Forever Fever (1998)

Expected more

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Not dancing with the stars, although the performances are star-worthy. Good story, with several layers underneath all the disco dancing, which is very good. Singapore store clerk trying to win a local dance contest that will give him enough money to buy the motorbike of his longtime dreams. His family life is falling apart, and he attracts the attention of a dance rival, who'll stop at nothing to win the contest. This is not a new story, but the cultural differences and the Singapore location are enough to make it feel fresher. There's even a bit of a shout-out to Bollywood in the form of a dance instructor. If you like disco, or any kind of dance music, and 'Saturday Night Fever' has a special place in your heart, you will love this movie.

It's hard to believe that its been almost ten years since this movie came out. I fondly remember watching it in the theaters in Singapore with my sister, and what an experience that was: That's the Way I Like It (as it is also known) was one of the few movies so far to elicit loud laughs and cheers there, and subsequently get picked up for international distribution. A great feat for a film industry that is still quite young! I'm hoping that a ten year anniversary DVD with special features is on the horizon. Despite being a "foreign film", Forever Fever is remarkably accessible to audiences of every type. (Even though I grew up in Singapore, I write this now from my current home of New York City). Sure, a knowledge of regional slang and mannerisms make up a good part of the pleasure of watching this film -- it's unique cultural slant ensured that it was a hit among Singaporean audiences. But the broad quality of Forever Fever (and the mark of good, entertaining film-making) is it's ability to resonate emotionally with audiences of all different cultures, and in different time periods. By setting his film during the peak of disco fever, director Glen Goei establishes a common focal point for the international market. In turn, although most viewers will not be accustomed to Singapore of the 1970's and all it's Asian nuances, the story of lead character Hock (Adrian Pang) and friends translates excellently, even through the occasional Singlish or Hokkien. Particular praise to the team as well for tastefully (and somewhat daringly) incorporating the story of Hock's brother Leslie.On that subject of 'translation', I will say that the distributor could've done a better job with the subtitles in this particular DVD release. When Hock's grandmother gets her line in (and a punchline, to boot), we are only offered a maddening "Speaking Chinese" to explain. This also happens during certain easily translatable Singlish phrases; either that, or it doesn't quite hit the mark (for instance, "shiok" means 'good', not 'sure'). I am also glad that they dropped the idea of re-dubbing the actor's voices as Americans. This is demonstrated in the international trailer on the disc, and it would've paradoxically undermined the international appeal and uniqueness of the movie.Put that minor point aside, though. You won't be disappointed with this DVD, and it is all the more reason to call for a jam-packed re-release, too. Forever Fever is a benchmark of Singaporean cinema and a highly enjoyable film. Glen Goei comments on love, dance, family, and Asian values through the prism of disco's import into Singapore and the universally relevant stories of his endearing characters -- consequently, he and his team have created a film that charmingly exports a nostalgic slice of the country's past and ubiquitous ideals to the world.

Just watched this on cable (Starz) and was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining it was. I was channel surfing and stopped on it for a second, that grew into a few seconds, then a minute, and got sucked in and really enjoyed it. Yes, it's formulaic, and is runs in parallel to Saturday Night Fever, but when something is well done it is a joy to see. The acting was uniformly good among all the characters - solid, earnest and believable. The leads were especially good but even in a contrived situation between Leslie and his father (secondary parts) near the end of the movie, the two have a very emotional scene that had me locked in - solid acting all around. The obligatory kung fu fight was well done and folded well enough into the story line. What I especially liked about the movie is that the dancing was very well done but rode a nice line between very good amateurs and professional and kept things believable. Lastly, the costumes and wardrobes were spot on. The production was excellent and interiors and location shots were colorful and seamless, cinematography was solid, sound was perfect and soundtrack fit well with every scene. In summary - the movie rates a solid B and was fun to watch. Hope you enjoy it as much.

I've seen many kind of dance movies but my favorite still have to be the old school dance moves. So most likely I would enjoy watching this movie. Such movies always have a great soundtrack and this film has it. With all the famous disco hit from 'Staying Alive' to 'That's The Way I Like It' to 'Kung Fu Fighting'. And not forgetting Singapore actor Adrian Pang playing the lead. This is going to be a good Disco movie.So the story goes, Hock(Pang) is a fan of Bruce Lee and works at a supermarket. One day he walks pass a shop and he sees a motorbike and instantly falls in love with it but all that is stopping him is the price. Soon Hock finds out about a dance competition and decides to join it. He goes for dance lesson with his friend, Mei(Tan).Hock meets another dancer, Julie(Francis), who manage to catch his attention and her boyfriend, Richard(Png) is the guy who flirts around with other girls. After a hard training and watching 'Saturday Night Fever' again and again. Hock is finally up for the competition but Richard will do anything to bring Hock down. Hock gives a great disco performance mixing disco moves with kung fu. This is one Singapore film you can't miss.As I said and I'll say it again. The soundtrack is brilliant. All the great disco classic what more can you ask for? The editing for the film is good. Plenty of fast cuts in the Disco scene and the mixing of the song is great. I like the scene where Hock and Julie are dancing in the dance studio with the fading transition. It is really well done. The camera work is good. They had plenty of good camera angles in the film. Especially in the dance scene. The lighting is kind of simple but good. Adrian Pang acting is for the role is quite good. Made me laugh a few times. He really bring the character to life. The art direction is worth the mention here. The costume and the set of the film are great. It really look like Singapore in the 80s.This is an enjoyable film that can be enjoyed by all age. If you enjoyed Saturday Night Fever, this is a must watch. A sequel to Saturday Night Fever. Well not really but it is a good sequel if it is one. Disco fans will love this film. That's the way ah-ha-ah-ha I like it ah-ha-ah-ha.