BLISS RATING: ★★★★★
“When we see a butterfly, try not to chase it. Instead, plant some flowers or grass. When the flowers bloom, the butterfly will naturally come back.” – Quote from Stay Still
This series is phenomenally unique and truly a work of art. It is really Avant-Garde and told through the eyes of a straight couple as they themselves struggle with their own demons. The saga parallels three couples seemingly unrelated but, in truth are all grappling in their own way wanting to become accepted and to move forward as lovers. It is raw, unorthodox, and not met to have a conclusion that is neat, orderly, or in conformity with societal standards. It is confusing, twisted, and at times profoundly sad and maybe unsatisfying but so full of life. Quixotic and pragmatic. Exhilarating and depressing.
The ’straight couple’, from whom we get the perspective of the gay couples, is a pensive reflection of Paki (Miko Yau) telling her lover Shawn (Shawn Fung) about her two gay friends. He listens intently as if somehow trying to glean a point or a moral to the telling of these stories. I must admit I was hooked immediately with the smokey almost dream-like state in which she describes her revelations.
The first imagery involves Hayden (Louis Lam) who has just moved into a tenant apartment building. Immediately, he befriends an elderly lady living one floor above. Affectionately known as Grandma (Lee Sing Sum), she has a grandson living with her named Damien (Jeremy Ho). One day, Damien discovers Hayden passed out drunk on the landing near his apartment. He mistakenly (or in a drunken gaffe) kisses Damien, calling him his former lover’s name. And so, begins their sojourn to what is to become a relationship. When Damien goes through a particularly dark period after the death of Grandma, Hayden is there. Consistently in the background providing food and notes of comfort, reminding him, and encouraging him, that there are others who will love him as well, like what Grandma would have done. As he works through the grieving process, he realizes that Hayden is there both for physical and emotional support.
Their physical encounters are quite hot and rather erotic in a roundabout way but are nonetheless nicely done and filmed, mainly on the roof of their building. There is one rather steamy scene there involving beer on someone and the other licking it off. Much appreciated to include an adult penchant for an intimate act.
The second couple is perhaps an all-too typical story of a love that grew together when they were young but was squelched because it was ‘wrong’. Archie (Boscoe Tse) was a quiet, reserved boy who was bullied and picked on for being gay. Kelvin (Chun Hin To) defended him and throughout the years their friendship developed into something more than a platonic one. Both were seemingly satisfied with being together until Joanne (Michelle Lai) takes an interest in Kelvin and manipulates a breakup between them. Many years later, Archie comes back to Hong Kong to visit his friend Paki and they meet at the bar that happens to be owned by Kelvin. Archie recognized Kelvin immediately and as a way of reintroducing himself back to Kevin, he runs and gets the chrysanthemum tea he and Kelvin used to drink when they were teenagers.
But Kelvin is not a strong person and lacks the strength to make a clear decision. Initially, the rekindling of their affair is satisfying until reality sets in when Joanne finds out. He is now married to Joanne, and they have a son and she lords that over him just in case he considers leaving them. She is determined to thwart the continuing torrid affair they have resumed. However, in a rare case of courage, Kelvin decides to get a divorce as he will not let his initial, and only love, slip through his fingers, yet again. This is their story of struggle with a lot of pain.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. this series? This is an easy choice. Lee Sing Sum as Grandma did. She is the center and focus of the love story between Hayden and Damien. She wants and is hoping for Damien, whom she has raised, to find that special someone to love and for that person to love him back. It was as if Grandma knew and felt that Damien and Hayden would be together. In a sense she knew also her final days were here and she wanted to discern that Damien would be all right and would always have a place to call home, no matter how humble it might be. She left to him her place. Lee Sing Sum plays this role with all the wisdom that is conveyed on her face. She sensed her days were dwindling but remained a beacon for Damien and knew that Kelvin would be there for her grandson. There was not a more fitting tribute by her than what she dictated to Kelvin to write to her grandson. We knew it in her expression and acceptance. It was a beautiful performance of serenity. Kudos for a marvelous performance.
The ’straight couple’ was byzantine. Are they an allegory? Or was Paki simply trying to get Shawn to say what she wanted to hear? This couple has its own issues.
My thinking is people will either love this series or not and ‘see’ it in toto. I loved it because it felt like a mind-bending journey. To be sure, an incomplete one with so many holes in their individual story still needing to be filled. Mainly due to the whole series being so short. The entire series is only around 90 minutes or so. I did not care. It engrossed me. It had passion and it told three different romance stories seemingly unrelated yet all concluding with moving on with their lives together. Not in the same direction but in three different trajectories, three hopeful and positive ones.
For me, this is one of the best off-beat BLs to come around in a long time. I completely got into it, and found its message arcane yet somehow so palpable.
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