
SilomSoi2,namedafterBangkok'sgayclubdistrict,isasweet,ifformulaic,cautionarytaleaboutThailoveintheageofAIDS.Boymeetsboy.Boygetsboy,i.e.,getshimawayfromgettingalotofotherboys.Boysettlesdownwithboy.Andthenwildseeds,sewnandlongforgotten,germinateintocruelthorns.<br/> Thestoryunfoldsthroughaseriesofbriefscenes,eachintroducedwithasingleEnglishwordtitle,presentedinalphabeticorder(A-Art,B-Background,C-Click...).WhyEnglishchaptertitlessequencedinRomanalphabeticorderwereusedtoorganizeaThailanguagefilmisunclear!Perhapsthefilmwaswrittenwithaforeignmarketinmind.OrthesevignettetitlesmayhavebeenretrofittedfortheEnglishsubtitledversion.<br/> Theleadsarebeautifulyoungmen.Theirpasdedeuxofattraction,flirtation,passion,hurt,distancing,re-engagementisendearingandbelievable.Directionoccasionallyerrsinitsuseofover-lingeringfacialreactionshotsthatskewmomentarilymelodramatic.Theoriginalmusicalscoreislovelyandinitiallyquiteeffective,thoughextensiverepetitionofkeythemestaxesthempasttheirinitialeffectiveness.Possiblythegreateststrengthofthefilmisthemeldingofitscinematographyandartdirection,creatingvividimagesthroughoutthefilm,strikingintheiruseofcolor,lineandhumanform.Visualartfulnesselevatesthissimple,sincerelyconveyedstory,