Formula 17

Formula 17 opens with a clear view under water of a swimming pool, a boy and another boy swimming towards him, giving him a gentle kiss and some trigonometry. It was weird, but for Tien, it is a wet dream. Going to the big city, this 17 year old homosexual virgin, meets with his internet chatmate, Mr. Beast, only to experience the harshness and straight-forward sex loving gays in the urban area. Good thing for Tien, he has a friend that lives in the city named Yu, also a homosexual, and some other pals which, soon will be his too. A while later, when Tien meets Yu in the bar he works at, Bai, the local gay playboy, steps in and fascinates the innocent Tien.

From this point, its almost too obvious what the plot will be. What the outcome of the movie will be. They'll end up as lovers after having sex, fall in love and live happily ever after. Well, I did have my share of research for the film and a 2 minute trailer i downloaded, I guess I overdid myself and just waited for some of the films scenes to unfold before me. I can't say its such a great movie, and I wont go delirious over a gay movie I've fantisiced for a week, but to say it's good enough that it made me light hearted and I'm sure, girls and gays in the same cinema, shared with me this feeling too. The story is simple, there's not much of an event and problems like Bai's fear of intimacy that pushed Tien away from him and some minor heartaches. The plot is typical in a heterosexual movie, its almost watching a teen love story, only a gay one at that with two, very cute leading roles.

Speaking about the actors, Tony Yang (Tien) and Duncan Chow (Bai), are two really cute heterosexuals as fas as my research says. Being two straight actors, their kissing scene and love scene was almost too natural, it made me doubt if they ever aroused each other doing that. I mean, they played the scene so well, I was left with my mouth hanging. Why am I saying this? I've seen some other gay movie like Bishonen, where when Daniel Wu and Stephen Cheng was having their steamy scene, was almost too akward. Even the kiss wasn't so clear to me or was it just an accident that they actually touched lips? Where as in Formula 17, the feeling it gives is kilig (head over heels gigle). Yes, these two guys, seeing them kiss and love what they're doing made me feel that. Gorgeous.

And may I comment and inform that this movie totally lacks the presence of a female soul. Yes, I kept remembering if there was a lady in the movie, but really, there is none. Even the local by-stander is gay! But I guess, it wasn't really needed. Seeing three stereo-typed gay men living in the urbs was enough to give the wackiness and color of the movie to its brightess ones.

A coming of the age movie and at the same time a feel good movie. The casuality of a boy to boy relationship almost made me forget that there are discriminations in this society. Not much of an eye opener but gives us a peek at the lime light of gay men. How they interact and how they socialize with the same kind. Mushiness with a touch of boldness in the lines, comical scenes with their share of low emotions. Its a movie worthwhile, and worthy of seeing if you're in for a nice and simple romantic story.