I Not Stupid Too
| I Not Stupid Too | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jack Neo |
| Written by | Jack Neo |
| Produced by | Chan Pui Yin Seah Saw Yam |
| Starring | Jack Neo Huang Yiliang Xiang Yun Ashley Leong Shawn Lee Joshua Ang |
| Distributed by | MediaCorp Raintree Pictures |
Release date | 26 January 2006 (Singapore) |
Running time | 122 minutes |
| Languages | English, Mandarin, Hokkien |
| Budget | |
I Not Stupid Too (Chinese: 小孩不笨二 Pinyin: xiǎohái bù bèn èr) is a Singaporean film written and directed by Jack Neo, released on 26 January 2006.[1] It stars Jack Neo, Xiang Yun, Huang Yiliang, Shawn Lee, Ashley Leong and Joshua Ang.
I Not Stupid Too is a sequel to I Not Stupid (2002). With earnings of over $4 million, it overtook the original movie as the second-highest grossing Singapore movie of all time, second only to Money No Enough. The film was nominated for Best Asian Film at the 2007 Hong Kong Film Awards, but lost to "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles".
The film is about the lives of 15-year-old Tom and his 8-year old brother Jerry, and their friend, 15-year-old Chengcai. This satirical comedy touches on various issues facing Singaporean teens today, particularly lack of communication between parents and children, and lack of appreciation for good work.[2]
Production
A book on appreciation education, a method of teaching developed by Chinese educator Zhou Hong, inspired Jack Neo to write I Not Stupid Too.[3] Responding to concerns that I Not Stupid Too lacked his trademark political satire, Jack Neo said, "I'm not anti-government. I'm making films as a Singaporean. This is my way of contributing to society. If I feel strongly about something, I won't keep quiet."[4]
I Not Stupid Too was produced by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures. Besides writing and directing, Neo starred as Mr Yeo and composed the theme song, which Hong Junyang sang.[5] The production crew included Daniel Yun as executive producer, Chan Pui Yin and Seah Saw Yam as producers, Ardy Lam as cinematographer and Mo Ju Li as music and sound director.[6]
Filming took place in Saint Hilda's Primary School, Presbyterian High School and various other locations during the school holidays in June. Child actors Shawn Lee and Joshua Ang stated that they relished the challenge of playing roles which were distinct from those in the original.[7] The entire film crew were in tears while shooting a scene where Mr Lim beats Chengcai up because he is unable to express his love for him.[4]
Dissatisfied with the extras in several scenes involving gangsters, Jack Neo hired real gangsters to act in those scenes. Having initially had problems communicating with them, he found them quite responsive after giving them simple instructions and praising them for a good take. He commented that working with gangsters was a revelation, and that his interactions with them highlighted the message of I Not Stupid Too. Shawn Lee added, "I think they're really misunderstood. They can be very good friends."[4][8]
Plot
Template:Spoilers The film starts by pondering the question: "When was the last time someone praised you?" and introducing the main characters: Tom Yeo (played by Shawn Lee), a prolific teenage blogger; Jerry Yeo (Ashley Leong), Tom's innocent, inquisitive 8-year-old brother; and their friend, Lim Chengcai (Joshua Ang), who has inherited the fighting skills of his father, an ex-convict.
Jerry is given the lead role in his school's concert. During a rehearsal, several of his classmates play a prank on him, tricking him into thinking that he got his classmate Xiaoxi pregnant. He repeatedly tries in vain to find out how pregnancy occurs, going so far as to ask a fat man how he got "pregnant". After hearing an old wives' tale that eating pineapples may cause a miscarriage, Jerry forces Xiaoxi to eat pineapples. Xiaoxi gets a severe stomachache, and when Jerry takes her to the clinic, he is informed of how pregnancy actually comes about.
