BLISS RATING: ★★★★★
“Your path is illuminated by the light, yet darkness lets the stars shine bright.” – J. L. W. Brooks
LIGHT is a rare gift that shines brilliantly in a sphere of emptiness. It has all the elements of a tragic story. It is dark, brooding, sad, and depressing. It visualizes graphically the level of pain an individual will endure until a point is reached that breaks his will. Light (Jed Chung) is the epitome of what can happen to an individual who is unloved, abused (physically, sexually, and emotionally), and told over and over how useless he is. Light has literally and figurately no light in his life. Yet there is something about him that shines through all the ugliness. He helps us to recognize our own humanity. He hungers for the one thing in his life he has never experienced – love.
This is a short movie and defies the description of powerful. Light is a young man who turns to prostitution to save himself and to feel anything. He must, as his father has literally beaten and sexually abused him into submission. So, Light enters the more salacious world of prostitution.
After one of his encounters beats up Light, he stumbles into a tailor shop where serendipitously a policeman is working an undercover sting to obtain information about a drug lord. Shuo (Max Liu) is immediately drawn to Light. But the ever-cautious Light, runs off but at this point, he is badly hurt and falls in the gutter. Alone. Abandoned. With not one soul caring if he lives or dies. But Shuo cannot shake him from his mind and goes looking for him. He finds him in shock and takes him to his apartment and tends to him.
As Shuo begins to care for him, Light whispers to him, almost pleading, and says, “Can you say you like me? Even if it is not true. Could you please say that you like me?” I cried at hearing those words and his expression. It was one of desperation. It was a pleading. That was one of the most sincere, honest, scenes in a movie I have seen in a long time. A simple act of kindness is what Light hungered for. Desired for. He was broken and here is a man, not for money or control, is seeing him and caring for him simply because of who he is. It was magical and unpretentious. Their relationship grows and intensifies into a sexual one. A sexual one that is freely given, freely taken, and very lustful.
Unfortunately, Light’s troubles are not over yet. Light is raped by one of his former clients. Rather than Shuo wanting to understand the circumstances, he tells him he is ‘disappointed’ in him. He believes he has reverted to prostitution to make money. Devastated, Light leaves.
Light is yet again broken and goes back onto the streets, the only home he knows. Later, Shuo finds out the real story. Unbeknownst to Shuo, Light had the courage and strength to report it as a rape. The police now caught the guy and need Light to identify him but cannot find him. Shuo is remorseful for he now realizes what he has done. He finds Light and apologizes and is penitent. Light with a gentle smile and a profound sense of relief, hugs him.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. the movie? Jed Chung as Light did. He is brilliant. He took us on this dark journey through Light’s pain and I felt it all. He slipped into despair almost imperceptibly and was preparing to die. He wanted to die. Yet, as soon as someone, anyone, cared for him, he wanted to live again. We see that journey. We see it in his looks, his body language, and his smile. Oh, that beautiful smile that simply lights up the world when he does. One criticism I have heard about this series is its shortness. Maybe. But the point is that Light hungers for acceptance and love. His acceptance of Shuo’s contriteness is his leap of faith. His name is so apropos – Luminous, Incandescence, Glimmering, Halo, Twinkle. That I believe is his mantra. Jed played this marginalized character always with a small crack so that the light could shine through in the hopes that someone, anyone, would see him. He wanted and longed to be rescued.
Mention has to be made about the connection and chemistry between Jed and Max. It is breathtaking. Their lovemaking felt so real to me, and they were not afraid to get into it as if they really were lovers, not simply playing the part. There is a tightness to who they are that comes across as real and genuine and more importantly believable. In other words, their scenes when they are together were, well, HOT. They brought sensuousness back to BLs! They are also two of the hottest, sexiest, handsomest, and gorgeous men on the planet.
This movie is a trailblazing one because underneath its exterior, we see tremendous courage by Light. Light reported the rape. He is a prime example of Profiles in Courage. He did so, knowing in all likelihood it would not be taken seriously. Look who he is – marginalized and a prostitute. Yet, he did it. The courage of that act was almost lost. I wept at the end for a whole lot of reasons. One, at the courage of Light to do such a thing. Two, for him almost being lost to the streets again. Three, for the closed mindedness of those who have – to the tribulations to those who have not. Four, for the thousands out there who are like Light only have no happy ending. And five, simply because this story is so real, genuine, and profoundly moving. It touched me in ways I never thought it could.
Although a short film, it is not easy to watch as it goes into a very dark world. My elation of the movie having its character actually report the rape is outstanding and noteworthy. So many of BL moves/series simply gloss over these criminal deeds. Kudos for making this a theme. This is simply an outstanding movie, short as it is. It will no doubt be on my Ten Best of 21. It moved me deeply and immensely.
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