After successfully debuting with her feature “28+1”, Hong Kong director Kearan Pang experimented with other media and formats, ultimately leading to the inspiration for what would become “Mama's Affair”. Her work as creative director for singer Joey Yung's concert series “My Secret Live” as well as a coach on the reality competition “King Maker” gave her some insight into the music industry, the way bands and artists are pushed and how talents are discovered. These themes heavily influenced the characters and the plot for “Mama's Affair” which sees a former talent manager getting back to her old ways as she seeks to support the dancing and singing skills of a young man, an enterprise resulting in a promising start for a new career, but also in conflicts with her family.
Trinity Cine Asia is releasing “Mama's Affair” to UK screens starting August 19th
After the birth of her son Mei-fung (Teresa Mo) quits her lucrative job as talents manager at a record company to become a mother, providing for both her husband, a businessman, and Jonathan (Jer Lau). However, as he is about to graduate from school and start studying abroad, she feels the urge to get back to her old job, or at the very least, do something similar, which is why she agrees to work for a former associate of hers at his music school for children. Even though her husband does not see the need for her to start working again, and her sons seems quite indifferent about the whole affair, she quickly finds a routine for her work and makes friends among the other teachers and employers.
By coincidence, she gets to meet Fang Ching (Keung To), a young man who helps out in the business of his uncle as a delivery boy. As she hears him sing karaoke and dance with one of the younger students at school, she recognizes the potential of the young man, who also wanted to become a singer once, but then decided to help his family instead, making some money in the restaurant. As she begins to convince her friends and former colleagues at the record label to take some time and listen to Ching, he becomes an overnight sensation on the internet. However, apart from making matters worse with her son, who feels his mother has abandoned him, the success also causes problems for Ching, who does not want if life to be in the public eye.
Whether it was her time working on “King Maker” or the concert series, Kearan Pang's second directorial effort certainly does a solid job when portraying the music industry, and how it has changed over time. With Jer Lau and Keung To, two members of the popular boyband MIRROR, being cast, you might imagine that there is some layer of authenticity to the story revolving around success, competition and also waling the fine line between staying true to yourself and becoming whatever the record producer or manager wants you to be. As the protagonists (re-)discovers the ramifications of her old job, re-establishing old contacts as well as learning about a strategy revolving around digital media, the audience also gets a glimpse of what being famous means in this industry, how talents are discovered, made and ultimately forgotten.
The second part of “Mama's Affair” is more of a family drama, involving the relationship of the three main characters. While there are some thematic parallels between the two segments of the narrative, for example, the idea of competition as well as the division of privacy and the public in the context of the popstar's life, this is most certainly the most important part within the movie. Teresa Mo makes for a very likable heroine, despite you getting the feeling she probably should have seen the warning signs in the relationship with her son a little earlier. She plays someone longing for the feeling to be needed, to be responsible for someone, making the “affair” with a young man she helps to fulfill his dream an interesting idea. At the same time, the script also puts the viewer's patience to the test with a story which, after 90 minutes, runs mostly on fumes and has very little left to add.
In the end, “Mama's Affair” is a solid drama, whose cast and portrayal of the music industry are its best aspects. While Kearen Pang's feature could have used a little trimming, the drama nevertheless remains well-acted and interesting.
