6ixtynin9 is Netflix’s latest dark comedy series to come out of Thailand and it follows Toom, a young woman recently laid off from her company in the wake of an economic downturn, receiving a box full of cash which was not meant for her.
Story
Due to the pandemic, the economy has taken a bad hit, leading Toom, a young woman, to be laid off by the insurance company she works at.
She receives a mysterious box outside her door sometime later and it’s full of cash. She initially tries to get rid of it but soon accepts the cash and all the mess it comes with.
Two men come looking for money and she kills them before they can kill her. Later, another man from one of the parties involved arrives and dies in a gunfight with a policeman who also gets involved inadvertently.
Toom plans to take off for abroad to start anew. The two men finally meet and a standoff ensues that leaves them and almost all their henchmen dead. Toom takes off for the airport after her friend’s death.
At the last minute, she has a change of heart as she ditches all the money and belongings to begin anew, before 6ixtynin9 rolls the credits.
Performances
Davika Hoorne leads the cast as the drenched in despair Toom, a down-on-luck and out-of-a-job young woman. She embodies the role of an economically underprivileged person tired of life and also angry at it.
Another key cast member is Amorneak Micheli who plays Kanchit, a tidy man who does all the untidy deeds with a disconcerting level of composure at all times.
Tong/Suwat is played by Apivich Rinthapoin, who does a good enough job with his role as well. There’s a whole slew of supporting characters played by a talented cast of actors doing their best to make these eccentric and eclectic personalities feel grounded and believable.
Positives
The gallows humor works for the most part in 6ixtynin9 and a large part of that is thanks to the performances by the actors.
The surreal and absurd aspects of the show are surprisingly really moody instead of the quirky visual abomination that a lot of meta-modern media has become.
Despite the silly nature and general incompetence of the antagonists, the show does make a commendable effort to connect the dots and give a viable explanation for why things are the way they are.
Negatives
The series meanders a lot and through a muddled plot, the conclusion way more time to arrive than it should have.
The political message doesn’t really work and feels like it’s just thrown in there without much nuance or care.
The climactic shootout feels a bit detached from the narrative until that point, as one is left desiring an all-round participation of as many characters.
Verdict
6ixtynin9 is a dark comedy series that succeeds in parts and when it does, it delights with its off-kilter charms but when it doesn’t, it drags on needlessly until the novelty of its ideas and efforts wears off.
6ixtynin9
Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Date Created: 2023-09-06 12:30
2.5
Also Read: 6ixtynin9 summary and ending explained