The Straits Times Review: Royston Tan’s new feature 3688 shows he needs fresher ways to express his vision1 min read
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRoyston Tan’s 3688 charms with its recognisable Singapore setting and hopeful characters
The colours pop, the characters have their feet in HDB-land but their heads are alive with art and music from another time. In a world that has little time for dreamers, they struggle to be one with their passions. Welcome to the world of Royston Tan.
In 3688(PG, 100 minutes, opens tomorrow,3.5/5 STARS ), the film-maker once more plunges the viewer into his universe – a Singapore that looks like nothing you have ever seen, but which you recognise.
Tan’s forte is detail and mood, not story structure, and this work’s lack of narrative discipline is infuriating – motifs are repeated ad nauseam, skits are inserted willy-nilly and music sequences serve neither character or story. What people expect from Tan is sparkle and heart, and luckily there is plenty of that.
Fei Fei (local singer Joi Chua) is a single, 38-year-old parking attendant looking after a father (stage actor Michael Tan) struggling with dementia. He used to be a Rediffusion technician and believes himself to be still employed by the now-defunct cable audio service, much loved by the Cantonese- and Hokkien-speaking communities.
Read the full article here>>via The Straits Times
Image Credit: Golden Village
