Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Bangkok Love Stories: Objects of Affection’ on Netflix, a Daffy, Soapy Thai Comedy-Drama

Netflix series Bangkok Love Stories: Objects of Affection is another entry in the ongoing BLS pseudosaga, which also includes BLS: Innocence, BLS: Plead and BLS: Hey You! A slightly more dramatic riff on the anthology’s MTV-esque soapy dramedy style, Objects of Affection is set in Bangkok’s Ratchada district, and focuses on a troubled young woman and the hunky repairman who may be able to fix more than just her cell phone.

BANGKOK LOVE STORIES: OBJECTS OF AFFECTION: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Blurry points of light slowly come into focus, showing a bustling Bangkok street at night.

The Gist: Jess (Apinya Sakuljaroensuk) is spray-painting graffiti art in a deserted park at night. On her way home, she witnesses two men murdering two women, and records it on her phone. One voice in her head says to help them; another says to run. The thugs spot Jess, and she barely escapes, but drops her phone, seriously damaging it. She awakes the next morning to a knock on the door — it’s her ex, coming to collect some of his stuff, with his new girlfriend. Jess sobs, tears dripping off her chin.

Next stop: the phone-repair shop. The only tech-wizard who can fix it isn’t a grizzled old graybeard guru who smells like moldering cheese curds, but a young, handsome fellow with a sweet denim jacket and a wildly asymmetrical haircut. Qten (Kanokchat Munyadon) puts his hair in a topknot, dons goggles and a face-mask, and does magical things with a soldering iron. He fends off the local overbearing restaurant hostess, Tae-hee (Gyeon Seo), and when he first sees Jess, cue the slo-mo effects and mooshy, swelling music. What else could it be but DESTINY?

But Qten makes Jess wait. She insults him; he refuses service. She spray-paints his face on his shop, covered with insults; he likes the art and agrees to fix the phone. “If anyone comes to collect my phone from you, don’t give it to them unless their name is Jess — even if that person looks like me,” she says. Intrigue! Meanwhile, the thugs visit Jess’ apartment and trash it. She hides in a locker while her best friend (Nalin Hohler) chases them off.

Our Take: Um, did you ever even consider going to the police?

Although this plot hole is roughly the size of a small moon, BLS: Objects of Affection exhibits significant kitsch potential. This, in spite of some pretty good filmmaking, which showcases some nice, effective photography and visual effects — the type of stuff we wouldn’t necessarily expect from a cornball soap.

The romance fodder is straight-up schmaltz, and the plot promises to be daffier than a thousand ducks. The trailer reveals that Jess has multiple personalities manifest as bewigged women named Jenny, Pinky and Joey. Will one of them get Qten to cough up the phone? Which one will he fall in love with? Or will he fall in love with all of them? Will the cops keep working the case without a key piece of evidence while the killers run free, possibly murdering more people? The suspense is downright tyrannical.

Also worth noting: BLS: Objects of Affection makes way more sense than the first episode of BLS: Innocence. So far, at least.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: A closeup of Jess looking very, very worried, and totally not even considering contacting the authorities.

Sleeper Star: Ratchada is captured with enough affection to render it a character unto itself.

Most Pilot-y Line: “Fixing what’s broken and bringing it back to life is what I do for a living,” Qten tells Jess. Could he be talking about more than just the phone? Stay tuned!

Our Call: STREAM IT. Yes, it’s ridiculous, and it takes itself a little too seriously, and you’ll have to be a little bit nuts if you’re outside the target audience and even considering watching all 13 episodes, and it’s a guilty pleasure. But it’s entertaining, in defiance of reasonable expectations.

P.S. CALL THE COPS.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter: @johnserba.

Stream Bangkok Love Stories: Objects of Affection on Netflix