Losing at Checkers
Have you ever imagine being an orphan so you have to live with an aunt who doesn’t really like you and your brother being there and to making it even worse your brother must submit himself to a (corrupt) military draft so the chance of you not joining the military is really low?
that what happen to oat and ek.
josh kim finally make his full version of “draft days” in the form of “how to win at checkers”. the story of ek who need to submit his military service despite of his situation of not having parents and still need to support his brother. the concept of military service itself is different than the other country with the same system. in thailand, the system is like a lottery where the submitter will serve in military if he pulled out a red ball and he dont need to stay if it’s black. luck do play role in here but the most important one is social status. the one who has a higher place (read: rich people) can buy their way out so that they dont have to serve in the service. josh show us in the movie how junior can who pay his way out will be push on the last queue with the other rich people and surprisingly they will pulled the black ball.
josh making it even more better with making the character of ek to be gay and have a white-rich boyfriend where their relationship always seen doubtful by ek’s aunt. his aunt show it through out the movie how he doesn’t really like jai because of his status and keep telling him their relationship won’t work especially after her finding of jai’s popper in ek’s room.
throughout the movie, we’re shown how close the relationship between oat and ek. the burger scene, the checkers scene and when ek bring his minor brother to where he works is just some of them. josh did very well telling their story and show how good their bond is. the best scene to potray how sweet their bond is probbly when ek teach oat how to ride bike. it shows how ek finally trust oat and see him as more than a kid.
there are plenty of other scene that affect me in an emotional way. for instance the scene when oat finds out what’s the result of what he did to ek’s life. i was shock when i see the scene because how josh bringing the story in beginning, sweet and romantic where the only thing that ruin their life is the military draft.
the visual is so pretty, like really pretty. maybe because i’m a sucker when it comes to pretty-fade filter, but it does bring the movie to be more enjoyable.