15 (2003)

50% of critics liked it
(10 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(1,252 ratings)

15, the debut feature from writer/director Royston Tan, takes a loosely plotted look at the lives of some unruly teens in Singapore. Melvin (Melvin Chen) and Vynn (Vynn Soh) are best friends who spend a lot of their time cutting school and watching porn together. Melvin is worried about passing his… More 15, the debut feature from writer/director Royston Tan, takes a loosely plotted look at the lives of some unruly teens in Singapore. Melvin (Melvin Chen) and Vynn (Vynn Soh) are best friends who spend a lot of their time cutting school and watching porn together. Melvin is worried about passing his exams because his mother has threatened to throw him out if he fails. Vynn still feels bitterness over the dissolution of his friendship with Shaun (Shaun Tan), who abandoned his former friends when he became more involved in gang life. The two boys also devote some time to working on a scandalous musical number to perform at a school assembly. The second half of the film focuses on Shaun and his friend Erick (Erick Chun). First a former rival, Armani (Melvin Lee), helps them out when they're attacked by a gang of snotty, English-speaking schoolboys. In exchange, they devote a couple of days to helping the suicidal Armani find a suitable building from which to jump. Shaun and Erick also engage in drug smuggling, and Shaun helps Erick pierce his cheek. 15 was based on an earlier short film by Tan, who used the boys' own stories to help shape his narrative. The film created a lot of controversy in its native Singapore and inspired Tan to make Cut, a satirical short film celebrating censorship. 15 was shown at the 2004 New York Asian American International Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Royston Tan
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Jan 16, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Nov 1, 2005
Studio: Picture This! Entertainment

Critic Reviews

G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
Royston Tan seems more interested in directing a 97-minute music video than a story with weight and depth.
Derek Elley, Variety
So predictable it could almost be a parody of the genre -- though that would require a sense of humor above and beyond the self-reflexive comedy on display here.
Dana Stevens, New York Times
Royston Tan's feature film debut follows five young residents of a public housing project in Singapore.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
15 isn't easy to sit through, but there are ample rewards.
David Ng, Village Voice
The directionless lives on display all too easily translate into a directionless film.
S. James Wegg, JWR
The bare-chested men are held together by the fickle love and loyalty that give all gang members a reason to get up every morning.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
the despair is touching
Matthew Smith, Film Journal International
Visually arresting film proves that Singaporean kids just want their MTV.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Tan connects with his dangerously disaffected youth in a way that only a truly sympathetic contemporary can.
, E! Online
A flashy, hyperviolent offering
Tom Dawson, BBC
This is a tough watch at times, yet there's a strain of black humour.