Love Stage!! (2020)

Pleasantly surprised

So before watching this film I read some of the reviews on here as well as other websites and honestly they weren't that great. People complained about the bad acting and terrible writing, so with reason I was reluctant to give this a try, but I did. As I watched I kept waiting for the "bad acting" and "terrible writing" many reviewers claimed was an issue. In my opinion the writing was pretty solid and the acting was actually very good, lowkey better than some of the acting in the most popular BL's. Yes the acting is very over the top and exaggerated but that's how it's supposed to come across as this is apparently adapted from a Manga. Long story short I think this was a really cute BL. The story could've used a little more substance but it did fairly well. I think this is a prime example of how you should not allow reviews discourage you from giving a film or series a chance and experiencing it for yourself.

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Premise is interesting but fails to deliver, mediocre acting.

I have to say that I've not read the manga, so I had no idea what to expect before watching.

Though apparently some of those who read the manga would beg to differ, I actually don't think the story is the main issue. True, the way the movie depicts the struggle of a famous actor to accept his sexuality is simplistic at best, and for western audiences that might seem like a non-issue nowadays, but as Japan is a little more conservative when it comes to positive portrayals of LGBT, that wasn't much of a problem in my opinion.

What the movie actually lacks is good acting. I don't know whose fault is this - whether it's the director's or the actors' - but some scenes were so exaggerated and amateurishly acted that it made me physically cringe. Sometimes otherwise OK scenes (story-wise that is) were completely ruined by inappropriate facial expressions, vocal tones or gestures - For example, in one scene one of the actors, who was supposed to be terrified, visibly couldn't hold his laugh back.

The music also didn't help. Inconsistent and inappropriate at times.

Wouldn't watch again.
6/10, and I'm being generous.

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