Vive La Famille (2002)

An old retired teacher Sun Yongshun has 4 children. All, except his eldest son Yuguo, stay with him in an old house in Katong. Like most Asian parents, Yongshun's both traditional and strict yet with the demise of his wife some 20 years back, he's also determined to bring his brood a happy, if not decent family life. And that's where the problems are. Although his children are all grown up and most have married, Yongshun is constantly troubled by their so-called 'problems'. He's worried for his only grandchild's upbringing, for instance, when he learns he's perpetually under the care of the maid while his parents (Yuguo and his wife, Stella) pursue their material dreams. The old man is also kept in the dark about the couple's intentions of migrating to Canada. He's concerned too that after 5 years of marriage, his second daughter-in-law is still deaf to her biological clock's ticking and Motherhood's yodeling. Although he yearns for a child too, his mousy second son dares not bring up the matter to his wife and is thus often caught between her and his aged father. Yongshu is also distressed over his only daughter, Yumin's marriage. The 32-year-old successful woman is so independent, she has no qualms about remaining single. But when her father's constant nagging gets to her, she decides to move out and stay with her girlfriend, Pat. Later, when Pat gets married, Yumin finds herself living with Thomas, Pat's single guy friend. They both get on each other's nerves. Yongshun's only comfort is that his youngest son, Yuan, is returning from the US with an MBA. To his horror, Yuan reveals that he has taken up a filmmaking course instead. Despite his father's strong objections, Yuan is adamant about pursuing his interests in making movies. Faced with the myraid of problems, Yongshun's determined to give a helping hand...if only his health is better. His confidante Shixuan tells him he should let his adult children decide what's best for themselves. Will he heed her advice and stop intervening in their affairs? Can his children make good decisions?