Writer: Florey DM

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Watch this if you liked: “Homerun” (2003)

The Good, the Bad and the Kampong Life:

Jack Neo's latest movie is a little different than what he usually brings to the table, though it is not any less entertaining. Presenting a nostalgic piece this time around, instead of his usual comedy movies, the movie is what the director calls his documentation of the kampong life (he himself having grown up in a kampong) during 1960s and 1970s Singapore.

The director has definitely picked the right cast to carry the movie. Aileen Tan, very much different from the loud, vibrant roles she often portrays, plays a very convincing woeful woman who faces hardship during the nation's trying times. Mark Lee, despite his cynical role in the movie, gives plenty of laughs as he delivers his punchlines. Big screen newcomers Ryan Lian and Benjamin Tan too did not disappoint, especially Ryan who plays a local gangster. Benjamin, whom the director picked for his fluency in the Hokkien dialect, is a little raw in the beginning but he soon grows into his role.

The movie is realistic in its portrayal of the yesteryear, from the attires to the dialects (Hokkien, Malay, Tamil) spoken. The Art Department Crew ought to be lauded for the era-appropriate props as well as the visual effects that certainly bring audiences back in time.

The nostalgic theme of the movie will definitely appeal to the older generations of moviegoers but younger generations who are more into Jack's National Service-themed comedy movies might feel a little disconnected since they do not share the same feeling of nostalgia. On the other hand, this could be a pull factor that might attract the younger crowds who are interested to see how the kampong life in Singapore was like back then.

This is only the first part of the movie, which was planned as one movie but eventually split into two parts to recoup the investment. The second part seems to be just as promising as the audiences will see more layers to Aileen Tan's protagonist role.


Look Out For

• Jack Neo and his wife making their cameo as the adoptive parents.

• "Ah Boys to Men" cast also makes a cameo in the movie.

Trivia

• A 30 meter by 30 meter pool was built to recreate the Singapore floods of 1969.

• The flood scene was shot for four days, with the actors having to shoot for more than 10 hours each night.

Cinema Online, 19 February 2016