I Not Stupid Too (Cantonese / Mandarin Dubbed Version) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region 3

One of the truly winning points about both I Not Stupid and I Not Stupid Too is Neo's ability to come around to all sides of the story. The film is told mostly from the children's perspective, but the pressures and predicaments the parents and teachers face are not neglected. Burdened with a lot of pressure and responsibilities themselves, the parents obviously care but have trouble reaching across the table; when they do try, their methods may be misguided and their efforts rebutted. Though never as compelling as it aspires to be, I Not Stupid Too makes for a believable essay on the deteriorating family unit, dressed as a Singapore family comedy.

Having starred in two of Singapore's most successful films (I Not Stupid and Homerun), teen actors Shawn Lee and Joshua Ang are virtual film veterans, and they sure are growing up fast! I did a double take when I realized the little boys in I Not Stupid were now annoyed teens, and fairly convincing ones at that. I used to teach teenagers, and that eye-rolling look of flippant, aggravated boredom on Shawn Lee's face is all too identifiable. The fair-featured Joshua Ang, who at times reminds of Yagira Yuya, has the more difficult role and he takes it on with a bit of false-bravado adolescent posing that feels appropriate for the character. Child actor Ashley Leong, meanwhile, is the innocent anchor of the film, and he brings an endearingly wide-eyed maturity to his narrating role.

Unfortunately, the film's narrative gets boggled down by Neo's characteristic exuberance. Jack Neo the actor is a picture of restraint in the film, but Jack Neo the filmmaker is anything but subtle. He wants to take on everything: social pressure, government bureaucracy, corporal punishment, flagging Chinese-language instruction, teenage crime, generation gap. The issues are beaten in without an ounce of subtlety, helped along by overbearing music cues, jerky plot progression, and healthy servings of cheese. Neo lets his too obvious movie-with-a-message melodrama get the better of the film, making I Not Stupid Too a lesser film than I Not Stupid, though still worthy of a watch.

What brings viewers like me back again and again despite the obvious flaws in Neo's films is the equally obvious sincerity and entertainment value. I Not Stupid Too is a talky hit-or-miss mix of satirical humor and tearjerking melodrama, but it all rolls together into an earnest, well-meaning, and enjoyable film that you can't help but like. The touches of drama and tragedy are poignant enough, and much of the film is laugh-out-loud funny, or at least amusingly identifiable. There is always room for a film that can make you laugh a little, cry a little. Hopefully, Jack Neo will keep them coming. I would be more than happy to watch I Not Stupid Three.