Having that 'Made in Singapore' brand on it can either incite sensations of curiosity as to what new kind of 'avant garde' brand of drama can Singapore's wunderkind create, or sensations of morbid cynicism. After all, Singapore has a history of hits and misses, from sleeper hits like 'Chicken Rice War', 'Army Daze' to sheer disasters like 'First Class', 'Cosmo and George' and so on. So it was no surprised when this little telemovie 'Big Time in Little Street' was advertised on Channel 5 to little enthusiasm (despite its witty name). But this short 1-hr + telemovie may have in it to be one of Singapore's 'classic' movies.

So the story is not one of the most original. Jimmy Tong is a man obsessed with finding his long lost family treasure and striking it rich, but a man who neglects his job, his wife and in the end ends up in prison. Now, 2 years later, after being released, Jimmy still pursues the dream fervently, with the help of his 3 childhood and debt-ridden friends, who seek the treasure to turn their lives around, all the while under the nose of Jimmy's wife.

Not exactly Oscar material, but it is a heart warming yarn that only Singapore writers can spin. The usual themes of love, friendship and redemption are present, and it seems almost cliched at times, but its still heart warming all the same. The twists are easy to see coming and predictable but they contribute to the atmosphere of the telemovie, rather than deflate the plot. But in the end, everything turns up for the better, as expected.

Like 'Army Daze', 'Big Time in Little Street' employs a small but talented group of actors and actresses. The lines are delivered with aplomb but the lack of emotion in the voices can be a drag and the purposeful peppering of the script with Singlish terms like 'abang', 'diam lah!' and so on. While it does add a sense of personality to the script, it tends to sound of place. And speaking of the script, the script is extremely average and lacks that certain flair. However, still kudos to the actor for carrying the story despite the lacklustre script.

In terms of audio, the soundtrack selected is appropriate and ties in the campy mood of the entire show.

While it may not add up to the flair of 'Chicken Rice War' or the satirical genius of 'Army Daze', 'Big Time in Little Street' still puts up a decent effort at creating a heart-warming tale.

Rating: 3/5