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CJS wrote on 05/07/2009:

I saw it at a film fest in San Francisco. Most of the audience was bored, though we probably should have seen it coming since many of us knew there was virtually no dialogue in the film. There was, however, lots of random symbolism, people eating, and people staring at each other. Basically, it felt like a student film, though there does seem to be some genuine talent in the story telling because there were a few moments where the audience was interested. Hopefully the actor / writer will try more conventional films and be cognizant that an audience must watch them.

In fairness, the acting was quite good (which is probably helped by not having to speak lines), the actors are very attractive, though sadly there was no frontal nudity to partially compensate for making everyone sit through this ... well, at least for those of us who stayed until the end.

Amos Lassen wrote on 03/31/2009:

“Solos”
A Daring Film
Amos Lassen
Director Kan Lume brings us quite a daring film with “Solos”, the story of a gay teacher who falls in love with a student. The film relates love among three characters—a boy, his mother and his lover, a man. We watch that each feels as he tries to avoid confusion and pain.
The film is minimalist using a still camera. There is no dialogue and this aids in seeing the mood of the characters. Everyone is basically on non-speaking terms and the film allows us to see their insecurity and despair. The boy struggles with being in love with an older man; the older man is afraid that the boy will leave him. The mother is totally frustrated because her son is different from the norms of society.
The film is shot in colors that are strained and they contrast with the surrealistic colorful scenes that portray the thoughts of the characters. The plot is based on true events and it is really a psychological study of three individuals who struggle to come to terms with each other. The man (Lim Yu-Beng) is known simply as Man and Boy (Loo Zihan) have been involved in an illicit relationship for years. As Boy grows out of his teenage years, he begins to become somewhat restless and begins looking for sexual adventures. His mother (Goh Guat Kian) blames herself for everything that Boy has turned out to be and she wants him to come home to her. With stylized scenes, this is a painfully realistic film. Since there are no spoken lines, everything is visual.
“Solos” is interesting first because it is a different kind of film—a kind that many of us have never seen before. It is both painful and beautiful to watch and although I did not feel good the entire length of the film, I did feel that I had seen something really special.