I Not Stupid

Infobox Film
name = I Not Stupid


caption =
director = Jack Neo
producer = David Leong
Chan Pui Yin
writer = Jack Neo
starring = Jack Neo
Richard Low
Xiang Yun
Selena Tan
Shawn Lee
Huang Po Ju
Joshua Ang
music =
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = United International Pictures
released = Singapore:
9 February 2002
runtime = 105 min
country = Singapore
language = Mandarin / Hokkien / English
budget = S$1,000,000
preceded_by =
followed_by = "I Not Stupid Too" (2006)
website =
imdb_id = 0307681

"I Not Stupid" (Zh-cp|c=小孩不笨|p=xiǎohái bù bèn) is a Singaporean film written and directed by Jack Neo, and produced by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures. It stars Xiang Yun, Richard Low, Selena Tan, Shawn Lee, Huang Po Ju and Joshua Ang.

Released in cinemas on 9 February 2002, [cite web| url = http://dvdasian.com/cgi-bin/dvdasian/17551.html| title = I Not Stupid|accessdate = 2006-12-17] cite web | title = Corporate Profile | url = http://www.mediacorpraintree.com/about_us/corp_profile.htm | publisher = MediaCorp Raintree Pictures | date = 2005] "I Not Stupid" earned over S$3.8 million. It is the third-highest grossing movie in Singapore, after "Money No Enough" and the film's sequel, "I Not Stupid Too", which was released in cinemas on 26 January 2006. The film was nominated for Best Asian Film at the 2003 Hong Kong Film Awards but lost to "My Sassy Girl".

The film portrays the lives, struggles, and adventures of three Primary 6 pupils who are placed in the academically inferior EM3 stream (which, due to debates following the release of the film, will be abolished in 2008). This satirical comedy criticises the Singaporean education system and social attitudes in Singapore, including the competitive "kiasu" ("fear of losing") mentality and over-obedience to authority.

Production

Jack Neo's inspiration for the film was the Iranian movie "Children of Heaven". Neo and his wife were moved to "holding hands and crying after seeing the love shared by the children", which motivated him to make his own movie about youth. After speaking with parents in order to find topics to discuss in his film, Neo learned that due to problems with the Singaporean education system, specifically streaming, students face considerable academic and emotional stress.Karl Ho, "Jack as court jester", The Straits Times, 31 January 2002] cite web| url = http://www.sma.org.sg/sma_news/3404/nonmedica.pdf| title = Interview with Mr Jack Neo and Dr Winston Hwang from the cast of Local Production "I Not Stupid"| accessdate = 2006-12-17| last = Hwa| first = Dr. Tan Hooi | coauthors = Krysania Tan, Regina Chan| year = 2002| month = 4| format = PDA| work = SMA News| pages = 5 - 10] This problem formed the core of his film, which he called "I Not Stupid" in reference to the social stigma streaming places on students.

Neo also drew on a dissatisfaction he felt with the way the school system promoted deference to authority over self-reliance; he wanted his film to tell youth "If you don't want to change or make a difference, you won't. It's all up to you." In exploring these ideas, Neo spent over two years researching and editing the script — checking scenes for accuracy, verifying facts, and drafting dialogue. Altogether, the work went through thirteen different revisions, and saw over 50 children audition for the lead roles, [cite web| url = http://www.mediacorpraintree.com/ins/ins_cast.htm| title = THE CASTS| accessdate = 2006-12-17| year = 2002| format = HTML| publisher = Raintree Pictures Pte Ltd] before Neo decided to send "I Not Stupid" into production.

This production was carried out by Raintree Pictures on a budget of S$900,000, [cite web| url = http://194.21.179.166/cecudine/fe_2002/eng/singapore2002.htm| title = Temperatures rising: Singapore film in 2001| accessdate = 2006-12-17| last = Uhde| first = Yvonne Ng| coauthors = Jan Uhde| format = HTML| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20050512202637/http://194.21.179.166/cecudine/fe_2002/eng/singapore2002.htm| archivedate = 2005-05-12] sponsored by Bee Cheng Hiang, Yeo Hiap Seng and Sunshine Bakeries.cite web | title = I Not Stupid - Review | author=Soh Yun-Huei | publisher = FilmAsia | url = http://www.filmsasia.net/gpage2.html ] The production crew included Daniel Yun as executive producer, David Leong and Chan Pui Yin as producers, Ardy Lam as cinematographer and Li Yi as music supervisor.cite web | title = “I Not Stupid” - Production notes | url = http://www.mediacorpraintree.com/ins/ins_prodnotes.htm | publisher = MediaCorp Raintree Pictures | date = 2002 ] In addition to writing and directing, Neo also composed the theme song, which was sung by Chen Guorong. The actual filming took place at Braddell Westlake Secondary School and Westlake Primary School over a period of 24 days,Wong Kim Hoh, “Who says I’m only good at drag?”, The Straits Times, 20 June 2004] and the film found distribution through Raintree Pictures and United International Pictures. [cite web| url = http://www.mediacorpraintree.com/js/fs.asp?ref=/inotstupid2_160106.htm| title = UNITED INTERNATIONAL PICTURES, MEDIACORP RAINTREE PICTURES AND SCORPIO EAST PICTURES RELEASE “I NOT STUPID TOO”| accessdate = 2006-12-17| year = 2005| format = HTML| publisher = MediaCorp Raintree Pictures Pte Ltd]

