At times we laughed, at times we swooned. GDH's latest romcom Friend Zone is a crowd pleaser that rides on slapstick to keep its audience hooked.
The story sees two besties tread the thin line between friends and lovers. On one side, it's Palm, a flight attendant who flies around Asia to be with his best friend Gink whenever she needs him. On the other, it's Gink, who secretly follows her music producer boyfriend around on a hunch that he's cheating on her. Palm and Gink have been friends for over a decade, but there may just be something more than platonic feelings between the two.
Naphat "Nine" Siangsomboon plays Palm in his second feature following A Gift, which was co-directed by Friend Zone writer/director Chayanop Boonprakob. His performance is a little monotonous and has plenty of room for improvement. But his good looks and sweet charm help us to forget (and forgive) these shortcomings. And, to be fair, he's better here than in his first theatrical turn.
To carry the film, then, much falls on the shoulders of leading lady Pimchanok "Baifern" Luevisadpaibul, perhaps best known for 2010's A Little Thing Called Love.
She successfully brings Gink's paranoia and indecisiveness to life, with her quirks and charms helping us to sympathise with her, even when there are times we may not like her decisions. She's very much the heart of the story.
Credit must also go to the supporting cast, such as Jason Young, who takes a break from his bad guy roles to play Gink's boyfriend Ted. The trio of lovestruck young men who befriend Palm are also very likeable (stay until mid-credits for a surprise); their comedic roles reminded me of the gang of friends in Pee Mak. Also, the cameos from well-known figures are a delight to watch -- a treat for Thai audiences who get the joke.
Friend Zone marks a step forward for writer/director Chayanop. His previous work was very much aimed at teen audiences. Here, his characters and the issues they deal with are much more grown up. The scale is also bigger. However, the plot could have done with being a little more inventive. What we end up with here is rather predictable.
Friend Zone isn't afraid to be silly. There are even jokes based on product tie-ins that reference Nine Naphat's real-life modelling career. And the music adds to the sense of fun. However, the drama in the story gets sidelined as result, and feels lightweight. While I enjoyed the film, I would have liked more emotional depth.
Friend Zone
Starring Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul, Naphat Siangsomboon and Jason Young
Directed by Chayanop Boonprakob
