One Foot Off the Ground

Leong Su Zhen|leongsz@hotmail.com
the ridge transmedia
A NUSSU Publication

 

Picture credit: The Picturehouse

It is difficult to place One Foot Off the Ground. While I thoroughly enjoyed it as a feel good, optimistic comedy, my friend who attended the preview with me was not as amused. “Why is it funny?” she demands. Admittedly, while the film contains some really outwardly funny moments, more often than not, the humour is of the subtle, “slice-of-life” kind. However, even this may even end up lost in translation as the audience is dropped into a culture unfamiliar with it.

Directed by Chen Daming, the film follows the dwindling fortunes of a once successful Chinese opera troupe. After their bumbling director “misplaces” their sponsorship fund, the troupe is forced to close down temporarily until more money can be acquired to allow them to continue performing. Meanwhile, the actors who have till then devoted mind, body and soul to the stage find themselves cut off suddenly without so much as a warning. As such, they take on various odd jobs, with varying degrees of success.

The humour kicks in as we’re introduced to the precarious lives of the various actors. Ma San ends up breeding prize cocks for illegal tournaments, while his wife harbours dreams of escaping her dull existence waitressing at a teahouse. His friend, Sihai peddles questionable “pure breed” pups, while he waits for his wife, Sumei, the troupe’s diva to return home from a job stint in Shenzhen. Liu Bing, the most successful of the three men, runs a moderate photo studio and ends up involved with what could be the century’s affair with a sexy customer. As feathers are ruffled in the face of marital disagreements, the troupe’s members find solace in rallying around each other. Though some of the culture-dependent jokes are lost on us, the quiet tenacity with which the troupe deals with Life is easily recognizable even if you are unfamiliar with suburban Chinese dialects or culture.

With at least three different subplots that intertwine around each other, the overall plot is surprisingly not difficult to follow. United by an overall theme of spousal and work woes as well as the strong friendship amongst the characters, the story is at once accessible and sufficiently varied to keep an audience interested. Shot in Chen’s native hometown, the film is an introspective portrait of the plight of the struggling artist in a rapidly modernizing world. Chen himself, a Chinese national who is opera-trained would have an insider’s perspective on the changing times. Daliang, where the film is set, is a typical Chinese suburb that reflects well the shifting fortunes of its inhabitants. Old teahouses reminiscent of past dynasties share the town with ultra modern steel and glass airports while karaoke ditties play in the background, mingling with strains of opera.

Essentially this is an affectionate tribute to a fading art once widespread in China; a bittersweet reminder of what progression stands to lose out on. Although it borders on being sentimental and even slightly preachy, the light, witty humour acts as a buffer that prevents this from occurring, though some may feel otherwise.

One Foot Off the Ground opens exclusively at The Picturehouse on Thu, 21 Feb 08.