Mr Fu, the Chinese teacher of Tom and Chengcai's class, scolds his pupils for failing to complete his homework, and all of them leave the classroom. A younger teacher, Mr Hao, advises Mr Fu that he needs to "focus on their talents and not their flaws". On the way to school, Tom accidentally bumps into two gangsters, who call their friends to beat him up. Chengcai intervenes, fights the gangsters and saves Tom. The principal decides to punish both of them "according to the law".
While tutoring his children, Mr. Yeo tells Jerry that people will pay $500 for an hour of his time. Jerry's teacher encourages the boy to ask his parents to watch his concert, and later Jerry starts saving, apparently to buy Pokemon cards. Mr Yeo's computer is infected by a virus and he has a presentation due the next day. Tom fixes the computer and rushes to his father's office to deliver the computer to him, but Mr Yeo scolds Tom for not being in school.
During a check for mobile phones, Tom is caught possessing a pornographic VCD. Mr Fu confiscates it, but Chengcai insults Mr Fu and provokes the teacher into slapping him. This leads to an altercation where Tom tries to get the VCD back. The principal decides to expel Chengcai and subject Tom to public caning. A video of the incident is leaked out, sparking a national debate on corporal punishment.
Mr Fu resigns, but the school refuses to honour his resignation. Mr Lim begs the principal to give Chengcai another chance, but the principal insists on "going according to the law". Instead, she decides to recommend Chengcai to other schools, all of which reject him. The gangsters Chengcai fought invite Tom and Chengcai to join their gang; Tom and Chengcai accept the offer.
Unable to raise $500, Jerry resorts to selling all his Pokemon cards and, finally, stealing. After he is caught, a furious Mr Yeo canes the boy, but mellows when Jerry explains that he is saving not to buy Pokemon cards, but to "buy" an hour of Mr Yeo's time. Mr and Mrs Yeo read Tom's blog and realise that they have failed to appreciate and communicate with Tom.
Due to peer pressure from the other gang members, Tom and Chengcai shoplift an iPod. They are caught by two fake police officers who demand they pay $2000 within two days or be arrested.
In an attempt to raise $2000, Tom and Chengcai rob an old lady of her necklace; however, regretting their action, they later decide to return it to her. Despite the boys' remorse, the woman's friends insist on calling the police. Tom and Chengcai try to escape, and in the ensuing struggle, Tom's phone falls out of his pocket. A button on the phone is accidentally pressed when it hits the ground, sending a call to Mr Yeo, who is doing a presentation on 3G phones to Chinese government officials, for a contract worth $3 million.
Against the wishes of his boss, Mr Yeo rushes off after receiving Tom's call, and is fired. Mr Yeo apologises to the old lady for Tom's actions, and pleads for her to give his son a chance. When the police arrive, the old lady tells them that she sent a prank call. Two days later, Tom and Mr Yeo meet the fake police officers, and Mr Yeo gives them $2000. Once the fake police officers realise that they have been given hell money, they are arrested by real police officers who have been waiting in ambush for them. Mr Yeo's company is awarded the contract, and he is promoted to COO.
Trying to escape, Chengcai bumps into several gangsters who attack him. Mr. Lim happens to be in the vicinity, and is severely injured when he tries to protect his son. He is taken to the hospital in critical condition. Mr Lim's dying wish is to see his son back in school, but the principal does not allow Chengcai to return. The boy asks her to lie to his father instead, telling him his son has been re-admitted, in order to fulfil Mr Lim's dying wish; the principal initially refuses to do so but eventually gives in.
