One Leg Kicking

Last updated

One Leg Kicking
Directed byKhoo Koh
Written by Eric Khoo
Wei Koh
Redmund Law
James Toh
Produced by Eric Khoo
Daniel Yun
Starring Gurmit Singh
Mark Lee
Sharon Au
Moe Alkaff
Siva Choy
Kumar
Hossan Leong
Robin Leong
Lim Kay Tong
Moses Lim
Jack Neo
Fiona Xie
CinematographyDavid Park
Edited by Lawrence Ang
Distributed by United International Pictures

Raintree Pictures

Zhao Wei Films

Singapore Film Communication
Release dates
Running time
90 min.
CountrySingapore
LanguagesEnglish,Malay
Budget$230,000

One Leg Kicking is a 2001 Singaporean comedy-film movie about several soccer amateurs who compete in a soccer event for the 2002 World Cup Finals. The main actors of this movie are Gurmit Singh as Tai Po and Mark Lee as Handsome. Singh and Lee would later collaborate again and starred alongside together in 2 future movies which are both released in the year 2013, and they are known as Taxi! Taxi! and Everybody's Business , which were released on 3 January 2013 and 5 December 2013 respectively.

Contents

Plot

Tai Po and Vernon are shown to have a common pastime of playing soccer. Later, Tai Po enters a Youth Soccer Competition in a tryout, but gets hurt with his leg bleeding. Since that event, Tai Po appears to shun matches of soccer on the radio or on television while at work.

Handsome Toh is then shown into the film, released from prison as an ex-convict, also with Kim, who writes to her home back overseas.

Handsome arrives for a job interview, meeting Kim outside Sonny Lee's factory. They met Sonny's son Gavin who had returned to Singapore from studying in United States. Gavin interviews Toh and gave him a hard time but employs Toh on the condition that half of Toh's salary is donated to the company's soccer team.

Tai Po, Kim and Baka fail to fix a plumbing issue with a customer, and accidentally breaks the customers expensive glass bowl worth $15,000. Tai Po and Baka's promotion salary of $10,000 are forfeited to compensate the customer but still the company $5,000 for the outstanding amount.. However their boss, Sonny offers them to work overtime to repay what they owe and possibly earn back their promotion pay, by installing a swimming pool at Sonny's estate. Gavin suggests to his father to separate Baka and Tai Po and assigning Toh as Tai Po's partner.

Kim tells a horror story to Tai Po, which that somehow sours Handsome and his relation.

While watching television in Tai Po's home with Vernon and Tai Po's kids, they come across an advertisement for a Starhub soccer challenge which the winning team walks away with tickets to the 2002 World Cup Finals. Vernon suggests that they enter by calling his old soccer mates, but Tai Po reveals about his pairing with Handsome.

Vernon registers a team into the competition but had an encounter with the clerk, Eugene. Eugene becomes their team coach but was also as bad at soccer as the team. Tai Po fails to recruit Toh to trial for the team as Toh thought Tai Po was trying to challenge him to a fight.

Vernon asks about Sammy Best, a former soccer star, but his friend Ah Huat tells that Sammy now works at a construction site guard. Tai Po and Vernon try looking for him but was told by the construction site foreman that Sammy is now a drunkard. Tai Po and Vernon found two Brazilian soccer experts, Adriano and Vernato, sharing a meal with the construction workers after arriving in Singapore and were robbed. They recruited both Brazilians into their team and eventually also Toh as their goalkeeper.

The team fails even to a female soccer team, who are challenged straight by the Kosmos, Sonny's company team and Gavin is a player in it. The team, known as the Durians (suggested by Ah Huat who "sponsored") lost badly, getting laughed at by a drunkard field cleaner, who turns out to be Sammy himself. It was quite a hassle to get Sammy as their coach, but soon the Durians succeed winning a match.

The Durians go to a KTV pub, where Handsome while singing a love song remembers Gwen, Gavin's sister, and breaks out in tears while trying to confess his love for her. But he then finds Kim as a KTV girl, getting beaten up after trying to save her. He then realises he has anger management problems, resorting always to fights to settle issues. Kim tries to pacify him, also inspiring herself to be what she wants.

In a party Gavin held, he is revealed to be keeping a Barbie doll, showing his extreme sadism he tries to hide from others.

Tai Po's daughter Chun Huey is told off by her teacher, and Tai Po goes angry, trying to teach his children a lesson that he is a failure, but his children then tell him that he is in fact a great father, even with their deceased mother who Tai Po thought he had failed to take care of.

