the despair is touching
15 (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 10
Fresh: 5
Rotten:5
Average Rating: 4.9/10
Theatrical Release:Apr 13, 2005 Limited
Synopsis: The adventure of five fifteen year old boys in Singapore: estranged to every social reference, except for that of appearance and close friendships, they live their lives distant from their families... The adventure of five fifteen year old boys in Singapore: estranged to every social reference, except for that of appearance and close friendships, they live their lives distant from their families and school, passing their days in a complete state of indolence in the search of experiences, at times even physically painful (tattoos, piercing, wounds). Their imaginary is completely colonized by MTV, cartoons, electronic jingles, publicity and comics as every moment of their existence depicts a audiovisual performance or label. Interpreted by street-kids that belong to the group they represent, this audacious and disturbing first work by the twenty-six year old Royston Tan explores an adolescent world, dramatically marked by the conflictual under-culture and complete addiction to video clip and videogame aesthetics. The existential suburban hardship, compared to the bright "western" and "English speaking" metropolis, is consumed through moving and desperate dialogues inscribed in a progression of disturbing sequences, similar to short sketches that slowly reconstruct the relational, psychological and family dynamics of the five boys. A sincere and lyrical film but at the same time irreverent, scandalous and extreme, an expression of Singapore cinema, unknown and emerging. -- © Picture This! Entertainment [More]
Director: Royston Tan
Director: Royston Tan
Studio: Picture This! Entertainment
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Reviews for 15
Visually arresting film proves that Singaporean kids just want their MTV.
Royston Tan seems more interested in directing a 97-minute music video than a story with weight and depth.
Tan connects with his dangerously disaffected youth in a way that only a truly sympathetic contemporary can.
So predictable it could almost be a parody of the genre -- though that would require a sense of humor above and beyond the self-reflexive comedy on display here.
Royston Tan's feature film debut follows five young residents of a public housing project in Singapore.
The directionless lives on display all too easily translate into a directionless film.
This is a tough watch at times, yet there's a strain of black humour.
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