My Second Movie Review
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| Photo courtesy of krishagee.files.wordpress.com |
It was 9pm. Just when my younger brother was about to leave
me alone and jump into his bed, I asked him to help me download a Thai movie
which was highly recommended in a certain group page in FB. Unsure if the movie
is not infected with virus, we opted to try our luck in Youtube. After three
search attempts, with my eyes wide open I was certain that I would be in front
of this flat screen for the next two hours.
The Billionaire is a film based on a true story of a Thai
teenager named Aitthipat Kulapongvanich also known as Top Ittipat, one of the
youngest billionaires in the world. At age 16, Top spent most of his time
playing online games instead of studying. His addiction to online games,
however, generated so much money that he was able to buy a car for himself. Unfortunately,
the “easy money” he was gaining didn’t last long. He decided to drop out of
school and sought other business opportunities such as selling cheap DVDs to
roasted chestnuts. The former was a failure from the very beginning. The
roasted chestnut business, however, somehow gave him hope. One day, he
discovered that his family was in big financial trouble. Bankruptcy and huge
debt triggered his family to go to China. But Top refused to go with them and decided to
continue with his business. Just when his roasted chestnut biz was starting to
make money, he realized that even though he makes one million Baht per year,
this amount couldn’t pay his father’s 40 million Baht debt. Top, with the help
of his ever supportive uncle, continued to persevere. Finally, at age 19, he was able to create a
product that made him truly rich and famous. He released ‘Tao Kae Noi’ fried seaweed
snack to more than 3,000 7-Eleven branches and the rest is history…
If you are a student taking up business, or an aspiring entrepreneur,
or just someone looking for inspiration to keep going, this movie is a must
watch. Top’s failure after failure after failure is inevitably heartbreaking
but hilarious in a certain way. The various mistakes he made will surely make
you laugh. And the result of some of his decisions will make you sigh. But Top’s
sheer hardwork, perseverance and natural entrepreneurial mindset are what make
this film remarkably interesting. That at the end of this film, you would wish
to shake his hand or pat his shoulder or give him a hug for a job well done.
Top’s simple words of wisdom:
“Do not lose your courage --- no matter what… Because if we give up --- game is over!!!”
The Official Trailer
