12 storeys is a home-produced film by Eric Koo. The show basically is satirical one, i feel. This is because normally, films regarding Singapore tend to show her people to be very happy, without problems, live well and eat well. However this film depict the true Singporean behind that wonderful facade.
The true view about Singaporean is watched by this spirit of this man who has jumped down from the building. The show try to show a very accurate portrayal of the average Singaporean. I do agree to a certain extent.
The first scene is of this man who jumped down from the twelveth storeys. It may seems insignificant at first but actually it is not. What make is siginificant is how the people, the residents' attitude toward his death. We could see a group of people crowding around his body and they look very helplessly, do not know what to do. This to me is an excellent portrayal of the average Singaporean. Seldom you will see people render help to someone in need. I recalled about this article in the newspaper which says the commuter in the cabin of the MRT just sat there as though nothing has happened when a boy was beaten up by a group of thugs. The film's portrayal of Singaporean as being cold hearted, generally is quite true. However to say that all Singaporean are cold hearted may seems to be a sweeping statement, given that some do went up to help when others are in need of help, for example the foreman who went back to the rubble to help his worker to escape from the nicole highway collapse but he himself perished as he went back to the rubble. But i must say such people are still a handful and most Singaporean are cold hearted. Therefore , i do agree with what the film is trying to say.
Secondly, the focus is changed to this man who marry a China Wife. The China wife is being depicted as a money greedy woman who marry a Singaporean for his money. Perhaps there is a handful in Singapore who marry for the sake of money but then i do not quite agree to that. My uncle married a China girl. They live happily for about 10 years now with a daughter. My uncle is not rich so the question of my aunty marrying him for the sake of money is out. Therefore i do not agree with what the movie is trying to say. Beside, how could the movie portray women from China to be so bad?
Lastly, i want to touch on the part where the character, the yong tau foo seller, try to have sex with his wife. The wife mentioned that he already have it for 3 times in a week and he want it againThis is bullshit. The annual survey by Durex says Singaporean man are the least interested in sex. So what is the film trying to do?! Hello! Singaporean man are not sex crazed, although we often search for britney spears in the internet but that is another story.
Although 12 storeys try to depicted the true Singaporean life, but i think it only succeed halfway. Nevertheless, it is a great film where there is alot of hidden messages where you need to read between the scene in order to understand what the producer is trying to convey to the audiences.
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