THE SINGAPORE GRIP (2020) – More Malaysian than Singaporean
Rating: ⭐⭐

The Singapore Grip is a six part ITV mini series from Britain. Based on the novel by J.G. Farell which apparently won the Booker Prize award (for English language novels published in the UK) in 1978. The story is set during the Japanese invasion of Singapore and centres around some crazy rich Britons living off the riches of the land and cheap local labour during the hey days of colonial rule. The entire series was actually filmed in Malaysia, mainly in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, naturally this provided some added incentive for me to binge watch it.
The good news is that the settings in Malaysia was beautifully captured. Whether the action is in the thick lush greenery of the rubber plantations, the streets of Penang or the grounds and interiors of the majestic Seri Carcosa Negara, Malaysia came out looking breathtaking. The bad news is the the entire series has an amateurish feel to the whole thing. This is evident from the poor script that cannot decide if this is a comedy, or drama, and the overall acting. Even veterans like Charles Dance and David Morrissey (who was so chillingly effective as “The Governor” in the Walking Dead series) appears to be having off days with their performances. Perhaps we can put the blame on the effects of nasi lemak and other Malaysian food. The romantic leads headed by a younger cast were no better. Luke Treadaway as the main character Matthew Web has neither the presence or appearance to match his character’s grit. British actress Elizabeth Tan had the privilege of being cast as the only Asian in the story but I found her portrayal of the supposedly sultry and worldly Vera Chiang annoying and totally unconvincing. Ironically, the smaller supporting roles were better acted and in turn, made their characters more likeable and interesting.
One may question the meaning of the title which was actually asked throughout the series like some sort of running joke. At the end of the day it carried multiple meanings for this story, but I was dismal to find that its literal meaning in the show was explained and focused on something more tasteless in its connotation. It was also amusing that this meaning was explained and demonstrated to our protagonist, by a non-Singaporean.
I see The Singapore Grip as an unfortunate missed opportunity for something that could have been far better. My two stars here is in recognition of the beautiful location settings which were a joy to watch, and some decent performances by the supporting cast. Otherwise it would have fared far worst in my books.