Directed and cowritten by Mag Hsu and Chih-Yen Hsu as well as screenwriter Lu Shih Yuan, ‘ Dear Ex’ is a movie which will likely not appeal to everyone with its soap-opera style cliches and setups.

However despite some notable flaws and inconsistencies which could be found in ‘ Dear Ex’, the prominent messaging placed upon real-life issues such as homophobia , love, intolerance, teen-angst and familial relationships, arguably presented a somewhat niche plot line with an air of gritty complexity and heartfelt moments along the way.

After his father Zhengyuan (Spark Chen) dies of cancer, it is revealed that the beneficiary of the will is not Cheng-xi ( Joseph Huang) but Jay (Roy Chu), his father’s gay lover. Embarrassed and angered, Cheng-xi’s mother Liu Sanlian (Ying-Xuan Hseih), desperately tries to reclaim her late husband’s money, in order to afford her son’s tuition and the family’s cost of living — a process that alternately entails coercion and attempted blackmail.

Yet Cheng-xi, fed up of his mother’s manipulation , opts to live with free-spirited Jay instead. As Cheng-Xi and Jay become surprisingly close during their cohabitation, Cheng- Xi soon begins to question his loyalties towards his mother and his previous beliefs .

Directors Chih-Yen Hsu and Mag Hsu present ‘ Dear Ex’ with a melodrama edge. Nevertheless during quintessential moments, the directors aren’t afraid to place emphasis upon the narrative’s complex edges; the deeply fraught family history, Sanlian’s feelings of fury and rage by her husband’s decisions and affair, as well as the tragic decline of Zhengyuan’s health and spirit. In particular Sanlian’s change from the niche archetype of the overbearing mother and wife during her initial introduction, allowed opportunities for the directors in order to flesh-out her character as the storyline progressed.

Despite thematic themes hinting that ‘ Dear Ex’ should be a coming of age movie for Cheng-Xi, Chih-Yen Hsu and Mag Hsu placed greater emphasis upon tragic and ill-fated romances and immense pathos for its array of onscreen characters with equal sympathy. However despite Taiwan’s liberal stance upon same-sex marriage and LGBT rights, the movie still highlighted the presiding underbelly of prejudice within Taiwanese culture and society- homophobia and gay slurs often arising during key moments in order to expose this. In addition to this, ‘ Dear Ex’ also allowed some golden-opportunities for character development. One of the most intriguing and climatic in the movie’s narrative surrounding the rocky relationship between Jay and Sanlian; merging from contempt, to animosity before developing into mutual sympathy.

However whilst the non-linear narrative gave a smoothly edited storyline, ‘ Dear Ex’ could often lean into greater problems of incoherent plot holes. Despite some desperate attempts in order to wrap up certain key plot points, viewers were often left in the dark towards reasons and drive within the narrative. ( In particular the decision for Jay to become the main beneficiary, excluding Cheng-Xi entirely.)

The acting performances of the series are solid. Admittedly there were certain line deliverances which could feel somewhat enforced or lacking tact, the main cast were decent enough onscreen. Child actor Joseph Huang and actor Roy Chiu were particularly dynamic onscreen ; offering surprisingly emotional yet dynamic performances throughout the movie.

The pacing of the movie is slow in parts. Naturally it is arguable that certain scenes had to be slowed down in order to focus and build upon characters. On the other hand whilst the storyline did offer some expedited storyline moments, the inconsistent balance could sometimes limit opportunities in order to patch up weaker moments of dialogue, plot holes and character writing also.

Aside from integrating an array of flashbacks into the narrative, it is undeniable that under the directing reigns of Chih-Yen Hsu and Mag Hsu, ‘ Dear Ex’ is visually aesthetic . The emphasis upon vivid palette schemes are brought to life through emerald, scarlet and ruby red tones- helping to bring to life the emotional scope of the movie’s characters. In particular the usage of childish doodles surrounding Cheng Xi, amateurishly superimposed in parts, undeniably helped to captivate the medium for Cheng Xi’s transition into adulthood alongside his ideologies throughout the course of the film. The OST was notably subtle throughout its usage in the background of scenes; a little insipid in parts, but synchronic nonetheless.

Overall ‘ Dear Ex’ is admittedly a niche setup with seemingly archetypical characters and relationships. On the other hand whilst the movie could often fall into the pitfall of barely fleshed-out narrative points, Chih-Yen Hsu and Mag Hsu’s ‘ Dear Ex’ was a surprisingly exposure into the mindsets of its intriguing array of characters, as well as a societal critique into the clashing traditions of new and old in Taiwan. ‘ Dear Ex’ is undeniably flawed in parts, but is surprisingly heartfelt at times also.