Plot

The film's storyline revolves around the lives and families of three students in the EM3 academic stream, Terry Khoo, Liu Kok Pin and Ang Boon Hock. Terry, pampered and from a rich family, is a meek and obedient boy, with a domineering mother and businessman father. Kok Pin is driven to excel at school by his mother, but he shows a talent for art, not academics — much to the consternation of his family. Boon Hock and his mother struggle to make ends meet with an absent father by running a small wonton noodle stall; to make up for the lack of a father figure, he places high value on loyalty and "manliness" in his friends.

The boys are often picked on for being in the "stupid" stream, which eventually leads to a fight during which one of the bullies is accidentally injured. In the principal's office, Boon Hock and Kok Pin explain what happened, but Terry declines to help them and stand up for himself, following his mother's instructions to "mind his own business", which infuriates his friends and causes trouble between the boys.

Meanwhile, Terry's father, Mr. Khoo gets in a fight with a man who turns out to be Kok Pin's father, Mr. Liu, over a parking space. Mr. Khoo's company is a client for Mr. Liu's firm, an advertising agency, and their new-found enmity causes Mr. Khoo to select the marketing campaign of John, an American expatriate, over that of Mr. Liu. As John's ideas are totally incompatible with Chinese customs, Mr. Khoo's business suffers as his customers are driven away.

As the boys deal with their problems, a new teacher at school helps by inspiring Boon Hock to excel in mathematics, while reaching out the other boys. Kok Pin continues to struggle, and enlists Boon Hock to help him cheat in the preliminary examinations, but they are caught. Unable to face his mother, Kok Pin attempts suicide, but fails. When he finally tells her, she tries to punish him but collapses; a doctor later diagnoses her with leukaemia, and tells Kok Pin that she will die without a bone marrow transplant.

As the end of the year approaches, Boon Hock excels in the PSLE mathematics exam, while the other boys manage to scrape by — Kok Pin only marginally. Contrary to Kok Pin's fears, his mother is satisfied because he has tried his best. When visiting Mrs. Liu at the hospital, the EM3 teacher announces that one of Kok Pin's drawings won second prize in an international competition — but the moment is overshadowed by the rush to save Mrs. Liu's life.

Mr. Khoo passes the transplant test, but refuses to donate after discovering the intended recipient is his enemy's wife. He eventually relents, but it is revealed that due to a mix-up Terry, not Mr. Khoo, is the suitable donor. Despite protests from his parents, he insists on undergoing the operation, which is a success. A grateful Mr. Liu offers to help Mr. Khoo's business with his proposal. As a result, Mr. Khoo's business booms, and the two enemies become good friends. The film ends with Terry being bullied again, as in the beginning of the movie — but this time, he stands up for himself and fights back.

Cast

The main characters of the movie were played by the following actors:Cameos include Jeff Wang, Hossan Leong etc.

Political satire

"I Not Stupid" criticises many aspects of modern Singaporean culture, including streaming in the education system, deference to authority, and sociocultural stereotypes. The film can be read as an allegory for Singaporean society — the pampered protagonist and narrator, Terry, is an "everyman;" deferent and coddled, with a domineering mother and affluent father. Terry's intellectual failings lead him to be placed in the inferior EM3 stream, which becomes the driving force behind the storyline.

The subsequent stigma placed upon the narrator illustrates how the Singaporean education system promotes academic elitism, with students in lower streams looked down upon as inferior, making it harder for them to catch up and realise their potential (see Pygmalion effect), even if they are not necessarily stupid. cite web | title = I Not Stupid - Review | url = http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/i_not_stupid.htm | publisher = www.lovehkfilm.com ] cite web | title = I Not Stupid - Review | url = http://www.kfccinema.com/reviews/comedy/inotstupid/inotstupid.html | author = Daniel Nguyen | publisher = KFC Cinema ] cite web | title = I Not Stupid - Review | url = http://www.spcnet.tv/reviews/review.php?rID=463 | author = Funn Lim | publisher = Spcnet TV | date = 2005 ] This "kiasu" mentality puts mounting pressure upon the protagonists of the film, confounding them as they attempt to improve their standing and ameliorate their reputation in a society which judges them "worthless".

