Just Follow Law (2007)

Powerful

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

This is Jack Neo's tenth movie, and I personally think this is his best yet. Like all of his previous movies, this movie topped the box-office list in Singapore.This movie stars Fann Wong, and Gurmit Singh (from the famous Phua Chu Kang sitcom), Moses Lim, Selena Tan and many other famous actors in Singapore.The story goes that Lim Teng Chui (at first played by Gurmit Singh before they changed bodies) hated his boss, Tanya Chew. He didn't believe in bureaucracy, a thing which is very common in Singapore. It caused her boss much trouble because she was accustomed in doing things bureaucratically.One day, after a heated argument, Lim Teng Zui followed Tanya Chew in a high-speed car chase, which resulted in a 'freak' accident.When they woke up from coma, they didn't know that they have changed bodies. Only when Gurmit (now plays Tanya Chew) went to the toilet to do his 'business', & when Fann Wong (now Lim Teng Zui) look into the mirror, they found out that they've changed! So to the doctor they went, only to be told that they were only imagining and that it happened because of the trauma to their head.So what did they do next? Watch this movie to see how they have to adapt in their 'adopted' bodies. It's hilarious! I like this movie not just because of the silly antics by Lim Teng Zui, Tanya Chew and their colleagues, but because of the message of the story that the director wishes to convey. In a country that follow bureaucracy strictly (up to a point in which they believe there's no other way to do things), it takes a jab at this system.In the movie, Tanya Chew requested for a fan, but the clerk said that she must provide three copies of a written letter requesting for a fan, 1 to the Human resources Dept, 1 to the clerk, and the third copy to the manager. Crazy, huh? But that's the current style in Singapore.All in all, I think this is a great movie, with numerous jokes to keep the audiences laughing, and one with a good moral lesson.Don't leave the cinema once the credit is shown, as towards the end of the credit there is a short clip of Tanya Chew & Lim Teng Zui waving to their son, and decide whether they manage to return to their own body or not.

Just Follow Law is a comedy/drama and focuses mainly on two of the characters, one upstairs - Tanya Chew (played by Fann Wong) and one downstairs - Lim Teng Zhui (played by Gurmit Singh aka PCK). Tanya Chew is a business scholar working for WAS and is the manager for the E&P Department whereas Ah Zhui is a technician working under her. Both the scenes that revolves around the main two characters would reveal much of the intention of what producer Jack Neo wants you to know and that is - for some things in life, it is not whether CAN OR NOT but whether you DARE. Tanya Chew is portrayed in this movie as a cold-blooded superior executive boss who loves ordering people around, having a lot of IQ but having nothing when it comes to EQ. Stepping on people's toes, being tactless and implying authoritarian behavior in front of her downstairs, she still do keep a certain good value (although mostly indirect being unable to display her affections), and that is being filial to her mother and having a deep heart for all her downstairs in not wanting them to fail and lose their jobs. But, such affections turned into commotions when it comes just right out from her mouth, making her being the person who least have PR skills. Have I also mentioned that she is hot-headed? Oh well, yeah, she is! =) As for Ah Zhui, being a technician he is, the first few scenes displayed his attitude as being carefree, a rule-bender (and he's really happy with it), a task-avoider and well it all sums up as being lazy. Ironically, he wants the best for his daughter, which can be seen in sending his daughter (only child) to tuitions and piano lessons. As can be seen, when asked to fix the neon lightings for the company, his first response was to 'call the contractor-lar'. Fann Wong was eager and smarty pants enough to retaliate - 'so I pay the contractor your salary?' and his reply was to avoid being the main person to 'kena arrow' by pointing to Bamboo - 'eh your joke lousy lar'... He leads a very simple life, wanting nothing more but eagerly anticipating for the payday to arrive and when it does, spend generously on food and basic necessities. They are not well-off, staying in small lots, but at least they are happy with their ongoing life, wishing for a better tomorrow.A freak accident happen after an argument between Tanya Chew and Ah Zhui when the main blame dawns upon Ah Zhui for using masking tapes to prevent one of the boards (enclosing a heap of mess in the parking lot) from falling after running out of nails. The boards fell (and so did the minister in the heap of mess) during a photography session with the China minister upon his visit to WAS. Ah Zhui's bonuses were withdrawn, but he needs the money to fulfill his promise to his daughter, and that is to buy her a piano for her lessons and practice. Due to this argument alone, and how Tanya looks down upon him, Ah Zhui with relentless effort got himself involved in a car-chase with Tanya and what happens then was an unexplainable tragic incident.They both exchanged souls while in the hospital and then like what they would explain and describe, Ah Zhui's body - I am Tanya Chew, Tanya is not Tanya, Ah Zhui is not Ah Zhui, Tanya is Ah Zhui, and Ah Zhui is Tanya, and I am Tanya Chew, can't you see that? Even I am confused! But speaking of which, with obvious fact, one is upgraded to a luxurious life with plenty of money and vacations to spare and spend while the other gets downgraded to a small simple life in which of obvious fact, a high achieving scholar like Tanya would probably not have experienced before. The consequences was a definite nonadjustable havoc, but watch as you will laugh coz that's where all the fun part is. Both learned about themselves when they are in another person's body and learn to help one another to again save their 'ca-cheng'. Tanya learns the most important lesson of all and that is even though the fact is clear cut about the hierarchy system in almost any companies or job description, you will never know when you will need the person's help and needed it most. Anyone can be your hero for the day or otherwise. As for Ah Zhui, well he learned about himself alright, not being able to pay for her daughter's medical fees, not being able to fulfill his daughter's desires and needs (buying a piano for her to practice, and having to borrow money for her daughter's tuition fees and piano lesson) and not being a good father to his daughter. He began to see all of these and appreciate what he once took for granted. His incapability in carrying out even the simplest of task made him aware of his status, not only towards his daughter, but to his friends and to himself.

