Fingering (Thai Film)

fingering-2013-thai-film

Original Title: วุ่นรักพักนิ้ว
Release date: 2013
Director: Somsak Sonphaeng
Story by: Somsak Sonphaeng
Screenplay by: Abhirath Lertsakviman
Cast: Annindy Ann (Wanna Chamchoy), Sununta Dewa, Potjanee Seeviriyakul, Patchpicha Termpreeda

Early in the year, a Thai film/short caused some ruckus when it launched its trailer onto the web [1], as it appeared to be about a tomboi [1] named Chaeng (Ann) who seems unable to satisfy her girlfriend Mi (played by online celeb, Dewa). There’s also the story of the horny Mean (Seeviriyakul) whose girlfriend, Tang (Termpreeda), isn’t in the mood for some loving as often as she would like her to be. Was Fingering, as the title would have suggested, only going to be about tombois and their lesbian lovers’ sexual satisfaction?

Fear not, my beloved readers. Though it does “chronicle” Chaeng’s enlightenment into the arts of using her fingers and tongue in a very humorous segment featuring her coffee shop co-workers, pink-hair-wigged waiters Nin (Satadon Luengratanakorn) and Ta (Taweesap Pattara-anuwong), Fingering is quite the vanilla rom-com (except on a scene where they show a dildo on screen). The characters journeys have more to do with opening their hearts and stating that it doesn’t have to — ALWAYS — be about sex.

The acting is a little bit weak — wooden dialog and exaggerated reactions, though those could be a result of cultural difference and lack of familiarity with Thai as a language. However, the production quality is quite low. It’s independent and it’s all shot as if you had gotten together with friends to work on a student film, which is a fine quality if you’re used to it. It’s far from an indie Hollywood flick, but it’s got its charm.

The film runs that fuzzy line between film and short film, as it never hits the hour mark, so it’s short enough to watch it without much guilt. You can easily find it with a quick search (avoiding X-rated sites) and enjoy it despite the lack of proper subtitles in English (Engrish seems in order), especially recommended for people that aren’t much into the “coming out” of characters on film- it’s a non-issue here. They all know who they are, they just aren’t quite ready for committed relationships. It’s somewhat refreshing for fluff, and it’s got a very nice scene by the end with Tang, who really is the perfect girlfriend. She doesn’t get much of a build up, because she sort of gets relegated in between all the other characters and that somewhat fuzzy relationship between Mean and her male friend (whose name escapes me). At a point in the film, I was maybe hoping for Chaeng and her to get together because they seemed to be on the same level, but alas- bad characters do grow up.

In the end, Fingering might not be blockbuster material, but it gives you a nice perspective that we don’t often get to see on-screen. After all, nobody does tombois better than the Asians (it seems), and there’s a lot of gender-shifting on this one.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Part of the 2013 LGBT Blogathon.

Ghost Writer

Here. There. Everywhere. Punished soul that usually watches what nobody wants, but sometimes gets lucky.

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