881 ~ Huat ah!

Refreshing local movie, presented (hokkien) musical-style. The story revolves around two girls who make up the "Papaya (which sounds like 881 in Mandarin) Sisters" in the local "getai歌台" scene. The "getai" is somewhat of a Singapore phenomenon... where glitzy performances on makeshift stages are put up all over Singapore, every year in the Lunar 7 month, a month where supposedly the gates of hell open and ghosts are free to roam the earth... i.e. these performances are meant to entertain both the living and the... erm... roaming during the 7th month.

Some of the first few scenes didn't quite appeal to me... parts of the dialogue came across as a bit strained. But, as the story progressed, the lines got better, the songs started speaking to you, and I liked how the story eventually evolved... i must say it tied itself up very well towards the end, tugging at your heartstrings and relating the girls' stories back to the subject matter.

Of the two leads, Mindee Ong's acting came across more naturally. Yeo Yann Yann's acting was a bit forced at times (and has that Singapore english stage drama 'feel', to use a term from the movie, haha), which was surprising considering I thought her acting in Singapore Dreaming was quite good. Liu Ling Ling's character was set to attract the audience right from the start, so i wouldn't be surprised if many people think that she stole the show. I have NO idea what was Chen Weilian's purpose in the movie... except perhaps to showcase his voice/situation for a song and appeal to a certain audience.

Overall, i'd recommend the movie, and for my friends in Japan, do watch out for it, because apparently it's already been pre-sold to Japan distributors for a release in cinemas there next year.