Life

1951·Movie
65
GoodGoodWatch score

Where to watch

No stream option in US yet.

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

Life fingerprint

Big heart, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension5
  • Adrenaline2
  • Fast Pace2

Heart

Deeply moving and romantic

Much of it is about family.

  • Pathos9
  • Romance8
  • Melancholy8

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Satire & Parody4
  • Wit & Wordplay3
  • Cringe Humor2

World

History, class and money, and family

  • World Immersion6
  • Dialogue Centrality5
  • Novelty4

Craft

Solid, not remarkable

  • Direction6
  • Acting6
  • Narrative Structure6

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography5
  • Editing5
  • Music Composition5

Who it's for

AdultsIntergenerationalPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchThought-Provoking

Find more like it

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

In the Katong area, in eastern Singapore, lives Jaafar, a rich man, together with his wife Rubiah and her brother, the charming but badly-behaved Salim. One day, Salim visits his grandfather in Johor, where he meets a young and attractive girl, Salbiah. Salbiah's family is deeply in debt to a man, and unable to pay him back. The only solution is for Salbiah to marry that man. Salim, after sympathizing with Salbiah, promises to help raise the money. Ecstatic and thankful, Salbiah gives her chastity to Salim. Back in Singapore, Salim, after a long silence, writes to her that he in fact cannot help her and that he will not see her again. Heartbroken, Salbiah leaves her family and starts wandering through Singapore in search of the treacherous Salim.
Malay Cinema ClassicTragic RomanceClass Conflict DramaHistorical Singapore SettingMoral Decay NarrativeMelancholic ToneSocial RealismCultural Heritage Film

Crew

Directed by:
Composed by:

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Life

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Life legally?

GoodWatch doesn't know of a legal streaming option for Life in the United States right now. Pick another country in the Where to Watch section to check elsewhere.

Is Life worth watching?

65
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 66/100 (Rotten Tomatoes 52% and Metacritic 63). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Life rated?

Sexual content

Content advisories: sexual content.

Do critics and audiences agree on Life?

Critics58
Audiences74

Not quite. Audiences rate Life higher (74) than critics (58). It's more of a crowd-pleaser than a critics' pick.

What language is Life in?

Malay

It was made in Malay. Produced in Singapore.

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