Sighh.. I am a fan of Phua Chu Kang the series but this movie really disappointed me. It is so lame and it tried to drag on many scenes with the characteristics of the characters of Phua Chu Kang.
Rough history:
Phua Chu Kang Pte. Ltd. tells the story of Phua Chu Kang (acted by Gurmit Singh) who is a typical "chinese" contractor who pronounces "parquet" as "park-kuet" and speak Singlish. He lives in a bungalow with his wife Rosie (Irene Ang), his brother Phua Chu Beng (Pierre Png) - the architect, his brother's wife, Margaret (Tan Kheng Hua), his nephew Aloysius and their mother, Ah Mah (Neo Swee Lin). The funny antics and silly rivalry with Frankie Foo is further illustrated in the movie.
The Review
Back to the movie, it starts off with Phua Chu Kang and Rosie working in Malaysia (spin-off series which was sponsored by Gamuda). Ah Mah comes for a visit and mysteriously disappeared. Chu Kang and Rosie somehow manages to track Ah Mah to an old folks home where she is suspicious with an elderly man. Somehow, the owner (Lim Lau Pek) of the old folks home needed a contractor and Chu Kang tendered for it. Ah Mah tries to deter Chu Kang by inviting his arch-nemesis Frankie Foo to come for the job tender too.
Why lame?
Because the storyline is too predictable and the lines are too corny/lame. Phua Chu Kang does the things and says all the normal things he does. He speaks loudly in broken English. He digs his nose with his long finger nails and he spats saliva when he quarrels with Frankie.
Irene Ang has lost weight (I remember seeing her as the spokesperson for a slimming company). I suspect to maintain her aunty "Rosie" image, she was given to wear audacious flowery top in bright yellow and leopard-prints tights with rainbow coloured thick eyeshadow (reminescence of Mimi from The Drew Carey show)Amazingly, she is the women the guys are fighting for in the movie.
Phua Chu Kang and Rosie with her rainbow-coloured-eyeshadow
Mimi with her trademark cyan-blue eyeshadow
with his flirtatious moves on Rosie and the most speechless scene is when he is frolicking by his swimming pool with his swimming attire (a well-placed flower right in the middle). Errr..
Anyhow, if you're still adamant to watch it, I suggest you wait till the DVD is out (as it'll be cheaper than going to the cinemas). Or if you still want to, go in with low expectations. Indeed, you will laugh at a few scenes but at the end of the movie, you will somehow feel the sense of loss at an opportunity to make it more memorable.
Oh why disappointing? Besides the obvious reason - bad storyline and poor lines, it is so obvious an advertisement cum movie to promote Nippon paint. There are altogether a few scenes (which were unnecessary) to talk about Nippon paint. Kind of lame to me. Examples are: the scene with Phua Chu Kang promoting the "Colourful" theme of Nippon paint during the tender interview and showing on the laptop - the options to change the colour for the facade of the old folks home. Yes, you are sponsors but can you please don't spoil the movie. *shakes head*
In the end, I shall still remember Phua Chu Kang from the series and their famous tag line: "PCK- best in Singapore, JB and some say Batam".
