I heard lots of reviews about this movie when it aired in the cinema, and I decided to wait until it was available on a streaming platform. Finally, it's now on Netflix.

A scene where M wanted to fool his grandma by buying the fried fish at a different stall

Personally, I find the storyline quite captivating. It resonates deeply with many of us. This movie serves as a poignant reminder not to neglect our parents as we grow older or get caught up in the rat race, but to spend more meaningful time with our parents and grandparents.

What our parents truly desire is our time and attention. Just like Ah Ma, who always prepares herself and eagerly waits for her children to visit her on Sundays. One scene that particularly struck me was when Ah Ma mentioned that the thing that saddens her the most is seeing the leftover food from the first day of Chinese New Year in the fridge. It means that she has to eat all of them alone.

A scene where the grandma recalled seeing the leftover food from the first day of Chinese New Year

Truly, this movie is a wake-up call, reminding us to be present for our parents. As they age, what they crave most is our time and undivided attention, or simply someone to talk to. Being Hokkien-Chinese like how I see myself as M, I recall how much I complained when I returned to my grandparents’ place. It was in a kampung where mosquitoes tended to be your best friend.

A scene where parents will always wish for the best for their children

Now that I am older, that kampung that I used to dislike has become a place that I long to visit. The kampung was no longer there, it was abolished by the authority and admittedly, I do miss the time I spent time there with my grandparents when my grandpa would light the fire to ‘chase’ the mosquitoes away, boiled cockles for us to eat happily on a ‘papan’ near the trees and when evening approached, we would walk to the vegetable farms and pluck our favorite vegetables.

For those who have not watched it yet, head over to Netflix and give it a watch. 

Written by,

FoodiesTravel

Ps: This is based on my personal opinion