Terry's mother, Mrs. Khoo, is a "thinly veiled stand-in for the [Singapore] government", whose "mother-knows-best" mentality is well-meaning, but strips her children of their freedom. She demands total obedience, and her repeated lines "Do you know how lucky you are to have a good and responsible mother?" and "This is all for your own good" parody the Singapore government's efforts to convince Singaporeans that government policies and actions is in the best interests of the nation.cite book | last = Ciecko | first = Anne Tereska | coauthors = Uhde, Jan and Uhde, Yvnone Ng | title = Contemporary Asian Cinema | publisher = Berg | date = 2006 | location = New York | pages = "Singapore: Developments, Challenges and Projections", pp. 81-82 | id = ISBN 1 84520237 6] Mrs. Khoo also uses her position of power to buy off rebellion in her charges with gifts and bribes, in a pointed criticism of the government's social policies. Other characters in the film comment on this relationship — for instance, in one scene, Mr. Liu states that "it is difficult to catch fish in Singapore, because fish in Singapore are like Singaporeans; they'll never open their mouths", poking fun at the Singaporean trait of obedience and respect for authority.

The film also touches on other issues including Chinese self-loathing (wherein Singaporean companies regard Western expatriates as inherently superior to local workers), suicide, the use of Singlish, and the differences between English and Chinese.cite web| title = 'I Not Stupid' but is clever, really | publisher = New Straits Times| date = 2004 | url = http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premium/0286/0286-13419743.html| accessdate = 2007-06-24]

Reception

"I Not Stupid" earned just S$46,000 during a limited sneak preview run, prompting Raintree Pictures to embark on a massive publicity campaign, including invitations for teachers to discuss the film. After showing for four months on 30 screens the movie earned S$3.8 million, becoming Singapore's second-highest grossing movie after "Money No Enough".cite news | title = 'I Not Stupid Too' crosses $4m mark in box office takings | url = http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/196454/1/.html | publisher = ChannelNewsAsia | date = 6 March 2006 ] In 2006, the sequel "I Not Stupid Too" grossed over S$4 million, replacing the original movie as the second-highest grossing Singapore movie of all time.

Over 50,000 VCDs of "I Not Stupid" were sold and its sole distributor, VideoVan, declared it the "No. 1 selling VCD in Singapore". This claim was disputed by Alliance Entertainment, which distributed "Money No Enough", and said that 70,000 VCDs of that title were sold. VideoVan replied, calling the comparison inaccurate, as "Money No Enough" was a mature title, rather than a new release. [Camilla Chiam, "Two Jack Neo movies slug it out", "The Straits Times", 12 June 2002.]

Following its success in Singapore, "I Not Stupid" was released in Malaysia (on 28 March), Thailand (in 2004) [cite web | title = Chalermthai new movie | url = http://www.pantip.com/cafe/chalermthai/newmovie/inotstupid/ins.html | publisher = Pantip.com | date = 2004 ] and Hong Kong (on 20 June) [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307681/releaseinfo Xiaohai bu ben (2002) - Release dates ] ] ndash grossing HK$5 million at the Hong Kong box office. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307681/business Xiaohai bu ben (2002) - Box office / business ] ] "I Not Stupid" also screened at a number of festivals in 2002, including the Pusan International Film Festival, the Tokyo International Film Festival, the Bangkok International Film Festival, the Seattle International Film Festival, and the Jakarta International Film Festival. The film was also received a positive reception when it was showcased in London during the 2005 "Singapore Season" cultural exhibition.cite web| last = Drew| first = Catherine | title = Britons get a taste of Singapore culture in 'I Not Stupid' show| publisher = Channel NewsAsia| date = 2005-04-06| url = http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/141207/1/.html| accessdate = 2007-06-24]

"I Not Stupid" won several awards, including the Best Chinese Film Award, at the Golden Bauhinia Awards, and the Best Chinese Humanitarian Film Award at the 2002 Taiwan Golden Torch Awards. The film was also nominated for Best Asian Film at the Hong Kong Film Awards, but lost to "My Sassy Girl". [ cite news | title = Celebration of Singapore-made Films at Cannes Film Festival’s Tous les Cinémas du Monde | url = http://www.mda.gov.sg/wms.www/thenewsdesk.aspx?sid=712 | publisher = Media Development Authority | date = 9 May 2006 ] [cite web | title =Awards for Xiaohai bu ben | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307681/awards | publisher = Internet Movie Database ]

Critics praised the film for its humour and uniqueness, noting that it touched a raw nerve among Singaporeans. For example, Sanjuro of LoveHKFilm.com wrote, "I Not Stupid" covers a variety of serious subjects, but all the while maintains a light comedic touch. Jack Neo [makes this film] a clever, well-crafted social commentary and a damn good film to boot." Others described "I Not Stupid" as "one of the greatest cinematic feats I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing" and displaying a "simple and yet excellent execution". In contrast, FilmAsia reviewer Soh Yun-Huei, found it "most shocking...that the Singapore censors actually allowed this film through in the first place".

