It's been a month and five days since The Journey have been released in cinemas nationwide. Everybody and I mean EVERYBODY have been raving about this movie. Before Chinese New Year people were talking about it, during Chinese New Year people were talking about it and EVEN after Chinese New Year people were still talking about it!
So after listening to the various reviews of this movie from friends, family and even Hitz.fm, I finally got to watch the movie today after work. The lovely part of going to the cinema was, I got to drag my mom and dad to go with me. Felt so happy because it's the first movie we have watch together since I can remember <3 As we enter the cinema hall it was half packed! Considered good for a weekday movie at night and especially since it's a Malaysian movie. There were all kinds of people there, Chinese, Malay and even Mix. It was a wonderful sight to see everyone enjoying a chinese film movie together. I was quite surprise that I would be watching this in the cinema too because I considered myself a banana but thank god for subtitles :D
From Left: Frankie Lee, Ben Pfeiffer, Joanne Yew & Director Chiu
Anyways on to the movie! I have been hearing mix reviews of the movie. Those who loved it cried their eyeballs out and those who thought it was alright went meh the entire time :/ Want to know what I think about the movie? Continue reading to find out! :D
Do watch this trailer before you continue :)
Want to watch a longer trailer? CLICK HERE :)
Before I continue, let me just give you a quick summary of what The Journey is about :)
" It is about a conservative father, Uncle Chuan (Frankie Lee) whose daughter, Bee (Joanne Yew) returns home with her Ang Mor (White dude) fiance, Benji (Ben Pfeiffer) after living in England for a long time. The movie shows how all three faced cultural differences and language barrier during the preparation of the wedding and Chinese New Year. "
Correct me if I am wrong but, what I have learn through out the movie was The Journey shows how the three of them would change their perspective to accept each other's differences.
The entire hall of cinema laughed, cried and smiled to different scenes of the movie. What MADE it so enjoyable? Honestly, I guess everyone in the hall could relate with the movie. One way or another, we all had experienced different moments in our lives that the movie portrayed out. What you may ask?
Here are 3 things we can relate to from the movie.
1. Our Diversity
I love how the movie not only shows the diversity of races but age as well. The movie started off with a non tradition wedding where the new married couple did not respect their parents and had their wedding according to how they wanted it to be instead of considering what their parents might have wanted. Respect and tradition was a term that was used through out the movie. At A LOT OF SCENES you can see how the elders in the movie wanted to do things old school, like delivering the wedding invitation in person or not attending a funeral before their daughter's wedding because it was a sign of bad luck.
Diverse. That was the first thing that I thought of when I watched it. Honestly, I think this is my first time watching a movie with so many older folks in it. They all can really act! There were scenes were I couldn't catch my breath because it was so funny and there were scenes that completely broke my heart and I could feel a tear coming out.
One more thing! I love watching how the movie display various Chinese tradition in it. There were some moments that totally caught me off guard. An example would be the Worship to the God of Sky Scene. I didn't know that during Chinese New Year, the celebration would be so grand. So you see, you still get to learn a few new stuff from watching a local film :D
2. Difficulty of relating to one another
Sometimes all of us got different way of relating to one another. Especially communicating. We all have our own methods of displaying our thoughts or showing how we care to one another. The one thing that made me almost cry was the tiny sign of affection shown from Uncle Chuan to his daughter, Bee. Through out the movie he never said I love you but he did show his own affection to her in his own ways.
Because of him not voicing out and showing his affection to his daughter the way she wanted, she thought that he didn't love her. And you know la, drama happens. JENG JENG JENG. hehe.
There was one scene where he cooked mee with two eggs for his daughter because it was her birthday. He waited for her to come home to enjoy her birthday meal but when he realise that she couldn't make it in time, he took his mee and threw it away.
At that moment I was thinking, "UNCLE WHY YOU NO WAIT FOR HER? WHY YOU SO HEARTLESS THROW AWAY HER MEE?!" Then I thought, what was he thinking la. It then stuck me that maybe he was doing it because he didn't want her to eat rotten food. He cooked it at the evening and she got back home around the wee morning.
In the end, he cooked her a fresh batch of mee in the morning and I couldn't help but to smile. Some of us can show our love massively for the entire world to see, while some do it in the only way that they know how :) In the end, no matter how big or small of the gesture was, the love that they have is the same.
So to all those that think that their parents don't love them, its actually because you might not realize the way they displayed their love to you.
We all know how difficult it is to related to that one person who may seem like they have nothing in common with you. I honestly can't imagine being Benji. He had to deal with learning so many new rules due to our culture and what's worse is that his soon to be father in law can't comunicate with him properly due to language barrier.
It was both hilarious and upsetting watching Benji's side when he is trying to be the best potential son in law to Bee's father.
Through it all, I will be there for you uncle!
3. Long Lasting Friendship
There was about 3 deaths mention in the movie. Still can't believe that they were so many. They even showed a funeral scene! Gosh. Anyways, the Uncle Chuan got a bunch of good friends from primary school. Yes you heard me, they were all bff for 50 years! Super pro right? I can't even remember what happen during my primary school days besides getting cane everyday for not understanding Chinese. Anyways that is a different story to tell :)
I love how Uncle Chuan would travel the distance to deliver the wedding invitation to all of his buddies. It's a wonderful sight to see them all still close and would do anything for each other. I guess in some scenes, I too at some moments in my life won't mind doing things for those that are my close friends <3
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So yeah! Go watch the movie and experience it for yourself :)
Besides that, there are also awesome stuff in the movie like the wonderful sights of our country that got displayed :) They took 4 months to film the movie at Cameron Highlands (Pahang), Chew Jetty (Penang), Manukan Island (Sabah), Kuala Lumpur, Bailing (Kedah) & Ipoh (Perak).
Other than that, they also got a MAGNIFICENT prop in the movie. A solar balloon! :D Where no fire is need to fly high in the sky!
It took 10,000 PLASTIC BAGS to make this happen!
Director Chiu in the balloon
When it is all ready to fly high!
Up, up and away!
Apparently Paradigm Mall had it display in the center of their mall
It was 3-4 floors high!
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Verdict: 8/10
Watch it with your family and love ones. Somehow it makes it even special :) I enjoyed watching my parents laugh through out the movie <3 It was just a wonderful time for us as a family to bond and to watch a family movie together :)
With Ma & Pa <3
My favourite song from the movie soundtrack. It was sang by Ben :)
Hope you all enjoy the movie as much as I did :)
xx