Director: Jack Neo
After a few group viewing sessions together, again the charlie angels (haha) decided to come out with another creative way to conduct our discussion! We shall do it by question and answer style! Each person will take turn to ask a question and the two others will share their answers. Only then, the person who asked the question will then share her answer. For some questions, there may not be a correct or wrong answer. Hence this is also like a sharing session among the 3 of us about this local film.
Fun Facts!
My Question: Do you know that this film is a remake of an award winning Iranian film, Children of Heaven?
Xiao Ting: Yup, I know the story line is not original by Jack Neo but I didn’t know the original film is named Children of Heaven until I read the reviews yesterday.
Pei Shan: Yup, I knew it since I first watched this film in 2003.
Yvonne: Actually Jack Neo decided to remake the Iran film as he was touched to tears after watching it with his wife!
Xiao Ting's Question: “Jack Neo wanted to use this remake to emphasis on the message of friendship and kinship.” Do you see more of friendship or kinship?
Pei Shan:I think I see more kinship, because ultimately the story still revolves around the 2 young lead actors, Shawn and Megan.
Me: Actually I can feel both friendship and kinship deeply portrayed in this whole film, but I have to agree with Peishan, I see more kinship too.
Xiao Ting: HAHA. I have the exact same view as you two.
Peishan's Question: What did you learn from this movie? Or what do you think is the moral of this movie plot?
Xiao Ting: Run to school everyday, and you can pass your NAPFA test with flying colours! HAHA. From this movie I see a lot of kinship, how siblings look after each other. How they are so young yet considerate for their family, understanding the circumstances they are in and tries to make the best out of it instead of complaining which is a common sign in the modern family.
Me: Always watch what is on the ground, especially during a running race. Hmmm.. probably more of friends being an important group of people in life. In face of troubles when the family is unable to help, friends will be there. From this movie, I further see what people meant by, it is in face of hard times that we see true friends.
Pei Shan: Yupp, I feel that this movie showed us the strong friendship and kinship between people and family members. Like how my parents always mention their kampong days, where the whole village knows everyone else, including the name of their neighbour’s dog! Such closeness is what we cannot see in the modern society even we are staying so much closer in HDBs.
My Question: Do you know of the political side of this film ?
Xiao Ting I only read about how it is banned in Malaysia but never went into knowing the detail why. But I heard in the movie just now about some announcement of Singapore’s separation from Malaysia.
Pei Shan Yup, I heard that part too. It was Lee Kuan Yew’s voice on a radio in the background announcing the separation.
My response: It is due to these political issues present in the movie that cause it to be banned in Malaysia even after appeal to screen. On top of the announcement on the radio, riot at the rubbish dump is depicting the labour strikes and riots of 1960’s. “Little Red Dot” is a phrase used by former Indonesian president Jusuf Habibie to disparage Singapore, and it is used as a name in the show. Water dispute on drawing water from the kampong well reflects the water issue between Singapore and Malaysia.
Peishan's Question: Will this film be more international than the other Jack Neo’s production like “I Not Stupid” and “Money Not Enough”?
Me: All these films by Jack Neo are rather successful ones in Singapore. Homerun should be able to be more internationally recognize since Megan won the golden horse award, and the movie talks about friendship and kinship which is a very general idea everyone can relate to.
Xiao Ting: I think this film will definitely be more international because “I Not Stupid” and “Money Not Enough” shows more of Singapore’s current society which people in other countries may not be able to find the relation. Some jokes for instance, only Singaporeans who understand the government systems and law are able to get the meaning. However homerun has less of that reflection of current society but more on narration of a pure story.
Pei Shan: I have similar thoughts as both of you too. (:
Xiao Ting's Question: Do you all realize Jack Neo likes to use young actors in his movie? What are your views about it?
Me: I think the young actors are cute. With the young actors in the movie, Jack Neo can make use of a child’s naïve thinking to make funny comments or speech.
Pei Shan: Yup I realize the repeated actors in “I Not Stupid” and “Homerun”. I don’t find anything wrong with using those actors. Infact it makes the movie more of a family movie where children can also relate to easily.
Xiao Ting: From a review, the critique mentioned that Jack Neo is “using his characters as a personal soapbox ”, referring to all the young actors. I disagree with that. In fact I feel that Jack Neo has tried to design dialogues and speeches for the children such that they are similar to that of what the children in the current society follows.
[1] http://historyworkroom.com/?p=23
[2] http://www.filmsasia.net/gpage155.html
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