Handle Me With Care | |
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![]() Thai theatrical poster
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Directed by | Kongdej Jaturanrasamee |
Produced by |
Jira Maligool Yongyoot Thongkongtoon Cherchonnee Soonthornsaratul Chanajai Thongsaithong |
Written by | Kongdej Jaturanrasamee |
Starring |
Supakson Chaimongkol Kiatkamol Lata |
Cinematography | Naruphol Chokanapitak |
Edited by | Patamanada Yukol |
Distributed by | GMM Tai Hub |
Release date
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Running time
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119 minutes |
Country | Thailand |
Language | Thai |
Handle Me With Care (Thai: กอด, Kod, literally "hug") also known as 三手仔手記 (Hong Kong Title) or 一路上有手 (Taiwanese Title) is a 2008 Thai romantic drama film directed by Kongdej Jaturanrasamee.
The story is about a three-armed man on a journey from Lampang to Bangkok who meets a young woman and the two experience various misadventures and grow closer together.
Handle Me With Care opened in Thailand cinemas on February 21, 2008. It was No. 4 at the box office on opening weekend, behind the newly released Hollywood film, Jumper, the three-week-old Thai martial arts film, Chocolate and a Thai comedy, Valentine, which had been released the week before. It remained in fourth place the following week but then dropped to No. 19 in its third weekend.
Local critical response was mixed. Bangkok Post film critic Kong Rithdee called the film "wearisome", and said that though the film has "nice moments ... the script is too shipshape, maybe too busy with its thematic messages, and it's not easy to sympathise with Kwan, who obviously has never heard of worse handicaps. Writer-director Kongdej Jaturanrasamee is a better director when he allows his films to be wackier.".
ThaiCinema.org's reviewers praised the performance by actress Supaksorn Chaimongkol, as well as the intricate "hand talent" effects – Kwan's third hand was played by an actual actor, rather than special effects. But the reviewers said the film contained too many elements and tended to be draggy in places.
The film was screened at the 2008 Hong Kong International Film Festival, where it was reviewed by Maggie Lee of The Hollywood Reporter, who echoed the criticisms that the film had too many elements. "Director Kongdej Jaturanrasamee is in two minds about turning his script into Jim Carrey-like slapstick, a candy floss romance with a dash of magical fantasy, or an offbeat road movie. He handles none of these generic variations with enough care, leaving each dangling like an unwanted arm."