Vernon is soon fired by his uncle at the KTV they work in, as Vernon's concerts scared customers away, resulting in the Karaoke machines replacing him. "Vernon and the Vibrations" supposedly ended their career. Vernon is also told off by his father who claims that he should wake up, becoming a singer was impossible for him.

Gavin's sadism and extreme life gets on Gwen's nerves, who then resigns being the Kosmos team manager, telling off Sonny. Sonny himself, like his son becomes a sadist, even going so far to being harsh on Tai Po when Tai Po was previously his best worker.

The finals to the match is soon, but the Durians and Kosmos go for a dinner party held by the organisers. In the party, the Kosmos bully the Durians, and Gwen appears to seduce Handsome while they were outside smoking. That had then broke Kim's heart, and enrages Gavin who threatens to report Handsome for molesting Gwen. Handsome angrily apologises, fortunately controlling his anger at his one enemy. Later, Vernon criticises Handsome for rejecting Kim, but Handsome criticises back about Vernon's horrid singing. The fight ends abruptly when Sammy is admitted into the hospital for liver failure. Tai Po is held down by the bill, also by his cut salary for playing soccer and not working.

Sonny then approaches Tai Po, offering him 10 grand to him and the team, for their own usage. Tai Po is also relieved of building the swimming pool. However, if the money is taken, the Durians must not play in the match the next day, or Handsome, Kim, Baka and himself will be fired.

The Durians meet up, which they discuss their future. Tai Po has his bills to settle, Vernon has his life to handle, and Kim has her family to support. They were thinking of giving up the match, but Eugene then scolds them for being shallow. They now are at crossroads.

While visiting, Sammy tells Tai Po that he really is not a failure, Tai Po was a good player in the Youth Soccer tryouts when younger, and Sammy had seen it.

The match was about to start but most of the Durians' team are missing. Tai Po, Baka and Toh decided to return Sonny his money and to resign from his company. Before the start of the match, the members of the Durians arrive and was able to play the game. Things do not look hopeful, until Adriano and Vernato escape the clutches of their abusive foreman and quit being construction workers, arriving at the match, bringing their cheering soccer fanatic construction worker mates.

Sammy sneaks out of the hospital to see the game, Vernon's father watches his son and Kim supports Handsome. Tai Po realises he indeed can succeed, and Vernon does something which he has not done before. Handsome also controls his anger perfectly in front of Gavin, in which Gavin's reaction has the referee offering him a red card but sends back another player.

Tai Po is tackled down hard by Gavin, but he tries his best and scores the final goal to win. The Durians triumph, while Gavin weeps over his lost girlfriend (who ironically was stolen by none other than his father) and is appalled by his doll which he claims has stopped loving him and in a fit of rage decapitates the doll, exasperating him.

Tai Po, Baka, Handsome and Kim start a mobile phone shop, also having Kim and Handsome married. Tai Po has taken his kids on a holiday, and is now more well off. Vernon now has a singing career, settling in Las Vegas in America while Sammy is now a full-time soccer coach with Eugene. He signs his autograph to a customer who finds out their identity as the film ends.

Cast

Production

The film was produced on a budget less than a million dollars with 40 percent of the cost covered by endorsements. [2] The script was completed in November 2000 and filming started in March 2001. [2]

Reception

The film was criticised for its abundance of product placement in various scenes. [2] Executive producer Eric Khoo defended this by stating that it was necessary to cover costs with a tight budget in a bad film climate through sponsoring. [2] The film was also accused of being a copy of Stephen Chow's Shaolin Soccer , but Khoo said that this was just a coincidence. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Shaolin Soccer</i> 2001 martial arts sports comedy film by Stephen Chow

Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong sports comedy film directed by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the lead role. The film revolves around a former Shaolin monk who reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.

<i>Hooper</i> (film) 1978 film by Hal Needham

Hooper is a 1978 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jan-Michael Vincent, Brian Keith, Robert Klein, James Best and Adam West. The film serves as a tribute to stuntmen and stuntwomen in what was at one time an underrecognized profession. At the time of filming, Field and Reynolds were in a relationship, having met on the set of Smokey and the Bandit the previous year.

<i>You Got Served</i> 2004 film by Chris Stokes

You Got Served is a 2004 American dance drama film written and directed by Chris Stokes, who was also the business manager of the performers who were the film's main characters: recording artist Marques Houston and the boy band B2K. The plot follows a group of dancers who take part in a street dancing competition. You Got Served was produced by Marcus Morton, Cassius Vernon Weathersby, Billy Pollina, and Kris Cruz Toledo, and filming took place Between May 1, 2003, and June 25, 2003. The Columbia Pictures division Screen Gems released the film on January 30, 2004—the weekend of Super Bowl XXXVIII. It opened at #1 at the box office during its opening weekend, and grossed $16 million in its first week.

