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'Bikeman': A comedy about employment, acceptance
The film could encourage its viewers to accept who they are and be grateful for their job, but it appears to shift from its initial premise toward the ending.
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A Thai comedy-drama directed by Prueksa Amaruji, Bikeman was released in Thailand last year.
It tells the story of Sakkarin (Pachara “Peach” Chirathivat), who lives with his mother, Juree (Jennifer Kim), and his grandmother on the outskirts of Bangkok. Juree is proud of her son, thinking that he works as a banker and was recently promoted to assistant bank manager.
On weekdays, Sakkarin wakes up early and dons a neat shirt before hopping on a train to reach his “workplace”. However, midway through the journey, he drops by a quiet locker room to change into a T-shirt and arm sleeves as he actually works as a motorcycle taxi driver in the city. Sakkarin has applied for a job in various banks, but to no avail. He decides to go with the banker story for fear of disappointing his mother.
Though he half-heartedly works as a driver, Sakkarin is among the fastest one in his base camp. He’s also willing to fulfill customers’ requests that have been rejected by other drivers, such as delivering a check to the bank or giving a ride to a plus-sized customer.
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One day, Sakkarin meets his long-time crush Jai (Sananthachat Thanapatpisal) who works as a bank teller. Wanting to get closer to Jai, Sakkarin wonders if she could accept him the way he is.
Bikeman starts promising with a string of action-packed scenes. It also features antagonistic characters, Uncle Preecha (Kom Chauncheun) and A (Pramote Pathan), who aptly deliver comedic lines and scenes. Moreover, Chirathivat and Kim are convincing in their relationship as son and mother, making it enjoyable to watch.
At first, the film seems to urge its viewers to accept who they are and be grateful for their job. However, it appears to shift from its initial premise, especially after viewers learn why Sakkarin seems to be fixated on working as a banker instead of trying his luck in other fields. The film grows even more shaky as some elements appear to be included without having any value, making it drift further from the main story. (wng)
