Formula 17
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| Formula 17 | |
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| Directed by | Chen Yin-jung |
| Produced by | Aileen Li |
| Written by | Rady Fu |
| Starring | Tony Yang Duncan Lai |
| Distributed by | Strand Releasing |
| Release date(s) | 2 April 2004 (Taiwan) |
| Running time | 93 min. |
| Language | Mandarin, Cantonese |
| IMDb profile | |
Formula 17 (17歲的天空, pinyin: shí qī suì de tiān kōng) is a 2004 film which was directed by Chen Yin-jung (陳映蓉). It stars Tony Yang (楊佑寧), Duncan (周群達), King Chin (金勤), Dada Ji (季宏全), Jimmy Yang (楊俊明), Jason and Chang (張大鏞). It is a gay romantic comedy film about Chou T'ien-Tsai, a romantic Taiwanese male who takes a trip to visit an online boyfriend in person for the first time. Finding his internet relationship to not be suitable for his real life, he moves on with his life and rooms with an old time friend of his. The film describes T'ien's experiences with his loyal roommate and his friends, and a surprising relationship that he develops with the local "Playboy".
This film was banned in Singapore because it "portrayed homosexuality as normal, and a natural progression of society".[1]
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[edit] Plot summary
Naive countryman Chou T'ien-Tsai goes to Taipei to meet an internet friend face-to-face. Being a romantic, and believing in 'true love' (he even has a book called Love Is A Kind Of Faith), he is sorely disappointed when his friend suggests they have sex with no love. T'ien instead goes to a bar and runs into his ex-classmate Yu, and in the process meets the 'Number One Playboy' Bai Tie Nan, who is notorious for one night stands. T'ien very quickly develops a liking towards Bai.
After the night at the bar and becoming roommates to Yu, T'ien gets a job as a pool attendant, and has a lot of run-ins with Bai, who seems to like T'ien mutually. Scenes with Bai and his psychologist show that Bai has a problem kissing people. After advice to practice kissing a mirror, and then a dummy (both of which fail to help him), he resorts to trying to kiss his longtime friend, but can't bring himself to do it.
One night, T'ien shows up at Bai's doorstep and they end up sleeping together consensually. True to his nature, Bai disappears the next day, leaving his friend to turn up at his house and explain that 'he hopes you don't misunderstand'. T'ien is very hurt, and not knowing the entire story about Bai's intimacy issues he leaves a message that 'this kind of misunderstanding won't happen again'.
T'ien prepares to leave his roommate's dwelling and return to his own home. In the meantime, T'ien's friends corner Bai, who admits that he hurt the person he loves. After a silent prayer for a second chance, he sees T'ien heading up an escalator. His first attempt to apologise fails, and T'ien literally runs away. He nearly gets run down by a scooter, but Bai intercepts and they make up.
The ending credits also include a short segment on the three supporting cast and their somewhat stereotyped views upon gay fashion.
