[FILM REVIEW] Front Cover (2015)

Front Cover is a LGBT-themed feature film by Hong Kong director Ray Yeung, starring Jake Choi and James Chen.



Ryan Fu (Jake Choi) is a Chinese America/American Born Chinese who works as a fashion stylist. One day his boss informs him they have a new job for an upcoming magazine cover which could potentially mean lots of of cash payment. The client is a famous actor from China - Qi Ning (James Chen) who insists he wants his stylist to be Chinese since his previous one did not know Chinese culture well. However it turns out to be quite tricky for Ryan since he's very Americanised and can't speak Mandarin fluently.

The two men clash dramatically in many ways when they first meet. Ryan is openly gay, unafraid to show who he is and shuns his Chinese side because of cultural insecurities from the past, especially as a gay Chinese man. Ning is a very traditionally-minded Chinese man, finds Ryan's open gayness iffy and his lack of Chinese-ness awkward when he first observes him ("American borrowed Chinese" as he puts it). He's obviously of the 'no homo' type which seems to be common in Asia where certain countries and cultures would think it shameful to be within LGBTQ+ communities. Over time however they get to know each other in order to make this team work function and a mutual attraction eventually develops, as well as Ning questioning his own feelings. Sounds like a predictable romance plot right?

But what makes Front Cover stand out to me is how there are two gay Asian leading males yet one is ABC and the other from China. Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? caught in a landslide Am I hallucinating? Where has this film been for me? Sure you have plenty of gay films that focus on native Asians over in their countries embracing and experiencing their sexuality but when you throw in an Asian born in the West with someone from their family's motherland or similar...it's just refreshing. It's never explored in a lot of films, namely gay ones. The mainstream aspects tend to be where the gay couples are all interracial - usually including a white person because that's a default. Ryan professes to being a potato queen - only dating white guys and assures Ning he's not interested in him in that way during their second meeting.

So Front Cover certainly peeked my interest because of this main ship between Ning and Ryan but I also paid attention to their journey. I could identify the embarrassment from Ryan for being unable to converse in Mandarin Chinese and having a different lifestyle compared to the native Chinese who had come to visit the West. Plus, explaining the mistreatment from a young age for being different to everyone else and not white. Ning starts to understand and learn how Ryan lives in America and is able to be out with his gay identity after having his parents learn to support him. On the flip side, Ryan learns to embrace his Chinese identity over time. It's a wonderful compliment of one another.

There is a huge emphasis on the racial stereotypes from a Western POV which did send out a few personal triggers because I've heard it all, which is proof of how much impact these things have. The film highlights discrimination in the East and West but also presents some familial moments that I know all too well as a Chinese person e.g. when Ryan's parents pay a visit to see their son. Ignoring some stereotypes, some cliche or campy but typical demeanour in the fashion world and the odd Asian female x white male popping up briefly in the film, Front Cover makes this relationship meaningful. James Chen and Jake Choi make Ning and Ryan believable. The ending was unsurprising and left me hurt with how it played out but we can only dream and imagine what could have been.

Extra notes

- Ning's friends look really try-hard and cheap. Hardly glamorous

- James the PR man for Ning speaking better Mandarin than Ryan... yeah I would not feel right if someone did that around me

- When Ning meets Ryan's parents. They can't speak each other's languages well (Mandarin VS Cantonese) and go with pigeon English. This is sometimes how it is with my family and friends IRL

- Fu Yen is a great mother

- Ryan going off on the photographer who insulted him when he was trying to clean Ning's feet during the photoshoot. That particular scene. How James Chen looked at Jake Choi in that second - you know they shared a mutual understanding from then as outsiders working for white people

- The music used in the film is rather dance-y and typical for the theme. Having Amanda Lear's Queen of Chinatown playing in the background while Ryan is looking at the clothes in the market after visiting Ning in Chinatown though...hmm

- James Chen is American yet nailed the Chinese accent when speaking Mandarin and English

I managed to track Front Cover down after watching the trailer many months ago but forgot the name of the film as I got very sidetracked with work. Plus I hadn't watched gay Asian films as much - the others being Bishounen and Formula 17 from many, many years ago. But I'm glad I finally sat down to watch this. Definitely adding it to my memorable Asian gay film list.

The trailer can been seen below:-