It's not everyday that we see a movie so bad that we feel like walking out of the theater barely half an hour into the movie. This movie was one of those bad picks.Why is this so bad? First of all, it's a known fact that Jack Neo gets overtly preachy in his films (semblance of well-thought-out social commentaries). It got really annoying to hear him narrate in the background exactly the point that he was trying to portray in different scenes. It makes one wonder if his script writer is so inept at building these messages into the plot that the director has to summarize the messages for the audience.Secondly, the pacing of the movie was terrible. The movie spent too much time on the goofs after the main characters went through a body swap. The result was a really slow moving, hardly funny, occasionally distasteful half hour that made it hard to any thinking audience to stay watching.Thirdly, you know a movie is bad when it has to resort to creating jokes out of farting, urinating, and hurling swear words in a different dialect. In fact, there were so many expletives that I totally think it deserves an NC-16 rating for coarse language. You know it was a bad movie when the only thing you hear coming out of the theater was a young kid citing the swear words that were repeatedly used by one of the leads.I applaud Jack Neo's intention at highlighting social ills through comedies with mass appeal. But I think he has done it at the expense of art and craftsmanship. The result is a dull and unsophisticated TV drama that happens to be on the big screen.

Directed by Singapore's most successful commercial filmmaker, Jack Neo's "Just Follow Law" looks into the rigidness of the local civil service. From "Money No Enough" to "I Not Stupid", his films never fail to make a social commentary on the society, with characters who reflect reality of life in Singapore.Through the experiences of a director and technician who exchanges souls in a freak accident, "Just Follow Law" demonstrates the bureaucracy, endless red tape, and inefficiency of government bodies and organisations. It would strike a chord with local blue collared workers. But the emotions and angst of the common people which made the "I Not Stupid" series very strong, was not well-developed. The sub-plot of soul switching and 'mini-MTVs' slowed down the pace and shifted its focus during the middle.After criticisms of her English on foreign TV, Fann Wong showed her improvement playing the elite scholar Tanya Chew. After the switch of souls, she slipped in comfortably as a vulgar technician who scratches her (his) backside and sits with open legs. She certainly made her 6-figure paycheck worth and proved her versatility in acting.Gurmit Singh was not overly exaggerated as in most of the comedies he performed (including the disastrous Singapore Idol hosting), but turned in a subtle and gentle performance as a trapped woman.Other minor characters such as Lao Char Bo (Fann's mother), the Indian security guard and the administrative staff stole the show with their stereotypical, yet realistic portrayal of people we see around. Are we laughing at them or laughing at ourselves? Product Placement is a double-edged sword. Without sponsors, there won't be a movie, but it diminishes the artistic merits of the movie. Spot the number of sponsors and see how much you get correct at the end credits. It isn't too difficult as most are repeat sponsors from previous movies. So expect Fann Wong to open a fridge full of Super products, also indulging in her New Moon abalone. Talk about subtlety! Tsk Tsk! It gets worse as Jack Neo (who plays a doctor) also appears in a Mitsubishi ad and Fann Wong appeared in a Bella ad in the movie. Double roles or breaking characters? Major fault."Just Follow Law" does provide some laughs along the way through is characterisation and little situations we face in our working life. Unfortunately, mistakes made in his previous films resurface again. Songs should be used to bring a film forward not stall it Even though Billy Koh's Ocean Butterfly helped to produce the songs, 3 songs were too much. The focus on office politics got lost along the way, and the ending became another one of those predictable stage plays used in his last movie."Just Follow Law" still screams 'Channel 8' and lacks the movie quality. Overall, a good 'Chinese New Year' piece for the family, but expect no awards. Jack Neo may be a good social commentator but still has some time to go before he can be considered an accomplished director.http://themovieclub.blogspot.com