Uma Leitura de Nós (Portuguese Mini-Series) [A Reading Of Us]

This is a pretty straightforward BL centered on two best friends: one who is openly gay and another who is likely closeted or bisexual. Brazil has delivered several of these low budget BL projects in the past, and most of them tend to be quite problematic. This one felt different to me, though; it was easygoing, light, and never felt dragged out. By staying focused on simple stuff, the production actually worked in its favor. It also doesn’t hurt that the lead is a genuinely attractive guy. At just 4 episodes at 20 minutes each, it is a short one too.

Lifelong friends Kawe and Henrique share a deep bond, with Henrique finding a sense of security in Kawe’s unwavering support despite being openly gay and Kawe being straight. After Henrique breaks up with Jorge and falls into a slump, Kawe’s attempts to cheer him up prove unsuccessful. In an effort to help, Kawe signs up on Grindr to find a decent match for Henrique, eventually finding Mike and introducing the two. However, spending more time with Henrique during this process leads Kawe to realize he is developing his own feelings, a situation he struggles to process and fails to fully comprehend. Even their mutual girlfriend never stops joking about the tension. As Henrique’s birthday approaches, Kawe finally confronts his emotions and decides to take action. Upon learning that Mike is actually interested in someone else rather than Henrique, Kawe is pushed to finally be honest about his feelings. This leads to Kawe and Henrique finally kissing, a moment that felt inevitable given that their chemistry was obvious to literally everyone around them.

Set in a college town, this series keeps things quite simple, offering the sort of story that likely would have been produced a decade ago. Rather than relying on massive dramatic twists, the plot focuses on the quiet realization of having been secretly in love with a best friend without even realizing it. I liked watching the evolution of Kawe’s feelings; he begins as just a friend, transitions into someone more protective and caring, develops a sincere desire to spend all his time with Henrique, and eventually admits his true emotions. Henrique, meanwhile, mostly seems like a guy who simply wants to be loved. However, I felt his character required more depth, as I couldn’t tell if he was ever actually in love with Kawe. The group’s female friend provides some of the funniest lines in the entire show. While the production remains a little rough around the edges, the acting performs better than many other Brazilian BL shows I have seen, and the actor playing Kawe is good looking and handles the role well. Ultimately, it is a decent one time watch—a simple, sweet little story that isn’t necessarily something that’ll stick with you. (5.5/10)