Best of Times Movie Recap

This may not be the best movie ever, but it sure has some redeeming points. It incorporates a little of everything: comedy, romance, drama. It doesn’t attempt to push through the extremes and maintains an easy, unhurried pace. There are loose-ends and the chemistry is subtle. But nevertheless, it’s not downright bad.

The thing that I really appreciate about this drama is the interweaving concepts of irony. Here we have two couples (young and old). While the older ones want to hold on to their memories, the younger however, wants to forget. Ahhh, life with all its heartbreaking ironies.

Movie Recap

Two long-time buddies spend one heck of riotous merrymaking and partying at a club. As they drive back home, they pass by a police checkpoint. Having been drunk with all those booze, Keng (Arak Amornsupasiri), fails the breathalyzer test and is sent to jail. His friend Ohm (James Alexander Mackie) promises to bail him out. But then, gets arrested too after crashing into a police vehicle. Haha! Boys!

The night proves to be the most informative (or disturbing?!) night for Keng, as he learns that Ohm got divorced. Shock waves! Well, it’s not really big news, IF ONLY, Ohm isn’t divorced to Keng’s ultimate high-school crush, Fai (Yarinda Bunnag)!

Surprises doesn’t end. That same night, Fai appears (reappears) in Keng’s peaceful  life! She bails the boys out. But to Keng’s dismay (or relief?), she can’t remember him at all. And so, Keng pretends not to remember her as well.

While driving home from jail, a stray dog gets hit by a car.  Fai, being an animal-welfare activist and all-time nature lover, comes to its rescue. The trio ends up at Kreng’s vet clinic. Ohm, however, has something more important to do and leaves first.

Fai falls asleep while taking care of the dog. And as Keng stares at her, he remembers the painful past.

~Flash back~

Eight years ago, Keng had a huge crush with this girl. He even recorded a love song for her.

After summoning the nerves, he gives her the CD.  But then, she frankly tells him that she already has a boyfriend. Keng runs off in embarrassment and hides. When he looks back, he sees Fai and Ohm sweetly talking to each other and walks off holding hands. Oh she has a boyfriend, alright. And it’s his bestfriend, Ohm!

~Present day~

Keng and Ohm are sentenced to render 22 hours of community service. Keng is assigned to take over as a computer instructor for senior citizens.

There he meets Jamrus (left) and Sompit (right). And yes, they are the older couple I was talking about at the beginning of this post.

As it happens, Jamrus forgets where he left  his keys and Keng offers to give them a lift. Keng is rather confused when the couple didn’t live together. Jamrus sheds some light, explaining that they are indeed NOT married, just two old people seeing each other.

Jamrus owns a farm at Chumphon (6-hour drive from Bangkok) and Keng drops him at the bus terminal. Keng couldn’t resist to ask.

Keng: ls driving back and forth between Bangkok-Chumphon every week exhausting?

Jamrus: l can tell by your question that you’ve never been in love.

Keng laughs at the old man’s remark. Ahh, if only he knew.

The next day, Sompit and Jamrus ditch class. So, this is how old people date?! Visiting botanical gardens, bowling and maybe, clubbing?! Haha!

Eventually, when Sompit’s son checks on her and she’s not there, Keng assumes she’s with her boyfriend. Basing upon the son’s reaction, he’s clearly against the relationship. Keng takes the hint. Haha! Ooops, so much for being talkative.

The stray dog (which from now on will be called Saphanloi, meaning bridge) stays at Fai’s. A boy mischievously paints the dog a pair of black eyebrows and alas! It looks like this! Haha!

And becoz Fai wants to find Saphanloi’s owner, she frequently visits Keng’s clinic. But since she’s going out of town to replant some tress, she leaves Saphanloi  to Keng’s care and lists his office phone number on the fliers she posted.

And becoz of that, he receives prank calls now and then. He’s getting pissed so he tries to shoo them away by being nasty. Big mistake becoz it’s Fai on the other end of the line. Haha!

Meanwhile, Ohm calls Fai to retrieve his Dragonball comics collection. Fai, who still hopes to get back with her Ex, willingly oblige. While looking for the comics, she stumbles upon an old CD with a note attached that reads, ”Actually. Toon (famous Thai singer) is supposed to sing this song. But Toon doesn’t have any feelings for you like l do.” Yep, that’s Keng’s CD from before.

Fai  fetches Saphanloi from Keng’s clinic. She then reads Keng’s full name and at last, connects the connection. Haha!

A lady then calls the clinic and claims that she’s Saphanloi’s owner. Fai and Keng meet with her at the park, but then the ‘supposed’ owner is mistaken. She’s looking for a female, and Saphanloi’s obviously male!

They drive back to the clinic. Fai already remembers Keng and decides to tease him a bit. She asks if they have met before since he looks so familiar. Keng instantly gets TOO uncomfortable. Of course, they had. He went to their wedding, remember? Nope. It’s not that. Maybe they went to the same school? Keng denies the fact. And becoz he isn’t admitting to anything, she plays his CD. Haha! Awkward! I’d rather jump out of the car if I were Keng. Haha!

A tricycle driver suddenly comes out from nowhere and their car goes up a curve. Fai gets out and angrily yells at the driver. Keng tries to calm her down. But then the car’s in auto lock, they don’t have the key and they get locked up outside. Clumsy!

It’s getting late and they still couldn’t open the door. Fai grabs the opportunity to spend some time with Ohm and calls him for the spare key. And this is when Keng realizes that she’s still not over her Ex. She loves him and after all these years, he still doesn’t have a chance.

