Sorry, this movie sucks

Excellent adaptation.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

I'm certain that fans of Yasmin Ahmad upvoted this movie simply because it's Yasmin Ahmad. But frankly, other than her commercials for Petronas, Yasmin Ahmad's film are an overrated mediocre entertainment at best. This film is prime example. Being preachy is one thing but having it shoved to your faced is asphyxiating. The acting in this movie is so horrendous it is beyond embarrassing. Not one player does a suitable believable job. Harith Iskandar is as annoying as f#&k, and the rest is subpar. And the script and dialogue? Cringeworthy at it's finest. Manglish is neither melodious nor sexy but just plain retarded and humiliating. You don't see other South East Asian countries doing this, with the exception of Singapore and even they find it embarrassing. The editing is a mess. Scenes jump from one moment to another without a proper segue or anything to lead up to it. You're just suppose to accept that "things just happen suddenly" without rhyme or reason. The pacing is unbearably slow that you'd give up watching it 1/3 of the way, simply out of boredom. So no, if this is the pinnacle of Malaysian film making, than I am glad that it is dying. I don't wish to inflict pain on others simply because "we have to support local industries." Balderdash.Of the industry wants support, then they must provide a compelling reason for said support.Must. Do. Better.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to see Talentime, and I think neither did any of the other nine people who went to see it with me. I'd seen Sepet and Gubra, and good as they were, they felt very raw and unpolished. Talentime retreads a number of themes and tales which Yasmin Ahmad dealt with in her earlier films, so it wasn't immediately clear what would set Talentime apart.When the credits began rolling, all of us -- and virtually the rest of the theatre -- stood or sat in stunned silence. This is one of the most heartwrenching, moving movies I have ever watched -- and especially so for Malaysians.I do have some bones to pick with the film. I felt the editing was a bit choppy at times, and the dubbing seemed rather poor. Once or twice, parts of the story strained credulity for me.In spite of these things, Talentime deserves a 10. It tells a good story well. It resists the temptation to overreach in terms of subject matter, and it avoids the problematic, blunt moralising which often characterises the approach to problems like race and love.When the group I watched Talentime with finally picked our jaws up off the floor, we raved about the final scene. It's something which I think most people have seen before -- a bittersweet, almost preachy scene that's always mawkish and off-putting. But Yasmin Ahmad somehow pulls it off -- it's one of the most moving things I've ever seen on the silver screen.It's very sad that Yasmin Ahmad is no longer with us. Talentime was her masterpiece, and it shows a maturity and polished refinement which her earlier works lacked. This should be mandatory viewing for any Malaysian.