Customer Reviews

Perth

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Singapore director Djinn's 2nd feature after "Return to Pontianek" or "Voodoo Nightmare" as it was titled on the U.S. DVD is billed as the Asian "Taxi Driver." Kay Tong Lim who has over 30 film & TV credits including "Shanghai Surprise" plays Harry Lee, a driver who is divorced after he badly beats his wife. Actually, Harry's a nice guy, as long as he's not drinking. When he gets drunk, he loses control. As he discusses life with his Indian friend, he longs for a fresh start to move from Singapore to the western Australian city of Perth. Sunny Pang plays Lee's buddy Angry Boy who gets him a job ferrying ladies of the evening to & from dates. Pang does an excellent job of playing this wild card that always seems to be on the edge between violence and underworld business. Harry becomes emotionally attached to a young Vietnamese girl Mai played by Ivy Cheng. She has a mysterious quality about her, kind of an Asian Mona Lisa smile. She explains that her family is very poor and owes money due to gambling; so she has come to Singapore to earn money to send back to her family. Lee gets Angry Boy to promise that he can buy Mai's freedom. When the stocky mob boss denies the request and Lee has been plowing down numerous glasses of liquor, the violent rampage that concludes the film is unleashed. Within the film are issues of poor uneducated people who have a dream of a better life. This crosscuts with the evils of drink, domestic violence and selling the girls. In its U.S. DVD release, "Perth" is a bit slow to start, but becomes interesting as we see both the good and the bad churning within Harry Lee. Djinn was nominated for an award at the Cinemanila International Film Festival for this. Enjoy!

Nice work. Like your commentary. I want to visit Perth now.

Talk Soon

Billy~