听 Based on a true story, Beautiful Boxer is an uplifting rags-to-riches tale with a twist. Penniless Parinya (Asanee Suwan) inadvertently discovers he has a knack for muay thai, or Thai kick-boxing, but the rising champ hides a secret. If his fondness for cross-dressing were to be revealed, his boxing days would be history and yet Parinya has a plan: save his growing stash of prize money for the sex-change operation he so desperately wants.
It's his rise to success that provides the meat of the film, but things get off to a rocky start when the early life of Parinya (or Nong Thom as he became known to Thai sports fans) is told in a series of quick-fire establishing scenes which wouldn't be out of place in a bad Neighbours episode. Once all the exposition is out of the way though and the pace slows down, Parinya's character and his predicament begin to flesh out, aided by a surprisingly fine performance from real-life kick-boxing star Suwan and some undeniably kick-ass fight scenes.
"PLENTY FOR THE EYES TO FEAST ON"
Also fighting in the right corner is director Ekachai Uekkrongtham and his tendency to subvert expectations (a late-night encounter in the showers with another boxer doesn't turn out as you might think). And with the opulent panorama of Thailand as a backdrop, there's plenty for the eyes to feast on. But even though the overall theme is one of acceptance and hope, in the end Parinya has a tough choice to make - women are barred from the ring in Thailand so if he gets his wish, he'll never be able to fight again. What's left is an inspiring drama which, despite its uneven nature, still manages to pack a punch.
