Delivery Boy – Movie Review

Chunho is a food delivery worker in Hong Kong. He delivers meals regularly to a customer named Eric. Chunho has developed an infatuation with the handsome expat, nicknaming him the pork and leek guy. Chunho confides in his friend, Jasper, and gushes about his secret crush frequently. However, Eric takes the food orders each time without minding the delivery boy. Eric doesn't even know who Chunho is.

One day, Eric and Chunho randomly meet on the streets. Eric has dropped his groceries on the ground, and Chunho goes to help him retrieve the items. The characters meet properly for the first time. Eric doesn't recognize the delivery boy, but Chunho plays along as if it's their initial introduction. Chunho offers to help Eric carry the groceries home. He's excited about the opportunity to finally step inside Eric's apartment.

Delivery Boy conveys a cute, adequate gay romance in fifteen minutes. The narrative is concise and coherent, delivering all the events smoothly. However, the story isn't remarkable enough to differentiate it from many other LGBT films in the genre. The plot is too basic, the length too short, and the characters too simplistic. Delivery Boy feels ordinary, like an average movie that doesn't do anything exceptionally well.

A delivery worker is a quirky choice for a lead in a gay movie. Once you get past the initial novelty, Chunho is a plain protagonist defined solely by his job and infatuation. Similarly, his love interest has even fewer distinguishable traits. The film fails to explain Eric's appeal or why Chunho seems attracted to him before they meet. I don't want to focus on Eric being an expatriate in Hong Kong. Yet, that's the only unique detail about his vanilla character. The basis of Chunho's crush is a physical attraction instead of anything substantial about Eric as a person.

Chunho and Eric have a few pleasant conversations upon meeting. They only make platonic small talk, so nothing in their exchanges signifies an amorous connection. It's bizarre these characters glean any romance from their mundane dialogue or forgettable interactions. Yet, Delivery Boy acts as if Chunho and Eric have forged a solid bond when they hardly know each other. Later, Eric behaves like a jerk, making him seem even less appealing. He redeems himself a little in the ending, but it isn't enough to make me believe in the authenticity of this couple.

Delivery Boy has a few unique features that make it stand out from other BL dramas or gay cinema. Firstly, it's a rare English-speaking film set against the backdrop of Hong Kong with Cantonese lingo mixed into the script. Using the dual languages in this bilingual movie isn't something done by many storytellers. Secondly, Chunho and Eric form an interracial couple that is underrepresented in BL or the gay media landscape. You don't see many Asian-Caucasian romances in LBGT fiction, a niche not particularly famous for diversifying its pairings.

I like the eclectic fusion of Eastern and Western influences in Delivery Boy. The movie blends two cultures and languages seamlessly, creating a distinctive harmony. As much as I appreciate the unique theme, the fifteen-minute narrative isn't long enough to examine it in depth. Apparently, the director Hugo Kenzo is working on a full-feature film of this story. I hope he retains the angle of highlighting cultural diversity when remaking Delivery Boy. A romance between a Hong Kong native and an expat can explore different identities, traditions, and ideologies compellingly.