Chinese Gay Movie Review #22: Dear Ex (2018)
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- Опубликовано: 19 авг 2020
- This week: a recent Taiwanese film that was recommended to us by several of our viewers. You can find it on Netflix.
FILM
English Name: Dear Ex (2018)
Chinese Name: 誰先愛上他的 (Shuí Xiān Ài Shàng Tā De, “Who Started Loving Him First?”)
Origin: Taiwan.
RATINGS
Writing/Storytelling: 5/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Hot Guys: 7/10
Chinese Cultural Value: There’s a lot of reference to real issues that Chinese gay men face: familial acceptance, pressure to conform, being closeted and outed. Although the basic plot is unique, some story elements, like theater and the central M/M/F love triangle, are standard fare in Chinese gay films.
Recommended: Not bad, but it’s not one of our favorites. 
Кино
I got the feeling that there wasn’t an affair n that he actually left the guy to be with n marry the woman. I look to how she reacted to the wind chimes n the flash back that came after. And there are other lil hints like the fact that the play was a hit 17 years ago and the two guys met while working on the play for the first time when the lover was just a student. Also the lover kept saying I didn’t steal anything. And the definition of a million years adds up with the flash back of the husband leaving the lover the first time. Also that makes sense of the title who fell in love with him first.
Thanks for your analysis! Yeah we didn't pick up on some of those hints, sounds like we need to watch again
The best part of the title "Who fell in love with him first" is that it IS a question left ultimately unanswered. The mother fell in love with him when the father was prepping for the original play 17 years ago (unboxing the windchimes for the play), and the same goes for the mistress (who was involved in the play)
That thumbnail tho!! Hahaha why u do ma boy Walden like that :P
Hussein Esquivel That was an automatically-generated thumbnail and we just rolled with it 😂
I agree with this reviewer/movie explainer video: ruclips.net/video/zuGhWI_grn4/видео.html
They depict that from the very beginning the son is trying to unravel loads of questions such as "who the mistress was", "is he a bad guy", "why did my dad leave the money to his name". So out of some spite for his mother, but mostly fuelled by his need for answers, the son chooses to dwell with the enemy.
The mistress doesn't have the words to tell the son such a story, rather the son learns little by little thru actions and external events. Right before the final theatre scene, the unfortunate event that befalls the mistress answered the son's questions once and for all, and that's why the son finally came to terms. The theatre scene was more of the resolution for the mother. It was then she realized how deep the mistress's connection was with the father, and how acceptance can relieve a lot of pain. This last part was also neatly wrapped up by the appearance of the mistress's mother. She ultimately proved that acceptance & support will win in the end. It was the father's original mistake for not believing in this.
Interesting, we will check it out, thank you!
I agree. Even though it seems like everything was tied up so neatly at the end, after the theatre scene, I think what really puts everything in perspective for the son is the fact that Ah Jie’s leg was broken like that. The fact that he would put himself in so much danger to help his dad even when his dad had little hope left. I don’t think the ending ties things up too neatly, I think it fits in with the story structure
I agree with all your points, however for me coming from an artistic background, the play was for some reason SUPER DUPER meaningful, I can try and deconstruct it but I think it will be a lot. I really like this movie and thought it was quite original, I haven't seen many of it to be tropes
Thank you for watching! Yeah I think we need to see this one again. We did appreciate that it twisted around the typical elements of this type of story and made it something different.
I loved the guys getting together-story, but the actual story just made me sad
I personally love this movie lol
To me, the son went to live with the gay guy because he was angry at his mother and wanted some space (stupid teenage thing to do) and also to understand why his dad chose this random dude over his original family. I mean, it's understandable that a kid would like to know the person that their dad gave all his money and attention to at the end of his life. There are even some scenes showing that the gay actor took more care of the father when he was dying.
Also, I would like to recommend another Taiwanese movie for you to review. It's called "Formula 17", a very silly over-the-top coming of age romantic comedy. I really like how light and fun it is, just the age gap between the main characters is a little weird to me (although a common reality in gay relationships).
I feel most of the plots were left for audiences imagination. In that way, I can see the point of therapist in the storyline, all other discussed topics. I don't like to be spoon-fed everything. So I don't agree with the views of both of you, which is fine.