Advertisement

Review: Convoluted plot and tech issues undo gay romantic thriller ‘The Gemini’

Share

Well-intentioned and earnest, “The Gemini” is the type of film that you want to succeed. It openly rails against its native Myanmar’s laws against homosexuality, presenting a love story between two men with genuine emotion. But this melodrama struggles with serious post-production issues and an unnecessarily complex story, losing any of its intended impact in the process.

“The Gemini” begins with the sound of a bed creaking and pounding against the wall, with a slow pan to the sheets pooling on the floor. Two men swing their legs into view, introducing a central romance that is illegal in Myanmar.

The film cuts to a cold discussion between Thit Wai (Okkar Min Maung) and his wife, Honey (Aye Myat Thu). Honey is shattered when she soon learns her husband’s plane has crashed, and an unfamiliar man shows up at the funeral claiming to be his college friend Nay Thit (Nyein Chan Kyaw). Flashbacks reveal Thit Wai and Nay Thit’s relationship and Honey becomes more suspicious of both her husband and his mysterious friend as she learns more about their past.

Advertisement

The drama introduces a plot twist and thriller elements that overly complicate what could have been a more successful, progressive film. Directed by Nyo Min Lwin, “The Gemini” is at its best when it focuses on the simple story of forbidden love, but the twitchy editing, sound troubles and issues with the subtitles throughout distance the audience.

-------------

‘The Gemini’

In Burmese with English subtitles

Not rated

Running time: 2 hours

Playing: Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour »

Movie Trailers

Advertisement