Review - The Kid from the Big Apple

WHEN I first read the ­synopsis, I thought this locally-produced film by director Jess Teong was going to be one of those run-of-the-mill family-­oriented movies.
But once I realised it had won four awards at the 7th Macau International Movie Festival, I knew there was more to this movie than meets the eye.
Sarah (Tan Qin Lin), a little girl raised in New York by her single mother, Sophia (Jessica Hester Hsuan), is sent to live with her estranged grandfather, Master Lin (Tommy Tam), in Kuala Lumpur.
Their ­relationship starts off ­extremely rocky at first due to Sarah being a spoilt and westernised girl, whereas Lin, like most Asian ­grandparents, holds tradition, ­discipline and manners in high ­regard.
While the story sounds like something we’ve all probably seen before, there’s actually much more to it.
It is definitely much more relatable for those of us who had to grow up with the same teachings from our grandparents and ­parents.
The movie also explores a lot of the social ills we face in society today due to technology, and how Lin ­actually has to adapt to it and ­eventually benefit from it.
Sarah also befriends a young neighbour (Jason Tan) who helps her adapt to her new ­surroundings.
I really liked how the movie has ­really good pacing and a nice mix of comedy, a little bit of action and heart-tugging moments.
I’m quite sure there were plenty of teary eyes besides mine towards the end of the movie.
The great chemistry among the cast members also helped make each scene feel more believable.
Most of the cast played their parts well especially Tan, Tam and Jason. Even those with smaller roles offered great support to the leads.
However, I do have one little complaint, and that is the blatant hard-selling of a certain sponsor’s product, which made a certain part of the movie seem more like an advertisement. I cringed and wished this could have been avoided.
This film is definitely a must-watch in my books. It was a real surprise and a treat to watch and perfect for all age groups.
Watch the trailer here: