Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's Monrak Transistor (2001) is yet another wicked Thai film which is hardly comparable to other films I've seen. It is an exciting combination of a tragedy, tongue-in-cheek comedy and musical - with a few other elements thrown into the mix as well. The film follows the story of a young (and dumb) man who wants to become a singer. That *might* sound simple, but I assure you this film makes it awfully complicated. It seamlessly mixes serious and laugh-out-loud elements of the plot, and I have to laud the director for that. The content is far from perfect: it seems to waste its time on a few unnecessary elements, sometimes it doesnt seem have to an idea what it wants to be and at its core the screenplay isnt necessarily deep or smart - but it covers all that under its fine form. The form is delightful: awesome cinematography, great compositions, interesting editing and the musical bits are great. I can not emphasize its peculiar attitude and pace enough - it is peculiar to the point of being both good and bad in that aspect. In any case, I strongly recommend anyone to watch the film because it is a great way to spend the evening.
Score: 8 out of 10
