Movie Review: 1965

Not the SG50 film you were hoping for.

By Jared Alex Tan

PHOTO: Blue3 Pictures

1965

Historical, Drama [PG13]
Qi Yuwu, Sezairi Sezali, Lim Kay Tong
130 min

Having lived in relative peace our entire lives, racial harmony is a part of society that we often take for granted. As part of an ever-growing list of initiatives to commemorate Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence, 1965 takes audiences back in time to remind us of the cost of this peace, though a lack of clear direction might have diluted the film’s intended message.

The film takes place shortly after Singapore’s merger with Malaysia, and chronicles the events that led to the eventual separation of the two countries and our nation’s subsequent independence. The story is set in motion after the 1964 race riots create a distrustful rift between the Chinese and Malay communities, and the movie explores the tension-filled aftermath from various sides of the conflict.

While it is undoubtedly interesting to see moments from your social studies textbook come to life, the accompanying narrative of 1965 is unfortunately built on a weak foundation. The central plot revolves around a Malay hawker blaming a Chinese police inspector for a tragedy, and what ensues is an illogical back-and-forth that fails to evoke any emotion or provide any meaningful insight on racial intolerance.

1965 also suffers from an overpopulated, yet underdeveloped cast. Mike Kasem’s character of a Pakistani journalist, for example, had the potential to provide an outsider’s perspective of the conflict, but only appears in a handful of scenes without making any significant impact to the plot. This feels like a missed opportunity that unnecessarily dilutes the story, and Kasem — among others — should have been given a larger role or taken out entirely.

Among an ensemble cast that features the likes of Qi Yuwu and Singapore Idol alumnus Sezairi Sezali, one standout performance is Lim Kay Tong’s portrayal of Lee Kuan Yew. For the most part, Lim manages to capture the essence of Lee’s mannerisms and, much like the man himself, exudes an enigmatic presence that commands your attention whenever he appears onscreen.

It is unfortunate, then, that his appearances in the movie are sparse, as the character takes a back seat to the larger narrative. Despite his limited screen time, Lim still manages to deliver what is easily the best scene of the film, recreating the iconic press conference where Singapore’s separation from Malaysia is tearfully announced.

Given his minor role in 1965’s story, it is peculiar that the film ends with footage of his funeral procession, followed by a montage of Singapore’s achievements over the years. This makes for a confusing conclusion — it seems as though director Randy Ang couldn’t decide if he wanted 1965 to be a tribute to the founding father of Singapore, a cautionary tale of racial disharmony, or simply a celebration of how far our nation has come. It could have been either of the three, but not all at once.

1965 will no doubt make you appreciate the hardships that our forefathers had to endure in order to achieve the prosperity that we enjoy today. Despite some strong performances however, the movie stretches itself too thin, seemingly uncertain of the message that it wants to convey. Had its intentions been more focused, 1965 might have been the quality SG50 movie that Singaporeans were hoping for this national day.