I went to catch the movie "Already Famous"《一泡而红》after seeing the trailers and hearing all the hype about the show. After all, it's a movie directed by Michelle Chong, an artiste I have come to admire due to her various caricatures and impersonations on The Noose. (Recall Leticia, Lulu, Babarella).
For a debut effort, this is something refreshing. The movie chronicles the "dream-chasing" life of a Malaysian girl named Ah Kiao. As a television addict since young, she has watched countless drama series and has her fair share of idol-admiration for popular TV celebrities like Fann Wong, Zoe Tay, and Christopher Lee. All along, she has been harbouring thoughts of being a star one day. Encouraged by her close kin - her grandma, she goes to Singapore in pursuit of her dreams. However, the road to stardom is not one without obstacles. She meets rejections, gets mocked, and faces moments where she has almost given up hope. Her quest also takes her to meeting Ah Seng(Alien Huang, aka 小鬼), a kopi-boy at a neighbourhood coffeeshop. Thereafter follows a series of infatuations as he becomes one of the catalysts behind her dreams.
At times funny and poignant, this movie deserves recognition for a local film. The strong Malaysian accent that Michelle pulls off in the movie definitely works. And the supporting cast is fabulous as well. Some familiar faces include Nat Ho, Chua En Lai, Kumar, Irene Ang, Cynthia Koh, David Gan, Romeo Tan, Pornsak, Li Teng, and Patricia Mok.
The biggest takeaway of this movie is the message behind. The "extras" in the movie, as epitomised by Ah Kiao, a little known television-seller back in Yong Peng, may be nobody for a start. However, it is the passion and patience that takes her further to where she wants to be. This movie speaks volumes to "extras" out there who are slogging through day-to-day routines, especially youths who have dreams. As we only live life once, we ought to pursue our dreams. With courage and determination, no dreams are too far away.
I left the cinema feeling good and felt that watching the movie was well worth my time. As a directorial debut, Michelle Chong deserves all the well-received feedbacks. Kudos to the director/scriptwriter/actress, as it certainly shows her multi-faceted talents. The film is genuine, non-pretentious and sincere. Most importantly, it serves as a timely reminder to people like me - if you have a dream, you need to go for it.
Don't miss Already Famous, a must watch! It is currently showing in cinemas.
My rating: 8/10
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