How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)

Sometimes, out of the blue, a little film pops up without any hue or cry and simply takes your breath away.

This is one such film.

A bitter-sweet, tragi-comedy...that will, unashamedly, make you fall head-over-heels with these two, born-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-track, orphaned brothers.

The majesty here is that 'gay' is not the issue - it's just a relationship, like any other...seen through the eyes of a big-brother-worshipping little brother...Oat.

That big brother - Ek - faces the grim reality that every 21 year old Thai man has to face: the military lottery. By choosing: Black, he stays...Red, he goes - leaving his brother, his lover and the job that will eventually kill him. It's not about choice, it's fate.

But, the film is about fate, luck and choice...told in retrospect, revealing the collateral damage sustained by well-intentioned, misguided, immature actions...Oat needs Ek...to survive. It's simple. It's complex.

Josh Kim deserves the mightiest of plaudits - proving without doubt that sheer film-making talent can upstage a miniscule budget. Thira Chutikul's performance deserves particular recognition - from the charming, to the cocky, to the defeated - he grabs your attention and doesn't let go, not for a second. Young talent, actor and director = a powerhouse.

This is a story about love, guilt and survival...the self-sacrifice will bring tears to your eyes, the chemistry between the brothers and the lovers will smear silly smiles all over your face.

It's a joy. It's a heartbreak. It's a damn fine film.

Trailer...