If you’re familiar with Malaysian cinema, “The Good Loan Sharks” is nothing short of an all-star event. For those less familiar with the local stardom, this musical slash buddy-film is directed by Datuk (“Sir”) Afdlin Shauki, a multi-talented (acid jazz) musician turned late show presenter and actor, already well-established as filmmaker with movies like the bittersweet series “Papadom” (2009) or the improbable “Sumolah” (2007). While he is often playing central roles on his opus, this time he takes on a smaller part as Lan Panda, the ultimate loan shark, to make way for the famous comedic duo Johan and Zizan, collectively known as Jozan. Having made their name in the reality stand-up show Raja Lawak (“King of Comedy”) and its follow-up, the film serves as a vehicle to showcase their duet. Alongside them is Liyana Jasmay, a former TV drama child star, cosmetics brand ambassador and two-time Best Actress winner at the Malaysian Film Festival, who is also a familiar face from “Papadom”, and the brilliant Chew Kin Wah, well-known for his work in the long-running sitcom “Kopitiam”. Built around a Bollywood musical format, the film leaves no doubt about its intention: entertainment at all costs!
The Good Loan Sharks is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The story follows two good-for-nothing spoiled Malay siblings, Aley and Aloy, who are forcibly invited by their wealthy adoptive father of Chinese origin, Ah Long – who quietly runs a surprisingly lucrative theme park business – to start their own haram business after he recently decided to convert to Islam. A little clue here: “Ah Long” is the Cantonese common word for money lender, but shhh… Not being able to run a proper business despite a significant offered capital, the brothers end up lending money to their clients, but without charging interest in adherence to Islamic principles! This necessarily angers the godfather of the district, Lan Panda, who already controls most of the neighborhood, including their shop lot’s neighbor, the charming Cik Pa, a single mother wannabe fashion designer who has long been targeted by the ruthless mafiosi.
From here, we could expect a fireworks display of ping-pong-style semi-improvised dialogues, filled with plenty of quirky misunderstandings and twists. And actually, the contract is somehow honored. If you’re not familiar with this slow-motion typical Malay version of Mo Lai Tau, you might find it a bit disorienting, but the film still carries a certain rhythm which remains key for such a two hours comedy (it is where the co-direction of Aizam Syamsul Aksan, his frequent editor, may have played its role). However the duet of stand-uppers, a classic staple of the genre, seems a bit strained in an attempt of compensating a generally unbalanced script.
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While the pure comedic aspect feels a bit weak and somewhat familiar, on the contrary, most of the musical parody scenes stand out. The Bollywood-style parody (with a memorable rap clash under the rain) and the Disney-like caricature (with its usual grandiloquent choruses), mostly composed by Shauki and its team, are often hilarious, with lyrics that make the plot advance and keeps the audience engaged, something rare enough to be mentioned.
If the musical interludes may disturb the purists of the Jozan show, the film however excels when it adopts a more caustic tone, addressing sensitive social issues within modern Malaysian society. The narrative unfolds in a way that keeps the audience engaged, with numerous references to real-life situations (this hilarious cheap lion dance ceremony) and private jokes (the publicized Chew Kin Wah’s conversion to Islam, the cameo by Sangeeta Krishnasamy, the famous Tamil film actress-turned-model struggling to repay her debt for her agency). The mere concept of two Malay kids with a Chinese father is provocative enough in a society that, while officially multicultural, remains somewhat segregated.
Additionally, the film gently mocks the systematization of choreography as well as the superficiality of fashion industry (“Zoolander”) in a country caught between the massive cultural influences of MTV, Bollywood and K-pop. Besides, we might suspect Shauki of directly referencing the poorly reviewed 2011 film “The Loan Shark” as a Malay parodic take on the Chinese mafia action movies. Basically making fun of the “Ah Long” money-lending system is provocative in itself: if it has slowly faded in Western cultures, it remains a pillar in many Asian societies, along with other grey economy features alike pawn shops and gold savings.
So, certainly not the film of the year but if you take to the Jozan duo’s unique style – though perhaps not at their peak – you’ll still find this ambitious comedy enjoyable and refreshing. And when it comes to comedy, as no one has ever cracked the secret recipe for success, predicting whether this rich eclectic mix will explode at the box office is anyone’s guess.
