I did research on Ah Girl‘s director Ang Geck Geck, apparently she had a job while making this. Directors are superheroes, putting heart and passion in films like this, in this case, something based on her life. The titular character (Xuan Jing Ong) and her sister Ah Tian (Sydney Wong) seem like well fed children. But most of the film reminds me of an adage about children’s lack of power, temporarily under iron fists. Sometimes, they come over to their Mummy’s (Carrie Wong) apartment, who basically feeds them cheese sticks as impromptu meals. But these Singaporean children growing up in the 1990s live with their father Kwee (James Seah), a gambling philanderer.
Ah Girl endures moments with her family, like her grandmother Ah Kiew (Doreen Toh) forcing haircuts on her. The film itself can make viewers ask questions, like Kwee and Mummy are bad but how did he manage to get custody? Living with a single father in the 1990s happens, but it feels so specific, reinforcing viewers’ suspension of disbelief. The scenes with Mummy are equally enlightening in that sometimes she’s alone, sometimes she has boyfriends. And those moments where Mummy feels distress while resenting a kid who turns her boyfriends away feel so real. That realism also exists in films with Kwee, reminding me of how both children and adults see their parents. There are moments where Kwee feels bad about temporarily losing Ah Tian or seeing Ah Girl hurt, humanizing him.
- Rated: 12
- Genre: Drama
- Release Date: 9/16/2026
- Directed by: Ang Geck Geck
- Starring: Carrie Wong, Doreen Toh, James Seah, Sydney Wong, Xuan Jing Ong
- Produced by: Charlyn Ng, Wendy Lie
- Written by: Ang Geck Geck
- Studio: Aggregate Films, Kusu Films
