has been said that half of the success or failure of film directing depends on the casting, and here Jack has rightfully cast Aileen Tan as the leading lady.
From the onset, Zhao Di is the anchor of the film, holding the disparate and episodic segments of the story together. Tan, who is very fluent in Hokkien, also showcases her talents in Malay, lending an added authenticity to playing a character of the times.
She is the very epitome of the pioneer generation, never complaining about her hardships, and remains loyal, strong and resilient despite the many challenges.
A sub-plot involving a gangster debt collector Ah Long (played with glee and pathos by newcomer Ryan Lian) who crosses path with Zhao Di suggests a burgeoning relationship that will continue to Part 2 of the story, adding another layer to her character.
The other leading actor that is given the most screen time is Neo’s long time collaborator and protege Mark Lee, who hasn’t starred in a Jack Neo-directed movie since 2010’s ‘Being Human’.
Lee plays Ah Koon, the good-for-nothing bad egg in the family, who has a seriously cynical attitude towards life. He is the movie archetype that you will love to hate in such family melodramas that we have seen aplenty from Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Thankfully, Lee did not sink into a one-dimensional cliché villain, as his comic instincts and well-timed delivery of Neo’s Hokkien laden politically incorrect punchlines provide the most entertaining laughs in this movie.
There is also a certain playfulness and hope in his character, despite his cynicism, as displayed in a montage sequence when Ah Koon drives happily around the city in his new prized possession of a London cab.
The two leading actors keep the viewer engrossed, as well as help to lift the heavily plotted and sometimes meandering film. The pair’s acting compensated for the weaknesses in the development of the other supporting players in the family.