<i>Kicking & Screaming</i> (2005 film) 2005 American film

Kicking & Screaming is a 2005 American sports comedy film directed by Jesse Dylan and written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick. The film stars Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall as a father and son who exploit their own sons' soccer teams to try to beat the other. Mike Ditka, Kate Walsh, and Josh Hutcherson also star. It was released on May 13, 2005, to mixed reviews and grossed $56 million worldwide.

<i>Detective Investigation Files IV</i> 1999 Hong Kong TV series or program

Detective Investigation Files IV is the 4th and final installment of the Detective Investigation Files TV franchised by TVB in Hong Kong. It won two TVB Anniversary Awards, including Best Actor for Louis Koo and Best Actress for Jessica Hsuan.

<i>Cheats</i> (film) 2002 film

Cheats is a 2002 American comedy film about four friends that have been cheating their way through high school, and have to face new challenges to avoid getting caught before going to college. The lead roles are played by Trevor Fehrman, Matthew Lawrence, and Mary Tyler Moore.

<i>The Business</i> (film) 2005 British film

The Business is a 2005 crime film written and directed by Nick Love. The film stars Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan and Roland Manookian, all of whom were in Love's previous film The Football Factory. Geoff Bell and Georgina Chapman also appear. The plot of The Business follows the Greek tragedy-like rise and fall of a young cockney's career within a drug importing business run by a group of British expatriate fugitive criminals living on the Costa del Sol in Spain.

<i>Galactik Football</i> French animated television series

Galactik Football is an animated television series produced by Gaumont Alphanim that mixes conventional 2D animation with 3D computer graphics. It originally aired from 3 June 2006 to 27 October 2011.

"Random Shoes" is the 9th episode of the principal series of the English science-fiction television series Torchwood, which was initially communicated on the advanced TV station BBC Three on 10 December 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwok Kin Pong</span> Hong Kong footballer

Kwok Kin Pong is a former Hong Kong professional footballer who played as a defender or a midfielder. As he resembles Hong Kong artist and singer Edison Chen, he was given the nickname 'Edison'.

<i>Nadine</i> (1987 film) 1987 film by Robert Benton

Nadine is a 1987 American crime comedy film written and directed by Robert Benton and starring Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Annan</span> Ghanaian-born Hong Kong footballer

Christian Kwesi Annan is a former Ghanaian-born Hong Kong professional footballer who played as a striker or left winger. He is renowned in Hong Kong for his high pace and dribbling skill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dega (footballer)</span> Brazilian footballer (born 1974)

Edgar Aldrighi Júnior , also known as Dega, is a former Brazilian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Po (<i>Kung Fu Panda</i>) Title character and the protagonist of the Kung Fu Panda franchise

Master Ping Xiao Po is the title character and protagonist of the Kung Fu Panda franchise, primarily voiced by Jack Black and Mick Wingert. He is an anthropomorphic giant panda who is improbably chosen as the champion of the Valley of Peace in the first film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Wai Lim</span> Hong Kong footballer (born 1981)

Lee Wai Lim is a former Hong Kong professional footballer and coach. He is the brother of former professional footballer Lee Hong Lim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Loi Keung</span>

So Loi Keung is a former Hong Kong professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Kung Fu Panda is an American martial arts comedy media franchise that started in 2008 with the release of the animated film Kung Fu Panda produced by DreamWorks Animation. Following the adventures of the titular Po Ping, a giant panda who is improbably chosen as the prophesied Dragon Warrior and becomes a master of kung fu, the franchise is set in a fantasy wuxia genre version of ancient China populated by anthropomorphic animals. Although everyone initially doubts him, including Po himself, he proves himself worthy as he strives to fulfill his destiny.

<i>She Wants Me</i> 2012 film by Rob Margolies

She Wants Me is a 2012 comedy film written and directed by Rob Margolies and starring Josh Gad and Kristen Ruhlin.

<i>Trophy Wife</i> (film) 2014 Filipino film

Trophy Wife is a 2014 Filipino romantic drama and thriller film directed by Andoy Ranay, starring Cristine Reyes, Derek Ramsay, Heart Evangelista, and John Estrada. The film will be distributed by Viva Films with the co-production of Multivision Pictures and was released on July 30, 2014 in theatres nationwide.

References

  1. Elley, Derek (22 March 2002). "One Leg Kicking". Variety. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Foul play in local movie? That's offside, says Eric Dashing Jacelyn Money can't buy Darren's love". The New Paper . 19 October 2001. p. 39.