CLOSE UR KOPITIAM (关你茶室) (2025)

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Vince Chong
Cast: Song Bill, Yuriko, Dahee, Anthony, Adeline, Michie Lam, Klay, Yuniyce, Zuvia, Kim Chen Wu, Judy, Alvin Wong, Yuan Yang, Tae Young
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Sexual References)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: https://www.instagram.com/dissy.official/

Opening Day: 27 February 2025

Synopsis: Ah Biao inherits his mother's kopitiam Jui Hou Kopitiam, and runs it with his wife, Yuriko. Business was once booming. However, Ah Biao's management style and unconventional marketing strategies lead to an unexpected crisis, placing the kopitiam in unprecedented danger. After a conflict with a popular influencer, the kopitiam falls into a media storm and business takes a nosedive. Just as Ah Biao and Yuriko are working hard to turn things around, the kopitiam faces the threat of being repossessed. Will Ah Biao and Yuriko be able to overcome the crisis and protect their family business? How will their marriage and the kopitiam fare in the face of adversity? Close Ur Kopitiam is a light-hearted comedy that brings together two central themes—food and family. As Ah Biao and Yuriko navigate through challenges, the story highlights the importance of camaraderie and the bonds that keep a family united. In the spirit of the festive season, Close Ur Kopitiam promises a heart-warming tale of resilience and togetherness, reminding us that no challenge is too big to overcome when everyone works together.

Movie Review:

Co-produced by Mark Lee’s King Kong media and featuring an unknown cast and filmmaker, Close Ur Kopitiam took the the Malaysia box-office by storm beating out many other Chinese New Year offerings that stars established faces and HK actors.

So does the RM$10 million box-office speaks for itself? Is Close Ur Kopitiam that good?

Blending the culture of “kopitiam” and social media, the story involves Ah Biao (Song Bill), a money-pinching, perpetually mean kopitiam owner who got himself into a tussle with an online food critic and influencer, Anthony (Anthony Ng). In order to generate views, Anthony plotted a sinister act against Ah Biao causing his traditional kopitiam to lose its footfall and popularity.

His various stall owners, the chicken rice sisters, the ban-mian girl, the wonton mee uncle among others are thinking of quitting and relocating to a cheaper location. In the meantime, Biao and his wife (Yuriko) tries hard to keep things afloat. In comes his wife’s former admirer played by not a surprise, a bucktoothed Jaspers Lai, the new owner of the kopitiam who gives Biao a month to regain his business or face closure. To make matters worse, Anthony is hatching a new plan to bring down Biao. Will Biao and his motley crew of kopitiam staff led by Hee (Dahee) save the heritage which Biao’s mother has left for him?

There’s certainly a lot of energy going on in the kopitiam including some very well-meaning messages. The story also has no qualms laughing at social media trends and controversies despite being the cast and crew themselves started their careers as online creators. Cyberbulling, AI and scamming are shown in hilarious context to entertain the masses. Social issues are also discussed liked in the case of Hee and his team being Burmese and they are trying hard to fit into the local culture while making a meagre living in Biao’s kopitiam.

And then there is more to Biao being the Scrooge McDuck of Juh Hoh kopitiam. He yearns for a better life for Yuriko and himself. He worries for his staff and owners in typical Asian fashion. His obsession with a motivational talker serves as one of the funniest gags in the whole movie. Most importantly, he wants to preserve the kopitiam and its values which his later mother has imparted to him.

Drama bits aside, comedy is probably the main dish audiences are coming for since this is after all from the people of DISSY. To the uninitiated, DISSY produced short form humorous YouTube videos that revolves around Malaysia lifestyle and social trends, something similar to what the now defunct NOC did. Anyway, we would say at least 80% of the absurdist jokes and gags land while some liked the one about testicles and balls linger far too long and the recurring gag on Vin Diesel gets tired after a while. Mark Lee and Jaspers Lai adds a bit of distraction to the whole narrative. We meant that in a good way.

Still, Close Ur Kopitiam has that vintage Chicken and Duck Talk or in recent years, I Love HK 2013 vibes. Certainly not on the level of the Michael Hui’s classic, Vince Chong’s directorial debut is still entertaining enough on the whole though further edits might make certain story arcs tighter. If you love a light-hearted comedy that is close to our heart, this top-grossing Malaysia comedy might be worth a look this week.

Movie Rating:

(This kopitiam offers more heart and laughs than the average Raymond Wong and Eric Tsang’s Chinese New Year titles)

Review by Linus Tee