Relationship Status: watching a theater play on big screenscreen

Here is the irony of it all. I just watched a movie on facebook (not Social Network though), and here I am blogging about it, which eventually will end up as a status update in my facebook updates. The good news is that this proves that I am from this generation, not losers or kids (eg. MySpace)

It is not easy to get my wife to watch a local movie. Especially it is not a comedy. Especially it is sort of an art film. But I was more than glad to catch Relationship Status.

The story is rather simple, or at least in the beginning. Gavin Yap is a writer for a magazine, given a column and tasked with writing about social network ie facebook. He began with a writers block but the story slowly played out on how facebook changes relationship. Characters from all around began to interwoven with each other and somehow, related to each other at one point of the story or other. No spoiler here but all is about relationship, and how facebook shape them, and in turn affect their lives. As advertised, each small story is based on one of the relationship status of facebook (and that is how the name of the movie originate), such as single, divorced, married, and my fav, it is complicated. My favourite story is about how Susan Lankaster tried to close her dead husband Facebook account. A simple gesture yet so much emotion involved. The most touching scene is a simple dining table with her only at one side with the other side empty. Equally touching is also multiple betrayal tale spread along the story.

The performance is solid. And the whole movie felt like an European film rather local, just because the English they speak is too perfect for Malaysian. Acting is not a problem since most of them perform in theater anyway. And that is how the whole movie plays out. It is like watching theater play on silver screen. There is no scene more than 3 persons. Nothing actually happens much in the screen, but all the story is dialogue revealed.

The movie is not without its fault. Some of the scene is too draggy. I know that a long pause at time is needed to bring out the emotion but too long become draggy. The pregnant tummy do look fake, but it did not change anything. And do not try watching this without a good command of English. No subs, and all the story is conversation based. It was funny that a few Chinese girls said at the end of the movie: " ooo, actually her (susan lankaster) husband had died"..... it was reveal early in the film, but was mention in conversation. Aiiiii......

ratings: 3 half poink!

comments: not everyone cup of tea, but definitely mine. Being only 13 people in the cinema, I am thankful that there is less distraction and disturbance.