I always say Malaysia has no short supply of talented storytellers. I'm so glad to have finally witnessed We Jun's feature debut. This a fantastic and well-made film, probably one of the few Malaysian films displaying a very authentic slice of Malaysian life.
Interestingly, this is a Chinese language film which is NOT released during the typical Chinese New Year season. It's very clear to see this is a very personal film, of complex family relationships while exploring the not-oft talk about cultural elements of the Hungry Ghost Festival. I had laughs and tears all throughout this film and was absolutely invested in Bonnie's journey in figuring out the madness of her circumstances.
Props to Yoke who appears in every scene with so much presence, you don't sense a single false note from her first lead role performance. The supporting acts are perfectly cast and especially a joy to watch is Eric Chen who plays the father. The quiet and stoic father I think most of us will recognise in our lives.
I also liked the choice of the lighting and slower frame rate ala Wong Kar Wai during certain scenes in the ghost world. Tan Teck Zee, who is one of Malaysia's leading cinematographers, works his magic here.
This independent film is sorely needed in our Malaysian film landscape. It's not your typical Hollywood film which follows a formulaic view of a hero and high stakes. There are some minor pacing and tonal issues but We Jun navigates us confidently in this intimate film of family, filial piety, loss and redemption with so much charm, humour, and heart. I especially appreciate his choice to show a beautiful aspect of Malaysian life, with our code-switching in spoken languages from Cantonese to Hakka to Malay to broken English that we hear every day.
We need more films telling more stories from our very many ethnic groups in Malaysia, sharing our rich culture. This film is one for the ages in our Malaysian film archives.