Doi Boy review: Intense drama fails to be gripping

 Doi Boy tells the story of a sex worker, Sorn, who gets involved in a risky scheme in the hope of a better life. The film is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

Sorn used to be a monk before he was forced to join an insurgent group in Shan State, Myanmar. Sorn wanted to be able to choose his own future, so he deserted and illegally entered Thailand.

He works as a sex worker in Thailand. Sorn and his girlfriend, Bee, earn just enough money to get by. Sorn is trying to get a Thai passport because the passport would allow him to get better jobs.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government closes all entertainment businesses for two weeks, leaving Sorn and Bee with no source of income. At a time like this, Ji, one of Sorn’s clients, offers Sorn a job.

Ji wants Sorn to take him and another man to his hometown in Myanmar. In return, Ji will give Sorn money and the passport that he has been trying to get. This job will either help Sorn improve his life or it will cost Sorn the life that he has built for himself in Thailand.

Performances

Awat Ratanapintha shines in the role of Sorn, who has been dealt a bad hand in life. One would feel for him, even though he smiles more than he cries. With Sorn’s dreams shining in his eyes, Ratanapintha makes the character’s desire to belong somewhere felt. 

Arak Amornsupasiri plays Ji, a character that the audience will not like, yet Amornsupasiri’s portrayal will make it hard to hate the character. The actor’s depiction of Ji’s emotions is so sincere that he prevents Ji from being seen as a villain.

Lastly, Bhumibhat Thavornsiri, who plays Wuth, manages to depict Wuth’s anger at the injustice that he faces. By the end of the film, the anger turns into a helpless resignation that evokes pity.

Positives

Doi Boy is a film that focuses on highlighting a number of social issues, and even moral dilemmas, through the stories of the three characters.  

It is common knowledge that the pandemic took and ruined many lives, so the film does not spend a lot of time depicting the impact of the lockdown. However, the bearing it has on the characters’ decisions emphasizes its impact on the lives of ordinary people, especially daily-wage workers.

Sorn’s story allows the audience to see what drives a person to risk their lives and leave their homes. By making them experience the suffocating darkness that Sorn experiences when he enters Thailand, the film makes them a part of Sorn’s journey. His dream of belonging then becomes important to the audience as well.

The film shows the value, or lack thereof, of an illegal immigrant’s life. Sorn flees his homeland, where he had no freedom, and comes to Thailand. He makes it his home and builds a life for himself, but when he disappears, Bee cannot go to the police, as she knows they would not care. 

The ending of the film is not happy, but it is still satisfying, as it suits the film. While there is hope that Sorn might return home, the home that he knows will not remain unchanged in his absence. The ending is hopeful but also hopeless, which is what makes it more real than fictional.

Doi Boy has been shot very well. There are scenes, such as Sorn watching a passing plane on his way to work, that the audience would want to watch more than once. Apart from their dark reality, the film captures the beauty of the characters and their surroundings. 

Negatives

While the film successfully draws attention to various social issues, it is not able to get the audience invested in the story due to a number of factors. There are slow-paced films that can keep the audience’s attention, but Doi Boy is not one of them.

In the beginning, the film is a confusing mess. It is hard to understand the events depicted onscreen. Until the plot becomes clear, it is almost like watching random instances that have been jumbled together.

Just when the audience starts comprehending the plot, the film inserts flashbacks that interrupt the narrative. It would have been better if Sorn’s story had been told in the beginning after his introduction.

Verdict

Doi Boy is a film that seeks to highlight important issues, but it fails to be engaging. It is not a bad film, but it is evident that it could have been much better. 

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Also Read: Doi Boy summary and ending explained