I just saw this film in Thailand last week. Having been to thailand for 7 years since the age of 23 I found this movie to be almost spot on. Everything in this film has either happened to me or I have known people it has happened to.
I left the cinema speechless and in tears. So many issues are brought in to this movie and done very well.
Scott
Scott,
Thanks for the positive response! I'm the producer of the movie and feel that critics and audiences have been unfairly harsh in their judgements on this film. Audiences in Thailand, both Thai and farang, have responded much better though. Cheers, Tom
Tom,
You are absolutely right. I think some reviewers look for set clichés in a film and when you go out of those boundaries you get a bad to average review. So many great films go un-noticed. Then you get junk movies that come out of Hollywood which are dire but make lots of money at the box office.
Butterfly Man could easily have been just another "The Beach" clone, but I am so glad it turn out to be as true and realistic as possible.
Another great movie to go un-noticed was "City Of Ghosts" Which again was kept simple and true to Cambodia.
I guess you would also have to have been all over Thailand to really appreciate what a good film this is. It's good to know that I'm not alone in my Thai experience. Like the character Adam I am not a naive person, but as a westerner living there your world quickly turns upside down.
I just have so many stories to tell. This movie sums up much of it. Even my last visit a couple of weeks ago to the "Full Moon Party" did not go without incident. That's another story!
I will look forward to other work by Kaprice. I hope he will keep on making movies from the heart.
Scott
I don't understand the low rating. Ok, the actors aren't top quality but the story is realistic and ok. And sorry, but this is a complete different story than "the beach" which was complete fiction. This movie isn't : 9/10
shareI wandered 1 hour in the local videostore, and chose this one, and I didn't regret it. The reason of the low votes is only 128 votes and I suspect most of them are MTV kids that need to see famous actors like DiCaprio or George Clooney or they need gunfire and fake stuff. It works otherwise for me, I need a good story, atmosphere and acting, less famous actors make it more realistic. And this movie had everything, great acting - atmosphere - story. We booked our travel to Thailand in November, we would go last year, but took Egypt cause of the Tsunami. We are looking forward to it, great country, nice people. I even had Thai friends when I was about 10 to play soccer here :)
I also hired the beach cause there are not so many movies filmed in Thailand.
It was a stupid movies (which gets a 5.9!) DiCaprio stopped a shark with his hand!!! :) Beware of low IMDB movies, I noticed movies around 4-7/10 are mostly the best!
While some of the younger people did give it a low rating, as you would predict from your "MTV kids" zinger, none of the other segments gave it a high rating. Based on some of the notes here, I'll watch and decide for myself, but my expectations are going to be low.
Im guessing 2 (maybe 3) reasons why some vote low
1- Alot of people Ive talked to missed *alot* of this film. Knowing something about Thailand and Thai culture helps, but there are so many clues to the overall story most people just dont get
2- Alot of the posts Ive read all complain about the lack of nudity (cmon people its more romance than porn geez...)
3- Although the ending is really very sweet (that he keeps his promise to his girl) I think the final scene of him fishing bothers some as being unrealistic (but this I would contend is a fault of the viewer, who upon looking inwards finds himself unworthy and not a flaw of the film itself)
Wow. Just watched this movie thanks to Nexflix Instant. I never would have heard of this movie. I'm surprised it got a low rating too. I have no connection to Thailand but was able to follow the movie beautifully. This movie had a great atmosphere, acting and story. Loved it!
shareEvery cliche about expats in Thailand is taken to the limit here. The evil ones pushing drugs, the sex-crazed antics of the rest, etc. For that matter the Thai characters are pretty much stereotypes as well. And what is up with the so-called heroine of the film? She decides that just because a guy she just met spent a night with a different local hooker that she can drug and roll him for all his dough? Good grief, why would he ever want to have anything to do with her again? Of course in doing this she tipped her hand that she has robbed other clients the same way. So why is she so miffed? The other stereotypical hooker was much more honest and had a truer heart....not to mention better looking. And the ending was so stilted that it has to rank as one of the most unbelievable in the history of film. Of course so few perople have seen this that it will nver obtain its due place.
An expat "going Thai" to eeek out a living in support of a mother-in-law? Heck, even giving local English lessons would provide a lot more dough. Going back to regular work in England and sending a check to Thailand would be better for all concerned. Is this guy that stupid? Well, maybe. He fell for the wrong chick in the first place and he is going to pay for it by groveling in some Thai village? This guy has serious mental problems, but since all expats are into some abnormal trip in this film, why not?
P.S. I have been an expat in Thailand for almost 23 years. I have seen similar films to this one. Want to see the same idea done far better, with even the same leading actress? Watch "Bitter/ Sweet"....also cliche-ridden but it does not come close to the jaw-dropping dumbness of the plot line of "Butteryfly Man"
Oh Lord, you gave them eyes but they cannot see...