The Middle Class in Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit’s Films

Abstract

Five films directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit released via Netflix, Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy (2013), Heart Attack (2015), Die Tomorrow (part one) (2017), Happy Old Year (2019), and Fast & Feel Love (2022) depict middle-class main characters who live in Bangkok.

This article examines the definition of “middle class” as depicted in Thamrongrattanarit's movies by using textual analysis, content analysis, and documentary research. The results showed that actors in these films project different political ideas, attitudes, and lifestyles of the middle class in each story. The characters in Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy connive against the dictatorship in schools. The people depicted in Heart Attack reveal their efforts to maintain their social status with ties to economic issues. Die Tomorrow reflects the values and desires of the characters to live in another country permanently, but their desire to emigrate is not caused by economic necessity. The film Happy Old Year reflects the trend of the Gen Y middle class that has been influenced by a mix of influences from Western countries and Japan. One such trend has been to pursue minimalism. The film Fast & Feel Love reflects Gen Y’s definition of success that does not depend on the progress of routine work according to the norm, but instead is based on what they like to do.