Before his death, Mr Lim tells his son “Chengcai, if you want to fight, aim to be an international champion. I love you.” Touched by Mr Lim's last words, the principal allows Chengcai to return to school. Jerry is delighted that his parents are watching his concert, and as the credits roll, he summarises the lessons of the movie. Template:Endspoiler
Cast
The main characters of the movie were played by the following actors:[9]
| Actor/Actress | Role |
|---|---|
| Shawn Lee | Tom Yeo |
| Ashley Leong | Jerry Yeo |
| Joshua Ang | Lim Chengcai |
| Huang Yi Liang | Mr Lim |
| Jack Neo | Steven (Mr Yeo) |
| Xiang Yun | Karen (Mrs Yeo) |
Reception
With earnings of S$1,414,496 in the first six days, I Not Stupid Too broke Liang Po Po: The Movie's previous opening record of S$1,387,118.[10] By the 11th day, the film grossed over S$2 million and topped the local box office ahead of Jet Li's Fearless.[11] In total, I Not Stupid Too grossed over S$4 million, surpassing the original film's takings of S$3.8 million. I Not Stupid is one of Singapore's all-time highest grossing movies, second only to Money No Enough.[12] Following its success in Singapore, the film was screened in Malaysia (starting 9 March) and Hong Kong.[2][10][11]
Critics gave generally positive reviews of I Not Stupid Too, praising it for the way it touched on issues such as parent-child communication. [1][13][14] Some criticised the film for being overly preachy[15] and for using unnecessary digital animation[1]. Besides being showcased at the Cannes World Cinema and 2006 Shanghai International Film Festival,[16] the film was nominated for Best Asian Film at the 2007 Hong Kong Film Awards,[17] but lost to Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles.[18]
Sequels
The original I Not Stupid was released on 15 February 2002 and grossed S$3.8 million. With a different story and characters, it touched on issues such as Singapore's education system and Singaporean social values. When released, I Not Stupid was Singapore's all-time second-highest grossing movie, but has since been overtaken by I Not Stupid Too. With the success of the two "I Not Stupid" films, Jack Neo has announced plans to make more sequels.[2][12]
As with the original film, a TV version of I Not Stupid Too, consisting of 13 30-minute episodes, was broadcast on Channel 8 every Saturday from 9pm to 9.30pm, from 23 September 2006 to 16 December 2006. However, while the TV version of I Not Stupid was a longer retelling of the film, the TV version of the sequel continued from when the film left off.[19]
References
- ^ a b c "I Not Stupid Too (2006)". movieXclusive.com. 2006-01-26.
- ^ a b c Ng Bao Ying (2006-01-18). "I Not Stupid Too tackles communication problems in families". Channel NewsAsia.
- ^ "Educator who inspired "I Not Stupid Too" in town to give talk"". Channel NewsAsia. 4 February 2006.
- ^ a b c Andrea Ong (20 January 2006). "Those stupid tears". The Straits Times.
- ^ "I Not Stupid Too, Theme Song". INotStupid.com. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
- ^ "Story Outline - I Not Stupid Too". MediaCorp Raintree. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
- ^ "Young stars of I Not Stupid Too spend holidays filming in school". Channel NewsAsia. 12 June 2005.
- ^ "SCREEN TEST". South China Morning Post. 18 June 2006.
- ^ http://su.ntu.edu.sg/tribune/article.php?id=240
- ^ a b "'I Not Stupid Too' rakes in biggest box office opening for local film". Channel NewsAsia. 2006-02-01.
- ^ a b "MediaCorp Raintree Pictures' "I Not Stupid Too" beats Jet Li's "Fearless"". Channel NewsAsia. 2006-02-06.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|authoer=ignored (help) - ^ a b "'I Not Stupid Too' crosses $4m mark in box office takings". Channel NewsAsia. 2006-03-06.
- ^ "Film Details - I Not Stupid Too". Bite the Mango 2006. 2006-09-22. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
- ^ "I Not Stupid Too 2 shines at film festival". Xinhua online. 2006-10-30.
- ^ "'I Not Stupid Too' disappointing sequel to biting social commentary". The Hindu. 2006-07-14.
- ^ "Corporate Profile - MediaCorp Raintree Pictures". MediaCorp. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
- ^ "Singapore music, media firms to showcase at HK entertainment expo". Channel NewsAsia. 2007-03-15.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|authoer=ignored (help) - ^ "26th Hong Kong Film Awards Ceremony held". Xinhua. 2007-04-15.
- ^ "I Not Stupid Too, Every Sat, 9pm". Channel 8 - Mediacorp TV. Retrieved 2007-05-14.