Sompit is having her physical check-up, so she can’t come for class. She then sends a text message to Jamrus, saying that she’ll be meeting him at MSN Messenger. And becoz Jamrus is not familiar with MSN, he asks Keng to give him a hand. The older couple then agrees to meet up and go to Jamrus’ farm. After chatting with Sompit, Jamrus calls a cab. Keng is rather puzzled. Didn’t he bring his car? Jamrus laughs. Of course, he did. It’s right in  front of him.

Early in the morning, Sompit sneakily goes out to meet Jamrus. Well, she lies on the fact the her son permits her to go. He keeps on calling, so she fibs that she’s with her friends for a class trip.

Sompit finally gets the chance to see Jamrus’ picturesque farm. Yey! It’s time for some picture-taking but Jamrus seems to misplace the camera.

Sompit: Ah… the things we want to remember we forget. The things we want to forget, we remember. lt’s so ironic. Want to remember, can’t remember.

Sompit’s son looks for Keng. He wants to confirm Mom’s alibi. Keng, who is oblivious to the elopement, backs up her story. In fact, he’s bound to go there tonight. Fortunately, Fai stops by the clinic and Keng asks that she drop him off the garage. But then, the shop is closed. They went to the terminal, but the last bus already left. He tries to call Ohm, but he’s not answering. In the end, Fai drives him to Chumphon.

Keng and Fai stay at the farm for the night. While Jamrus is away to get some beetle leaves, Sompit confesses that she ran away from home. Her son disapproves of their relationship and he’s taking her to the US. At least, before she leaves she was able to go to Jamrus’s farm.

Sompit starts to worry when Jamrus took too much time outside. He takes her worrying as “nagging” and they had a misunderstanding. Before going to sleep, Jamrus says sorry for being a jerk and Sompit readily forgives him.

The next morning, Jamrus talks about his rose apple tree. The tree is special for him. Back in 1989, a storm passed through the village and destroyed everything they had. Nothing was left, except this tree that remained strong.

Jamrus: lt grew new leaves. When l saw it l realized that if a tree didn’t give up, then why should l as a human being give up so easily? That inspired me to do whatever it took to return my farm back to how you see it is today.

Under the rose apple tree, Sompit tells Jamrus about her son’s plans. But then, she wants to stay with him. Jamrus jokingly asks if that’s a proposal. She says yes, if that’s what he wants. Jamrus disproves. No, a woman should never propose. It’s a man’s job. Well, he’s just a farmer. He has no riches to give, but he grows the sweetest apple in the world. Maybe, it’s enough to be the dowry? Sompit cries some happy tears.

Meanwhile, Fai is having motion sickness and Keng offers some liquor to ease her agony. They talk about the past. Like what happened to him after he gave her the CD. Well, he transferred to a different class after knowing that she was (past tense) Ohm’s girlfriend.

Fai suddenly borrows his phone, dials Ohm’s number and lose control. She’s rather annoyed at her EX and calls him names.

Keng can’t believe what she just did. That’s plain stupidity.

Fai: lf you were me, what would you do? Ohm is my first love! You will never understand me.

Keng: l actually do understand because you were my very first love too.

She stares at him, and initiates a kiss. Then silence. She says sorry for acting strange. Awkward!

Vacation is over. They must go back to Bangkok. When they were alone, Fai reasons out.

Fai: l know what l did was really stupid but it’s difficult for me to get over it. lf you were me,
could you forget someone you loved so easily?

Keng: l don’t think it’s about being able to forget or not. The reason why you are like this is because you still hope that Ohm will come back to you one day.

That was by far the most brutal words she has heard, but they both know it’s the truth.

Sompit begs that his son let her be. She really-really wants to spend the remaining of her days with Jamrus. It can’t be helped then.

It’s the last day of community service. Keng clarifies things with Ohm. He admits that Fai is actually the girl he secretly loved during high school. He loved her then and he loves her now. Ohm seems unaffected. It’s cool. Maybe, he’s being insensitive or something but he and Fai are not meant for each other. He’s marrying again. Fai is a good friend, yes. But what he needs is a wife.

When Jamrus didn’t show up for their date, Soompit starts to fret. She asks Keng for help and they find him at the hospital. I just knew it! Jamrus has Alzheimer’s disease.

That night, Jamrus runs away. He asks that Keng drive him to Chumphon. But considering his health, Keng takes him to his son’s home instead. Keng then learns that the son is selling off the farm.

Keng feels sorry for Jamrus. With Fai’s help, they transport the rose apple tree from the farm to Bangkok. But the tree’s roots are very deep. If they cut the main root, it might die. Fai, however, is convinced that it won’t.

Fai: The tree is very strong, it survived a storm before.

 Jamrus is delighted to see his special tree again. As much as Sompit wants to celebrate with him, she can’t. It’s time to say goodbye.

Sompit: Jamrus l don’t think l will be here long enough to eat the fruit with you . But if you ask me to stay, just say the word and l will stay.

Jamrus: Please go. Leave now while we can still remember each other.

Sompit: No. l won’t forget you .

Jamrus: Not to forget is impossible. There is only forgetting slowly or quickly. But for me, l will just forget a bit faster. That’s all. One day you will be able to forget. Anyways, you will have to move on .

And that’s when their bittersweet love story ends.

Jamrus, Keng and Fai sends Sompit off. On the way back, Fai still can’t accept what happened. Keng consoles that it’s just like how Mr. Jamrus says it, they will eventually forget sooner or later.

Fai: So when we find it really hard to forget, what should we do?

Keng: Well, there’s no need to do anything. Look at me, l never forgot you and was still able to find a new love. The only difference is my new love is with the same person . That’s all.

In conclusion:

Jamrus gets to learn how to use MSN on his own. Sompit is now living in the US with her grandkids. They still communicate with each other via MSN. Keng and Fai adopts Saphanloi. Well, their love story is somewhat an open-ending. So I’m guessing they’re trying to work on the invisible chemistry? 🙂