SpecialsTarget Disturbing yet enthralling

Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Mischa Redfern I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Cissy Évelyne It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

jaroslaw99 This movie is now 12 years old and I have watched it probably at least once a year since I bought it. (this review contains spoilers) There are a lot of reviews here - so I will be brief on the basic story - country boy moves to the city for a summer job and also searches for his true love. Meets sophisticated playboy, troubles ensue.I don't know where the idea comes from this movie is simple or amateurish. I have watched many films and TV shows that are high brow or pretend to be and it is often a bunch of incomprehensible nonsense parading as complicated "art". This film was made at a time when Gay films without sad endings were rare. The only thing that was kind of silly was the part where two characters were lovesick and they were actually physically sick.This movie has it all - beautiful scenery of the city, the parks, Sha-lung beach. Handsome guys, lots of comedy and romance. I loved all the characters - Yu, CC, Richard, Jay, Ray, Tapei Plumber, Alan. I think as a supporting player, Jason Chang as Richard didn't get enough credit. There were a number of cultural things I didn't understand - Tien's friends spraying (what?) on Bai & Richard when they returned from the business trip. The tongue movement at the store in the ending credits. Fantastic music as well. This is a light hearted happy ending comedy that if you are Gay (or even if not) you will enjoy.

gzchenjunhui I think "Formula 17" is excellent because it's an encouraging fair tale for homosexuals, and even for people of all ranks. It's a fair tale, of course, firstly because the two leading roles are both handsome and attractive men, just like the prince and the princess as it would have been in an ordinary fair tale such as "Snow White" or "Cinderella". But the point is that it demonstrates the life of homosexuals not in a realistic, but in a fabulous way. That's good, actually, in my opinion. So I'm shocked when I learn from other's comments that the Singaporean Government bans it for that reason. I don't like it if the film is labeled as a "beautification of homosexuality" or something similar. I think there's touching true love in gay and straight groups alike, as is one-night-stand. So this film is excellent in that it breaks the stereotype of homosexuals in a great number of movies made before. But this fair tale, in addition to the handsome guys, pretty settings, and touching lines, is also encouraging, especially for homosexuals. We are not naive enough to believe that such true love as in the movie can fall upon us so easily as in the movie. But at least there's hope: the hope for true love and the hope for future. And that's what really counts. That's the same for all fair tales. After reading or watching "Snow White" or "Cinderella", we may at first moved by the story and wish we could have the same beautiful life. But later, especially when we've experienced more, we know that we have to try our best to pursue our happiness. The same holds true for "Formula 17", as we can see from some lines such as "Love is only to be seen by the brave ones" and "Even love has the past tense...But we can run faster to catch up with it". As long as we still cherish hope and never give up, we can certainly find our true love and happiness, no matter if we are gay or straight.

lavieneko-1 Although this movie is low budget and completely silly, it revels in that and seems proud of it rather than trying to ignore it. A completely generic plot that anyone can guess, especially if they're familiar with gay fiction, and your typical gay characters would usually mean a boring movie. Instead this film puts together characters that you can completely believe and expect to meet on the street. I found myself thinking "I wish I knew these guys!" many times. A totally adorable wonderful happy movie that will make you giggle and squeal and completely believe in love, even if it's just for the duration of the film, this one is not to be missed. Heartwarming, adorable, real, yet fantastic... I can't rate this one highly enough.

clee7903 One of a few gay Asian movies out there today. It depicted a naive young Taiwanese gay man who ventured out to a very much open Taipei society in search of his true love only to encounter that lust rather than love was on the minds of most. Formula 17 also tried to approach this love story through a comedic style...with characters that were quite dramatic and over-reacting. In retrospect, I appreciate Formula 17 not only because it was a work of art, it was also an expression that many gay people out there could also relate with. Love have been lost and is seldom seen but the main character in this movie tried to bring it back for us to see and taste.I would definitely recommend this movie to everyone...gay or straight.