#SHOWBIZ: Hollywood rom-com highlights Malaysia's scenic gems

New Straits Times

11 hours ago

DIRECTED by Tom Lin, the man behind 'The Garden Of Evening' Mists, also filmed in Malaysia, 'Worth The Wait' is yet another Hollywood movie that stars our very own country's scenic beauty and colourful cultures.
It features a predominantly Asian ensemble cast from Malaysia, Singapore, China, South Korea and the United States, all delivering strong performances.
Their characters' lives intersect, evolve, and transform through relationships that nurture growth and healing.
The story is loosely based on its producers, former Malaysian beauty queen turned filmmaker Rachel Tan and her Malaysian-American husband Dan Mark, and their heartwarming, long-distance love story years ago.
It is also centred around four Asian-American couples based in Seattle.
First there is Teresa (Karena Lam) and Nathan (Osric Chau), who are rebuilding their lives after a miscarriage.
Second, there are the dashing lawyer Kai (Ross Butler) and nurse Leah (Lana Condor), who are struggling to maintain a long-distance relationship discouraged by his elitist father Yun Han (Lim Yu-Bing).
Third, there is Amanda (Elodie Yung) and Scott (Andrew Koji), an action movie star and a suave director who are exes forced to work together on a new movie, despite their uncomfortable past.
And, finally, there is Blake (Ricky He) and Riley (Ali Fumiko Whitney), a teenage couple who are being kept apart by Riley's overprotective guardian and uncle, Curtis (Sung Kang of 'The Fast And The Furious' fame).
Featuring most of Malaysia's major tourist attractions, such as the Petronas Twin Towers, Petaling Street, Bukit Bintang, Batu Caves, Melaka and Penang, viewers get to enjoy the country's colourful landscapes, activities and nightlife.
The characters' dialogues reference their Asian heritage, and this is best exemplified by Mary (Phua Chu Kang's Tan Kheng Hua), Teresa's wise and caring mother, who strongly believes that bird's nest soup and other herbal confinement dishes will help her postpartum daughter recuperate.
What is interesting and refreshing here is that the usually shallow role of love-struck teenage girls is given more substance, courtesy of high schooler Riley.
She is not depicted as a rebellious teen who just wants to pursue her love interest, but one who is aware of her need to excel in her studies and obtain a university degree.
While Riley loves Blake deeply, much to her uncle Curtis' chagrin, she doesn't put him before her own goal of attending university, as this was her late parents' dream, which they didn't live to see.
Just as the female leads have their moments of vulnerability, so do the men.
Even no-nonsense Curtis admits to Riley that his controlling behaviour is the result of his fear of failing in his pledge to her late parents that he would take good care of her.
Sisterly love between female friends is highlighted by the activities conducted by grieving Teresa and disturbed Amanda, who both enjoy cross country runs that take their minds away from daily woes.
Amanda encourages Teresa to open up about her grief, and in observing Teresa's courage after she suffers the miscarriage, Amanda realises that she has to be bold in telling inflexible Scott that they need not rekindle their love and just be friends.
As for Nathan, his dilemma is that he feels inadequate as a husband, not knowing what to do to comfort his wife.
But with a little advice from Mary, he convinces Teresa to join Amanda's group for people coping with pain and loss.
As for the parents, Curtis, Yun Han and Mary break the stereotype of the "tiger-like" Asian parent.
Curtis and Yun Han initially sound intimidating, but when they get to know Blake and Leah better, their hearts gradually soften, and they reveal their own loves and losses.
The most endearing scene for Malaysians is the night market scene, where Kai and Leah have durian.
It happens to be Condor's first time eating the fruit and that makes her delighted expression genuine.
'Worth The Wait' realistically depicts first time parents, teens, celebrities and young urban professionals dealing with intense emotions and painful challenges.
And while lots of tears are shed, they do their utmost to find the silver linings behind every cloud.
WORTH THE WAIT