thirty-ish urban female who has been struggling to find love. All of her friends are either in a relationship or getting married and she is under pressure to find that someone too who will take care of her. She gets drunk during the wedding of her bestfriend, Ped. After sobering up, she drives home and gets into a road accident where she met the handsome Loong. Loong approached her to hand the broken side mirror and Mei Li says that he can keep it. They get another chance encounter when Li catches their maid having sex with a guy on the rooftop. Li calls the guy's elder who turned out to be Loong. They meet again in the BTS (Thai train) and this time Li breaks Loong's sunglasses. Feeling guilty, she buys him a new pair of sunglasses and writes her telephone number on the box hoping that Loong will call her. She got that advice from Plern, a pretty neighbor, who told Li that she should initiate the first move to get the guy. Loong, however, did not call Li. Frustrated, Li asks Plern's help again and arranged a planned "accidental meeting" with Loong. They went to the video shop where Loong frequently visits. Plern develops a liking to Loong because the latter is indeed a handsome engineer. Plern used a trick to get Loong phone's number and this annoyed Li. (mang-agaw daw ba!) As revenge, Li uses Plern's number to call the latter's three boyfriends so that they will come at the same time and expose her cheating.
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| Plern and Li stalking Loong at the video rental shop |
The boyfriends caused a ruckus at the shop and Loong, who arrived at the shop, accidentally drops his laptop. Li volunteers to have it fixed. She brought it to Ped's husband but unfortunately the laptop is beyond repair. Li goes to Loong's office and waits for him at the guard house. She made the guard write a note (which was actually a song) and asked him to give it to Loong.
Li decided to wait for Loong but she fell asleep inside the guard's house. Loong woke her up later and they both went home riding the BTS. Loong throws his laptop bag away and Li secretly retrieved it (stalker lang, hahaha). She found some things inside the laptop bag including some film negatives of Loong. She had it developed and realized that Loong was with a former girlfriend who turned out to be an actress in a popular tv show in Thailand. The pictures were leaked in the tabloids because the owner of the photo shop posted it on a social networking site.
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| Li is disappointed. |
Li met Loong again on the BTS and Li confessed that she was the reason why the pictures were leaked. Loong forgives her and they went to the Planetarium. They agreed that if they had the chance, they should see the McBright comet together. Loong asked Li if they could spend the Songkran (Thai New Year) together. Li agrees.
During the festival, Plern tags along. Li tries to shake her off but Plern is just too persistent. Because of this, Li did not enjoy the festivities. While they were going home, Li asks Plern silently to give it to her this time because she rarely gets the chance on love. Plern obliged.
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| Li and Loong spending Songkran together |
Li visited Loong that night and they enjoyed roaming Bangkok with each other's company. Loong invited Li in a family day at his company. They take pictures and Li accidentally breaks Loong's camera. Later that day, Li finds out that Loong is leaving Thailand in two days to study in Germany. She was so heartbroken and leaves Loong. Li says goodbye to Loong and tells him that Kob was right, two people cannot be together if they can't see each other.
The day of Loong's departure for Germany, Li receives a box from him. Inside the box were the broken side mirror, broken sunglasses and broken camera. She took the memory card out and looked at the pictures. She realized how much she loved Loong and runs to the airport only to find out that the plane had departed already. (pang movie lang, cheesy.) Li cries on Plern's shoulders and told her "If it was a movie, I could have arrived on time, right?"
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| Meeting each other two years later. |
Two years later, Li changed jobs and is now working on a night shift as a stock analyst. She meets Loongs in the BTS but hesitated to rekindle the lost romance between them. Loong now works on day shift as an engineer. They separated ways, each had to take opposite train lines. While inside the train, the electricity goes out and everyone starts to call their loved ones. Li realized how alone she was because she had no one to call. Her phone suddenly rings and it was a call from an unknown number. When Li answered the call, she found out it was Loong. He invited her to the next Songkran and the former agrees. When the electricity came back, she saw Loong standing in front of her and telling her that she should save that number.
What I like about this movie: The actress \was able to embody the typical urban female. Everybody can relate to her and her experiences. Everyone can understand her desperation. She acts with a pinch of reality that makes the viewer feel that this is really a real person in search of her one true love.
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| See what I mean? |
The movie was able to effectively convey to the audience the message that despite our insistence of not needing someone, we cannot deny the fact that having a loved one is better because it guarantees that even in the worst of situations, there is someone out there who is ready to look out for you and listen; someone who will genuinely care about you and listen to you when your entire world gets f*cked up.
Plus, the main actor is quite good looking so it's a joy to watch him on screen. :p
What I hate about this movie: Well, hate is really a strong word. Maybe, dislike would be more appropriate. The plot is really loose and there are some parts that are quite irrelevant to the story. It tends to be very predictable also and there are some parts that are not really realistic (for example, the solar bras and the exercise in her office.) Some jokes and antics are not really funny and may even at the edge of trying too hard.
My verdict: It is an okay movie; a typical chick-flick that can either make you feel good or bad depending on your situation. It makes you appreciate your relationship more (if you have one) or it can make you want to have one. It's a good flick to watch alone or with a loved one during a lazy afternoon. Will it guarantee full entertainment? I cannot assure that but it does not get boring all through out the movie.
Watch the trailer here.
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