[FilmReview]Shirkers(2018)7.4/10

Singapore-bornfilmmakerSandiTancouldhavebeenawunderkindinthecinemaspherewhenshemakesanindieroad-moviecalledSHIRKERSin1992,agedonly19,yetthefinishedfilmneverenterspost-production,26yearslater,topurgingherselfofthisever-hauntingmemoryafteranunexpectedturnofevent,shehasmadeaneponymousdocumentarytellstheincrediblestoryaboutSHIRKERS.Startinglikeateenager’sfancifuldream,tappingintotheoriginalfootageofthefilm,oldphotosandsundrymemorabilia,undergirdedbyIrisNg’sdistinctivelyambientscore,Tanwalksdownmemorylaneandrecountsherlifestory,amisfitkid,shefindsthekindredspiritinJasmineNg,bothwallowinalternativecultural,artisticaestheticsofitstimeandfeedonartcinema(NouveauVague)andwesternliterature,fortuitously,theymanagetoactualizeshootingafeaturefilm,guidedbytheirfilmschoolteacherGeorgesCardonafromUSA,Tanwritesthescriptandstarsasthemainprotagonist,Georgesisthedirector,JasmineistheeditorandfellowstudentSophiaSiddiqueHarveyastheproducer.Itissurelyironictoshootaroadmovieinanitsy-bitsycountryknownasSingapore,andthefootageshowshowjejunelyidiosyncratictheoriginalfilmwouldbe,felicitouslycapturestheteenspiritandflightoffancy,thatnowlooksakintoatimecapsuleofabygoneera.Stillthelingeringmysteryis,whatactuallyhappenedtothefinishedfilm?Buoyantly,SHIRKERSveersintoasemi-detectivestorywhen,GeorgesabruptlyabscondsandevaporatesfromSingaporewithallthefilmfootage,whenSandi,JasmineandSophiaallgoabroadtocontinuetheireducation,theyneverhearabouthimandthefilmeversince,until2011,4yearafterGeorges’death,hisex-wifesendsbackthefootage,baritsaudiotracks,toSandi.Henceforth,audience’scuriosityissizablywhetted,andTan’sensuingquestof“whoisGeorgesCardona”spiritsusawaytoCardona’shometown,interviewinghisacquaintancesandex-wife(whoseimageisgingerlypixelatedandonlyreferredas“thewidow”),anddisclosesavaguepicturewhatamanhewas,Nosferatuistheostensibleconsensus:afabulistwhoisenviousoftheachievementofhisprotégés,whichheisnotabovetoundermineathisconvenience.Georgesmakesforsuchafascinatingcaseofmentalcomplexity,thefirstimpressionhemakesonothers:emittingcongenialitythatincongruentwiththecoldglintinhiseyes,mightbethebestencapsulation,however,SHIRKERSseemtopullpunchesinburrowingdeeperintothetruth(ahalfmeasureinourpost-truthparanoia),whetheritisfromTan’sownequivocalinterrelationwithGeorges,orthewidow’sconspicuous“Idon’tknowanythingaboutit”disclaimer.Amongtheinterviewees,JasmineandSophiatakethelion’sshareofthescreen-time,whatfeelsrealisthespontaneousexchangebetweenJasmineandTan,theinterviewer,theirclosenessisn’tdentedintheelapseoftime,butthatbarelyconcealsawoundleftbytheearliermisfortune,JasminestillthinksTan,ispartiallyanswerableforGeorges’wantonactionandTanfinallyownsupinfrontofthecamera“Iamana—hole!”.Intheevent,SHIRKERSisaclassiclessonfromtheschoolofhardknocks,andanoverdueexorcismthatfeelssalutarytoeveryonewhowasdupedfortheiryouthfulnaiveté.referentialentries:SarahPolley’sSTORIESWETELL(2012,8.2/10);MalikBendjelloul’sSEARCHINGFORSUGARMAN(2012,7.3/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。