Despite containing satirical criticism of government policies, the film received a positive response from the government of Singapore. Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong commended Jack Neo's creative talent during the National Day Rally address on 18 August 2002. [ cite web | title = National Day Rally Address | author = Goh Chok Tong | url = http://www.gov.sg/nd/ND02.htm | date = 18 August 2002 ] In 2004, Neo was the first local film-maker to receive a National Day Award, [cite news| title = Jack Neo honoured with National Day awards| publisher= Channel NewsAsia | date = 9 August 2004] and on 21 October 2005, he and Dick Lee became the first pop culture artists to receive the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's highest arts award. [cite news| title = Dick Lee, Jack Neo among this year's Cultural Medallion recipients | url =http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/174668/1/.html| publisher= Channel NewsAsia | date = 21 October 2005]

The film sparked debate about the negative aspects of streaming in the Singapore education system. In an interview, Neo said that streaming "judges you. If you're not good enough, you're useless. In our society, everyone feels like that sometimes." [cite news | title = SINGAPORE: Learning to develop their other abilities: EDUCATION REFORMS | author = Douglas Wong | publisher = "Financial Times" | date = 12 April 2002 | url = http://search.ft.com/searchArticle?id=020412001907 ] After much public discussion and parliamentary debate, the Ministry of Education decided in 2004 to merge the EM1 and EM2 streams, [cite news | title = Changes to Pri 4 streaming: EM1 and EM2 to be merged | publisher= Channel NewsAsia | date = 18 March 2004] and on 29 September 2006, it announced that the EM3 stream will be scrapped by 2008. [cite news | title = No streaming, no stigma | publisher= Channel NewsAsia | date = 29 September 2006 | url = http://www.todayonline.com/articles/145624print.asp]

equels and spinoffs

Following the success of the film, MediaCorp developed a TV version of "I Not Stupid"; the drama serial consisted of 18 30-minute episodes, broadcast on Channel 8 every Saturday from 9 p.m. to 9.30pm, starting 24 August 2002. [ cite web | title = Sitcom: I Not Stupid | url = http://ch8.mediacorptv.com/shows/sitcom/view/111/1/.html | publisher Channel 8 Mediacorp TV | date = 2004 ] Although Jack Neo did not write the script or direct the TV version, he worked with story planners and starred as Mr. Liu. In an interview, Jack Neo stated that the TV version gave him more opportunities to expand on issues or details that could not be sufficiently covered in the movie. [ cite web | title = I Not Stupid: Coming to a TV near you… | url = http://ch8.mediacorptv.com/around8/events/view/111/1/.html | publisher = Channel 8 Mediacorp TV | date = 12 August 2002 ] [ cite web | title = Hokkien No Enough | url = http://ch8.mediacorptv.com/around8/interviews/view/3/1/.html | publisher = Channel 8 Mediacorp TV | author = Ang Ling Ling | date = 10 May 2002 ] The TV version of "I Not Stupid" received several nominations at the Star Awards 2002: Best Sitcom, Best Theme Song, Best Comedy Performer (Richard Low) and Young Talent Award (Shawn Lee, Joshua Ang and Huang Po Ju), with Shawn Lee winning the Young Talent Award. [ cite web | title = Star Awards 2002 - Nomination List | url = http://ch8.mediacorptv.com/around8/announcements/view/186/1/.html | publisher = Channel 8 Mediacorp TV | | date = 24 October 2002 ]

A second movie, "I Not Stupid Too", was released on 26 January 2006. The story and characters in "I Not Stupid Too" are different from those in "I Not Stupid"; the film touches on other issues, most notably miscommunication between teens and adults. Jack Neo has announced plans to capitalise on the continued success of the series by making more sequels. [ cite news | title = "I Not Stupid Too" tackles communication problems in families | url = http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/188795/1/.html | publisher = ChannelNewsAsia | author = Ng Bao Ying | date = 18 January 2006 ]

I Not Stupid Forum, a talk show hosted by Jack Neo, was broadcast on Channel 8 every Tuesday from 10.30 p.m. to 11 p.m, starting 6 February 2007. In each of the 8 episodes, issues regarding teenagers are explored; views from both professors and psychologists, as well as those of youth and teens, are presented.

References

External links

* [http://www.mediacorpraintree.com/ins "I Not Stupid" Official Website]
* [http://www.inotstupid.com/ "I Not Stupid" J Team Website]
*imdb title|id=0307681|title=I Not Stupid