Writer: Audrey Ker

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Effects: NA
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Watch this if you liked: “Crash”, “Babel”

Cliched as it may sound, the saying "Home is where the heart is" rings true in the musical drama that is "A Place Of One's Own". Intertwining several stories, it chronicles the search of people for a place to call their own - be it the rich, the poor, or even those in the afterlife! Some of the bigger subplots in the film include the struggling life of music artiste Mozi, whose career is slowly going down the drain; and the determination of origami house maker Master Lin in ensuring a good life for him and his family even after death.

Although shot in Taiwan, the cinematography is reminiscent to the filming style of the late Yasmin Ahmad ("Sepet") with many intimate shots of the city and people. At times, the silent scenes say the most in the movie. Having said that, the editing could do much better by omitting at least a few unnecessary scenes that drag on relentlessly. One can only endure so much of watching people walk silently!

At first, this writer thought that the only connection between the many subplots is death, as the movie touches so much on this topic. Death is explored through the music, the gorgeous origami houses that Master Lin makes, as well as the many traditions and superstitions that are common to the Chinese community. Death can be painful, funny or even profitable depending on each person's point of view. Yet as the stories unfold, one can definitely see that there is more to it that meets the eye. Be prepared to be immersed in a lot of metaphoric scenes though; most of what is shown is not that straightforward.

In retrospect, "A Place Of One's Own" is not everybody's cup of tea. The pace can be sluggish at times; the music is either goth punk sung by old time rockers or syrupy stuff sung by the female lead a la Stefanie Sun; and there can be too much to digest with all the deep meaning hidden behind the scenes. But if you give yourself a little time to digest and think about those meanings, it opens up a whole new perspective on what would we do or give to call a place our own. Give it a go if you're big on art movies.

Cinema Online, 09 April 2010