SYNOPSIS:
Battling
the onslaught of a life threatening stage of diabetics, an
entire board of unsupportive officials ready to oust him,
a record of 12 years of Malaysian football supremacy, Uncle
Choo defiantly returns to Singapore football scene in 1977
for one last short at restoring Nationalistic pride.
Uncle
Choo was one unorthodox gem of a coach, regimental, courageous,
determined and very imposing. He was bold, quietly confident:
always believing that he and his nurtured team can accomplish
milestone though with limited resources in every department.
His undying love for the game and his role as a coach whom,
few will would ever understand.
Armed
with legendary players like Quah Kim Song, Rajagopal, Samad,
Mat Noh, Dollah Kassim, uncle sets out an impossible journey
to remind his fellow countrymen of what it meant to be Singaporean.
This
is a tale about sheer grit, unbreakable will and his deep
passion, unyielding struggle with society and oneself, to
finally achieve glory for one’s nation through football
and coined one legacy unwittingly, known to all as ‘The
Kallang Roar’ which is of nothing to himself at the
end of it.
MOVIE REVIEW:
What is this perception that your typical guy should have
an in-bred liking for soccer? While this reviewer never grasped
this baffling mystery, he isn’t exactly proud to say
that he was never part of the 'in' crowd with other guys who
talk about the latest soccer showdowns or whisk off to rough
it out in the soccer field. So when he was sitting through
this local production, he wasn’t so sure whether he
can be objective about the whole movie, that is, before he
realized that the movie isn’t so much about the excitement,
thrills and spills that happens on the soccer field. The movie
is about good old national pride, the Singapore spirit, if
you want to put it in glorious terms.
A
follow up to director Cheng Ding An’s short film, this
feature length movie takes young punks like this reviewer
back to The Lion City’s footballing heydays. It chronicles
the events leading up the national team winning the Malaysia
Cup in 1977. Nostalgic football fans who remember names like
Quah Kim Song, Rajagopal, Mat Noh and Dollah Kassim will have
a great time watching this feel good sports picture, seeing
how their favourite actors are portrayed in this movie.
But
then again, maybe not.
The
biggest distraction of this 85 minute movie is how actors
like Leon Quah (he plays his father Quah Kim Song), Baskar
Subramanian (he plays the Rajagopal, whose famed banana kick
deserves much mention), Randall Tan (he plays the charming
Mat Noh) and Anwar Hadi (he plays Dollah Kassim, who is celebrated
for his dribbling skills) seem awkward in their roles. These
guys may have been fans of Singapore soccer, but when dressed
in their soccer jerseys and those embarrassing wigs, they
do not seem at ease playing these legendary characters, thus
making it difficult for viewers to be engaged.
Thankfully,
we have the reliable Lim Kay Siu who carries the show with
his fiercely passionate portrayal of Uncle Choo, the firm
and confident coach who is determined to bring back the glory
the team once enjoyed. Lim’s veteran status as an actor
is evident in every scene he appears in, making his character
the most memorable one. His real life wife Neo Swee Lin appears
in the movie as his on screen wife, and the chemistry between
the two is spot on too.
Although
there are no epically or memorably exciting soccer moments
in this movie, there are some melancholically wistful scenes
in the movie, especially during its opening sequence when
you see several shots of the National Stadium in Kallang,
which is now officially closed to make way for the new Singapore
Sports Hub. Even for a non soccer fan like this reviewer,
he feels that tinge of national pride depicted in the movie,
which means there is hope for him to be part of the 'in' crowd
just yet.
SPECIAL
FEATURES:
This disc includes minimal special features, a dimly lit 12
minute Making Of which shows us how the crowd
scenes were shot with a green screen at the National Stadium,
a Trailer and a Photo Gallery.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The
disc’s visual transfer complements the nostalgic look
of the movie nicely, and is presented in its original English
audio track.
MOVIE RATING:
 
DVD
RATING:
Review by John Li
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