In the Room (film)

In the Room is a 2015 Singaporean erotic drama film directed by Eric Khoo and written by Khoo and Jonathan Lim. The film stars Josie Ho, George Young, Daniel Jenkins, Koh Boon Pin, W Leon U, Show Nishino, Lawrence Wong, Nadia AR, and Ian Tan.

In the Room
Theatrical release poster
Directed byEric Khoo
Written by
  • Eric Khoo
  • Jonathan Lim
Produced byNansun Shi
Starring
CinematographyBrian Gothong Tan
Edited byNatalie Soh
Music by
  • Christopher Khoo
  • Christine Shan
Production
company
Zhao Wei Films
Distributed byEncore Films
Release dates
  • 15 September 2015 (2015-09-15) (TIFF)
  • 25 February 2016 (2016-02-25) (Singapore)
Running time
104 minutes
CountrySingapore
LanguagesEnglish
Mandarin Chinese
Cantonese
Thai
Japanese
Korean
Budget$800,000[1]
Box officeS$48,000[2]

The film comprises six different stories of couples in a single-room at a hotel in Singapore, spread over several decades.[3] The film is marked as Singapore's first erotic film.[3] At the same time, Khoo downplays the film's erotic themes, calling its ode to the national cultural trends "a look at Singapore through the decades. It's a homage to the country". Khoo dedicated the film to the late writer Damien Sin, who wrote Khoo's career-launching Mee Pok Man (1995).[4]

Principal photography began on 3 September 2014 at the Infinite Studios in Singapore. The $800,000-budgeted film was produced by Nansun Shi and Zhao Wei Films, and distributed and financed by Distribution Workshop.

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2015 and travelled to the San Sebastián International Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival and Singapore International Film Festival before the director withdrew his submission for a rating for the film from the Media Development Authority (MDA) as the MDA had deemed that two scenes exceeded the film classification guidelines. Khoo did not want any cuts for a commercial release of the film in Singapore and so the film was denied a commercial release as unrated films are not allowed for public release in Singapore.[5] However, on 25 February 2016, the film was given a theatrical release in Singapore after an "international version" with subtle differences from the original was passed uncut with an R21 rating by the MDA.[6]

The story starts just after the surrender of the British to Japanese troops in Singapore in 1942. Six stories of six different Japanese, Thai, British, Chinese, and Korean couples are set in the same hotel room, spread over several decades.

Synopsis

The plot is divided into six short stories.

Rubber

In the 1940s decade, tow men Kong (Singaporean) and Lawrence (British) talk to each other about staying or leaving Singapore.

Pussy

A Singaporean brothel madame teaches her prostitute students how to get pleasure by punishing scoundrel men sexually in the 1950s decade.

Listen

In 1960s, a rock & roll and sex party occurs in the new year's eve; a Singaporean male singer named Damien gets attracted to a female maid whose name is Imrah (Singaporean), the singer dies by overdose of drugs.

Change

A Thai transsexual 'Noi' in 1970s tells her lover An (Thai) that she shall undergo genital changing surgery.

Mariko, a Japanese young married woman involves in sex with her Singaporean boyfriend Boon in '80s.

First Time

In the '90s, Korean couple Min Jun and Seo Yun discuss about romantic and sexual relationship.

Cast

Production

Nansun Shi is producing the $800,000 budgeted film along with Zhao Wei Films, and Eric Khoo is directing the film based on his own co-written script with Jonathan Lim.[1] Distribution Workshop financed the film. Hong Kong actress Josie Ho stars in the film as a mama-san (a brothel owner).[3] The cast includes from different countries like Singapore-based actors are George Young, Daniel Jenkins and Koh Boon Pin, from Thailand is Aeaw, from Japan is actress Shou Nishino and from Malaysia is Lawrence Wong, while other cast includes Nadia Ar and Ian Tan.[8] Director Khoo told Today about the casting:

I must say I'm really happy because finally, my characters have come alive. And because it's been on the drawing board for so long. Also it's really good to have the foreign actors come in because prior to that, it's only been Skype calls. And now, having met them in person and walking through the motions and scenarios with them, it's exciting.[8]

The ten days of principal photography began on September 3, 2014, at Infinite Studios in Singapore.[1]

Reception

Critics generally criticised In the Room. Justin Chang of Variety wrote that the film's "conceptual poignancy isn't matched by the execution onscreen" and that this "sex-a-thon winds up feeling like the wrong kind of grind".[7] Reviewing the film on Screen Daily, Wendy Ide found it "hampered by a wildly uneven tone", predicting that "the film's prospects outside the festival circuit look slim".[9] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter also found In the Room's tone "uneven", adding that the film's "intriguing idea" is let down by "the execution, particularly in the script and acting departments... the writing and performances [are] too lacking in subtlety to lend those ideas much of an intoxicating spell."[10]

Singapore critics also criticised the film: Lisa Twang of The New Paper noted that the film was "hampered by an uneven tone. The comic and tragic elements do not always blend together well", giving it 3/5.[11] Prabu Krishna Moorthy of AsiaOne awarded it 2.5/5: while praising its "marvelous idea" and successful "episodic approach", he found that "the film only provides a cursory look at different characters" whose "stories deserved more screen time".[12] Zaki Jufri of inSing gave the film 3/5, finding that the film is "Khoo's boldest work but its unevenness hampers from being one of his best."[13] John Lui of The Straits Times also gave the film 2.5/5, calling it a "courageous try at mingling the history of Singapore with the lovemaking of its characters" while noting its "uneven" results, "with the fault lying mostly with the writing, which tries to be thoughtful and titillating at the same time, while succeeding at neither."[14]

References
  1. Frater, Patrick (3 September 2014). "Eric Khoo and Nansun Shi Get 'In The Room' for Singapore Sex Drama". Variety. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  2. "In the Room". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  3. Coonan, Clifford (3 September 2014). "Eric Khoo Starts Shooting Singapore's First Erotic Movie". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  4. Lui, John (15 October 2014). "Upcoming Eric Khoo film dedicated to late horror writer Damien Sin". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  5. Lui, John (3 December 2015). "No show for Eric Khoo's erotic film in cinemas here". The Straits Times. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  6. Lui, John (26 January 2016). "Eric Khoo's erotic drama In The Room resubmitted to MDA for classification". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  7. Chang, Justin (29 September 2015). "Film Review: 'In the Room'". Variety. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  8. Loh, Genevieve Sarah (5 September 2014). "Eric Khoo: My erotic movie is going to be 'PG'". Today. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  9. Ide, Wendy. "'In The Room': Review". Screen Daily. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  10. Rooney, David (13 September 2015). "'In the Room': TIFF Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  11. Twang, Lisa (24 February 2016). "Movie Review: In The Room". The New Paper. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  12. Moorthy, Prabu Krishna. "Movie review: Eric Khoo's In the Room takes on taboo topics". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  13. Jufri, Zaki. "Movie Review: 'In The Room'". inSing. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  14. Lui, John (24 February 2016). "Movie reviews: Son Of Saul a real Holocaust movie, In The Room neither thoughtful nor titillating". The Straits Times. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
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