Finally got to watch [Smell of Rain], after I ordered and collected the DVD through Nat’s FC, since I couldn’t make it to the screenings at Sigma@Old School a few months ago. Think this is considered “indie” movie? Haha! I’m not a movie person and I didn’t expect I actually bought it! Besides Nat acting in it, I thought the storyline was pretty interesting, so…ya…

Excerpt from the official website:

Smell of Rain is a simple poignant Mandarin film which tells the story of the anguish of youth and childhood grief - with a twist.

Riding on the recurring motif of how the smell of rain transports the protagonist, Xiao Qi (Nathaniel Ho) back to his painful past, Smell of Rain explores the bittersweet, heartbreaking, yet tender moments of a young man alone and lost, forever trapped in time.

Together with a childhood best friend, Kong Long (Trey Ho), he creates a Utopia where the rest of the world is kept at bay - a Utopia where he’s shielded from further hurt.

The arrival of a girl, Li Er (Leah Low), however, rudely disrupts the dynamics of their world and Xiao Qi is forced to bravely confront reality, struggling to break free from the prison of his past.

In the process, he learns to live, and learns to love - but will it be too late?

Okay, my honest opinions. I find the 1st one-third of the movie pacing very very very slow……… Nat only started ‘talking’ at 22:08! If you’re dying to see Nat smile, you’ll be disappointed because most of the time he’s face is ‘expressionless’, always in deep thoughts, living in his own world. (I think he’s quite a weirdo in the movie.) Haha!

HAHAHA! WTH! In one scene when Nat was watching the TV, they were actually airing [A Promise For Tomorrow]! LOL!!! Okay, but someone wasn’t seen.

Other than that, the story is pretty fine for me, with an unexpected twist at the end.

7/10.