In a world built on power and status, the people without either suffer the most injustice. Voices are silenced. Greed becomes a bitter friend.

The Thai drama Laws of Attraction, starring Jam Rachata (Tinn) and Film Thanapat (Charn), tells an intriguing story about the power of greed, love, and the realization that blurring the lines between good and evil is often the only path we’re offered.

Following a traumatized lawyer, Charn, the series takes viewers through his past and present, slowly revealing the injustice he once faced, the man he became because of it, and the man he chooses to be once he meets Tinn, a martial arts teacher whose niece, Tonkao (Maki Machida Sutthikulphanich), is tragically murdered.

While I understood where the series wanted to take viewers, I often found myself disconnected from the story. There is a rushed element to the choppy editing and pacing that affects what could have made this drama feel as deep as the storyline behind it. It felt like Laws of Attraction suffered from an identity crisis, continuously unsure if it wanted to be a comedy or a melodrama while also playing advocate.

While I enjoy dark comedy, this series fell short of capturing the darkness and humor together. Instead, it needed to choose a focus.

That said, the characters are easy to relate to. The emotional distress and grief they all face are devastatingly real in a world where everyday people are often shoved aside in the name of greed.

In my initial review of the series, the true power behind Laws of Attraction seemed to be Tinn and Charn, portrayed by Jam Rachata and Film Thanapat. But while they continued to carry their roles well until the end, I found myself less involved in their story and more intrigued and drawn to the secondary storyline between bodyguard, ‘Thee’ Methee (Pearl Satjakorn Chalard) and politician Thatthep’s son, Thaenthai (See Parattakorn Kaiyanan).

Thee and Thaenthai’s story retains itself. It remains focused, emotional, and heart-rendingly true to their turmoil until the conclusion. While there were moments their story suffered from the need to compound it into short intervals for the sake of the main story, the abuse Thaenthai received at the hands of a father who blamed him for killing his mother and the social divide that kept Thaenthai and Thee apart while also managing to bring them together left an impression on screen. Actors Pearl Satjakorn and See Parattakorn embodied the characters, channeling the emotions in a pivotal, heartfelt way that manages to steal the stage and the series.

While a story full of twists and turns like Laws of Attraction can be intriguing because of it, there are also things to consider when compacted into a specific time frame. Tinn and Charn’s story lost some of its impact with the grandiose need to add too much. What I will take away the most from their storyline is the smile that Charn often flashes. Film Thanapat used Charn’s mask well, taking the smile Charn showed the world to hide the chaos inside him.

There is a lot of emotional damage and tragedy in Laws of Attraction, but the bigness of it is lost in how quickly the grief and trauma seem to be overcome. While we get glimpses of Tinn and Charn’s grief, sometimes it feels thrown in to remind us that they have trauma and sorrow rather than weaved into who these characters are.

Hence why Thee and Thaenthai stood out for me. There isn’t a moment where their characters were separated from the trauma and fear they faced, even when attempting to run away from it. It became as much a part of their personalities as the part it played in their lives.

I applaud Laws of Attraction for the story it hoped to tell: the helplessness of a family manipulated by the system and the lawyer they meet who was changed by the same corrupt system. There’s heart behind the story, but it loses itself in the attempt to maintain a sense of humor inside a series that starts with the death of a child. As someone who has tragically endured the loss of both of my parents and much of my family, I have found that grief is not only one of the hardest things in life to endure, it is also one of the hardest things to write or portray, especially in a limited time frame on a limited budget.

In theory, the law of attraction is a principle that suggests people will attract into their lives whatever they prioritize. And Laws of Attraction does accomplish this. In the end, despite the grief, trauma, and corruption, prioritizing love brought them all a satisfying ending. All while advocating for the end of corruption and for equality in love, marriage, and life.

For a crime drama that reaches for love amidst tragedy, check out Laws of Attraction now on iQiyi and One31.

Rating- 3.5 out of 5