钱不够用2..

A film by our very own home-grown director, actor and actresses. Also known as "Money Not Enough 2".

I believe many watched the film and mixed reviews were given by the audience. Some say its bad, some say its nice, some say its touching, some say its practically boring. Well, perhaps beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

To me I watched movie and absorb it with much caution. Afraid that I'll be disappointed by yet another Singapore production.

Honestly, the film started out "lame" and political. Talking about Singapore Government and how it is good at earning the people's money through a system we call the "ERP" and several other ways. My thoughts on it was that, "we don't need another film to banish our government's way of ruling the country." It was dreadful for me as I watched tons of criticism about the "ERP" and rising prices. "Stop whinning!" was what went through my head.

But I would say the movie took a 360 degrees turnabout on the 2nd part of the show. It talked about two words which in chinese we say it as “ 孝顺“ which we call filial piety. And for the 2nd part of the movie, it touches many soft points of the depths of my heart.

For those who didnt watch the movie, do go catch it. Its well worth the time and money. These are the few instances which touched me very very much:


1) When the sons' businesses failed and they had to borrow money from their mom and what the mom has is her last bit of her savings.

I am touched by how much parents in general are willing to give their children in order for them to lead a good life disregarding how their own lives will go on after giving the children the amount that they are left with. In a huge sense, how my grandmother would scarifice her own things, be it money, food, clothing, time for her children, grandchildren alike..


2) The "ah ma" in the show had to around amongst the brothers' home for them to take care of her due to her illness.

It reminded me of my grandmother when she comes over and stay as well as she going to other aunties' and uncles' place to stay. How she had to come and go like as if she doesnt have her own home. Thinking back on how much ordeal she had to undergo at some of my aunt and uncle's place (some on my aunt's husband and uncle's wife didnt like the idea of an old woman coming to their "posh" house to stay) and how much she had to adapt each time.. This pains me so much that I can feel how she felt when I saw the almost identical scene on the movie screen.


3) The children wanted to watch their cartoon when "ah ma" is watching her favourite show on TV and the parents chided the children for not letting "ah ma" watch her show.

There was once when I was in primary school. My grandmother came to stay with us. I reached home at about 6 after school and theres this cartoon that I loved back then. My grandmother was watching her favourite cantonese show. She knew I love to watch the cartoon and though I said to her "ah ma, nei tai la."(in cantonese, it means grandmother, you can watch your show), she insisted that I watch my cartoon and she went back to the room to rest. This is the act of love, scarificing what little you have and giving someone else something that he/she loves.. (gosh.. my eyes became red at this moment)


4) "Ah ma" was sent to the old folks' home to spend the rest of her time left as her children could not afford the time to look after her. She struggled when she realised she is at the old folks' home as she didnt want to be there being looked after by a bunch of nurses and some unfamiliar old people.

Yes. Thats right. My grandmother was sent to the old folks' home. Sadly, she struggled when she learned that she was at the home. Imagine one day, you are seperated from your loved ones and faced with so many other old folks and practically, waiting for death at the place. How would you have felt? I bet every other folk who got in there detest it as much but what choice do they have? Its almost like you're disowned by your own children. On the record, its in the name of having better care with the professionals at the home but in actual fact, can this win "LOVE" of your children? Think again...


5) No matter what wrong that the children had done to "ah ma", when it comes to live/die situation, "ah ma" decided to give up her life so that her grandchild, Stella can be saved from blood loss.

Dont be mistaken. My grandmother did not give her life up in that way. Well, she fought stroke alone at the old folks' home. A long and lonely 9 years at the home. There was once.. I went there with friends on the intention of doing "Community Involvment Project" aka CIP. I tried to find my grandmother. I saw her, she had pus in the eyes(those yellowish stuff that accumulate at the base of your eyes?) and I was in total shock that I pulled back and told my friends we can't do CIP there. It was not being afraid of them knowing that my grandmother was in such a state but it was rather unable to accept that my grandmother was being sent there. Even though she was there almost thoughout my teenage years, though i understand the reason why she was sent the the home, I still cannot accept that fact and why that my uncles and aunties had to send her there, and how some of my auntie and their spouse had detested her going to stay at their house.


At the end of the movie, I was sad about my grandmother's plight, how her life ended, how she was treated when she needed love, care and concern the most.. I walked out of the cinema not crying. Was juz teary and when Kim asked me am I alright, I cried for a good 20mins with flash back of every scene from how I remembered. Eyes became red and my friends had to wait for me and Kim was so nice as to get me chocolate for chocolate therapy. Really thank her for comforting me and the rest of my friends for waiting for me. I guess my grandmother's plight will forever be etched in my mind.....