Movie No. 18 (2014): "GF*BF"

GF*BF (aka Girlfriend Boyfriend) (2012)
Director: Yang Ya-Che
Cast: Joseph Chang, Rhydian Vaughan, Gwei Lun-Mei
In Mandarin, with English subtitles

This coming-of-age tale involving three rebellious students/friends spans three decades. The movie opens at present time, but immediate flashes back to some three decades earlier (when Taiwan was under Martial Law). Although the plot is not fresh, the movie can still attract interest in the way it presents the unacknowledged love triangle involving the three main characters with the tumultuous political atmosphere of Taiwan in the back drop. The movie succeeds in the manner it refuses to dwell on melodrama; instead, it chooses to concentrate on presenting the interesting dynamics of the three main characters' relationship. The characterization is interestingly rich. The performances are excellent.

There are two things that I picked up from the movie that, as I'm writing this, still linger on my mind. "One person dancing alone is a rebellion." The other: "Even middle-aged people need to grow."

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: February 15, 2014