Money No Enough II (2008)

3 brothers living in Singapore, each leading a different lifestyle. They discover the deeper meanings in life as tragedies unfold, with comedy & tears along the way.

Director:

Jack Neo

Writer:

Jack Neo

Stars:

Jack Neo, Mark Lee, Henry Thia

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Jack Neo	...	Yang Bao Qiang
Mark Lee	...	Yang Bao Huang
Henry Thia	...	Yang Bao Hui
John Cheng	...	Chen Guan Sai
Meng Lai	...	Mrs. Yang
Anna Ru Ping Lim	...	Xiu Yun
Vivian Lai	...	Yan Yan
Ling Ling Zhu	...	Ling Ling
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fish Chaar	...	CAD Officer

Storyline

3 brothers living in Singapore, each leading a different lifestyle. They discover the deeper meanings in life as tragedies unfold, with comedy & tears along the way.

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Plot Keywords:

singapore | singaporean police | 

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Taglines:

Have you felt poorer than poor?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Singapore

Language:

Hokkien English Mandarin

Release Date:

31 July 2008 (Singapore)

Also Known As:

Money No Enough II

Filming Locations:

Singapore

Box Office

Budget:

SGD1,500,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,759,454

Company Credits

Production Co:

Neo Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

'Money No Enough 2' - Typical Jack Neo Social Comedy

IN 1998, when we were all reeling under the weight of the Asian Financial Crisis, Singaporean film-maker Jack Neo wrote a satire about three friends with money problems like those faced by most Singaporeans at that time. That comedy, 'Money No Enough', which was directed by Tay Teck Lock, earned over S$5.8 million (about US$3 million) and remains Singapore's all-time highest-grossing film. It also gave the Singaporean film industry a revival, spawning two copycat flicks.

Now, with such a solid backing for the comedy, what took them so long (10 years!) in coming up with this sequel? To be sure, this movie is not a sequel as far as the narrative is concerned. It is no longer about the three friends but about the exploits of three brothers of a 'typical' Singaporean family with an aged mother (played by Malaysia's Lai Ming). The eldest, Yang Bao Hui (Henry Thia, representing the lower income group) delivers goods for a living and longs to be rich one day. Second brother Bao Qiang (Jack Neo) is in the real estate business making top bucks, while the youngest, Bao Huang (Mark Lee, representing the middle class) makes good money selling health supplements.

When a crisis hits, the brothers find themselves at odds against one another, especially when it concerns taking care of their aged and ailing mother...

There is no doubt that this comedy works because of the tried and tested screen chemistry of the Neo-Lee-Thia combination. Also, the three stars are in familiar roles and they seem very much at home in them. The supporting cast are credible too, with Lim Ru Ping (as Thia's doting wife), singer Zhu Ling Ling (as Neo's socialite wife) and Vivian Lai (as Lee's suffering wife). However, the standout performance comes from Lai Ming, who is at the center of the 'third act' involving the issue of filial piety and taking care of the aged. Those with elderly parents will relate to this tear-jerker of a theme.

Basically, this is a Singapore movie, with Neo lampooning many of the Government's policies, like its Electronic Road Pricing system. One problem is that a lot of the jokes are in Hokkien dialect, and those who do not understand the dialect may feel alienated. Also, it looks like director Neo is out to break its predecessor's box-office record - and he packs this sequel with product placements (from soft drinks to telcos and even a bank).

'Money No Enough 2' looks good enough to surpass its predecessor's box-office feat. - By LIM CHANG MOH (limchangmoh.blogspot.com)