Product Review

Superstar Thai actor-model Toni Rakkaen headlines this striking debut feature from Korean-American writer-director Josh Kim. As the now grown Oat, he recalls his childhood experience of trying to rescue his gay older brother Ek (Thira Chutikul) from being drafted into military service. As Ek grapples with the gritty realities of life in Bangkok -- working at a bar for male hustlers and sex-workers -- he has also found love with his more privileged boyfriend Jai (Arthur Navarat). When the moment of truth arrives with the draft lottery, these 21-year-olds must draw either a black or a red slip to possibly be conscripted into the armed forces. Who will be sent off to the service and who will get to stay home? How To Win at Checkers (Every Time) unfolds a riveting dramatic portrayal of poverty and privilege, corruption and compromises as it conveys a bittersweet coming-of-age story.