Synopsis

Cast & Crew

Episodes

Reviews (4)

In the conservative backdrop of a Chinese university, Chang Jie harbors a deep, hidden crush on his charismatic friend You Xie—a crush complicated by the fact that You Xie already has a girlfriend, and Chang Jie is close to her too. When an unexpected, alcohol-fueled one-night stand shatters their careful boundaries, You Xie makes a shocking decision: he leaves his girlfriend to pursue a relationship with Chang Jie. What follows is a raw, emotionally charged journey into the complexities of first love, self-discovery, and societal defiance. As the jilted girlfriend plots revenge and family pressures mount, the young couple must fight to hold onto a love that defies expectations. Though rough around the edges, *Alternative Love* stands as a bold, early attempt to portray same-sex romance in Chinese cinema, capturing the reckless passion and heartbreak of youth forced to choose between secrecy and authenticity.

Andy Wang

Cast

Andy Wang

Cast

Miao Qing

Cast

Romance

Cast

Gay Male Lead

Cast

Episode data is coming soon.

5.8

out of 10

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cinema_cynic

July 2025

6/10

I really wanted to like this because it's one of the few Chinese BL films from 2016, but the storytelling is a mess. The romance develops out of nowhere—one night stand then suddenly he leaves his girlfriend? No proper build-up. The acting is wooden and the edits are jarring. Still, I respect the attempt.

heart_on_sleeve

March 2025

7/10

I'm a sucker for angsty love triangles, and this one delivered! The chemistry between the leads isn't perfect, but the longing in Chang Jie's eyes made my heart ache. Sure, the production quality is low, but the raw emotion of choosing love despite everything grabbed me. The rain scene at the end got me teary-eyed.

queer_eye_critic

November 2024

5/10

I appreciate that this film exists at all in China's homophobic climate, but the consent issues really bothered me. The one-night stand happens after drinking, and the power dynamics with the girlfriend are glossed over. The bisexual erasure is also frustrating—You Xie's bisexuality is never named, just treated as a phase. Important for representation, but clumsily handled.

lens_and_light

January 2026

6/10

Visually, this film is a mixed bag. Some shots have nice natural lighting on campus, but the editing jumps around awkwardly and the color grading looks flat. The director clearly had a vision, but the budget held it back. That said, I admire the attempt to create a cinematic mood with limited resources. Not terrible for a debut.