Generations of Singaporeans have grown up with the films of Jack Neo, be they the I Not Stupid series of films dealing with the education system, or the more recent Ah Boys To Men series capturing the National Service experience. But one of Neo’s biggest and most relevant film franchises to date remains the Money No Enough series, dealing with one of the most important issues known to Singapore – money and what it takes to earn a living.

In the previous two films, Jack Neo, Mark Lee and Henry Thia played three best friends with financial problems who start a car polishing business together (Money No Enough, 1998, written by Jack Neo), and three brothers figuring out how best to take care of their elderly mother (Money No Enough 2, 2008, written and directed by Jack Neo). Now in its third instalment, the three veterans return once again, this time playing friends navigating moneymaking in the 2020s.

Ah Huang (Mark Lee) is a delivery man doing delivery services, Ah Hui (Henry Thia) is an owner of a Teochew porridge stall and Ah Qiang (Jack Neo) is a Grab driver. All three are long-time buddies, and plan to help support each other as each faces their own individual familial problems. But In this rapidly evolving digital age, the three families soon find themselves in various predicaments, as greed rears its ugly head in the door and ruins their plans. Will their changing values and attitudes towards money ruin their bond?

In a press conference held prior to the show’s premiere, director Jack Neo and the cast of Money No Enough 3 were present to promote the show. “For me, my inspiration always comes from current affairs and things happening around us, and by now, I have maybe 10 films waiting to be made, with the scripts or ideas sitting in my laptop,” says Jack. “But the movie industry in Singapore requires you to be practical, and ensure that you have enough budget for a show that will also end up making money at the cinema, which is why it took a while before this film came out.”

“The landscape we’re in now is completely different compared to Money No Enough 2 15 years ago – you’ve got NFTs, cryptocurrency, cashless payment, and this film acts as a way to record this era where so much unprecedented change is happening,” he adds. “And this is a film with a lot of emotion, worth a few rewatches to appreciate the performances and even the little Easter eggs in there, and hope that people can see how friendship still remains the most important thing in life, and not money.”

Despite having both veteran and newer cast members on set, Jack Neo has always excelled at bringing them together, and ensuring a good working environment for everyone to bring out the best in them. “These days, young people have a lot more opportunities to make it big, thanks to social media to help them gain exposure, and I think Jack has always managed to find child actors who are very talented, from I Not Stupid to Homerun,” says Xiang Yun, who plays Ah Hui’s wife.

“You work with these young actors and see how hardworking they are, and how optimistic and disciplined they are in their career,” says Tang Miaoling, who play’s Ah Qiang’s wife. “They’re already so used to being in front of the camera thanks to all the videos they do on social media, and it’s like watching them flip a switch when they come on set.”

“I’m so happy to have gotten the chance to work with so many stars, and so grateful just to be here,” says Kelly Wong. “It’s been a challenge, like even crying in front of a large group of people and the fear I wouldn’t be able to perform, but everyone’s been so supportive and I’ve gotten so much encouragement, and it really feels like one big family.”

One of the most powerful relationships seen onscreen will be the one between Mark Lee and Regina Lim, who plays his daughter, freshly entering the workforce. “Regina was handpicked by Jack for this role, and I was very happy to be working alongside her, giving her advice and building that on-camera chemistry – it’s really nice to see all this new talent coming in to replace us as the old guard,” says Mark Lee.

“There’s this scene where my character gets slapped, and Mark really has to slap me to ensure the reaction I have is real and unexpected, to the extent I needed to ice my cheeks between takes,” says Regina.”There were also times where Jack would literally change all the lines before a take and I got so stressed out trying to remember them over breakfast, and it was supposed to be an emotional scene too! The success of the film is really down to the team ensuring they get all the best results on screen.”

“But Mark has this incredible presence where it feels like getting a masterclass in real time when interacting with him – he’s so good at what he does, where he dissects the scenes and understands what he wants to portray, it’s been such a pleasure to have the opportunity to work on this. Now I feel like I’m really learning how to adapt more quickly and get into character,” adds Regina. “My role especially went from one that was relatively simple, to having more layers, where she becomes more reactive in certain scenes, and understanding how despite being disappointed in her father, she also deals with the inherent love she still has for him, and the struggle to forgive and trust him again.”

“Watching this film, you’ll be able to see how much chemistry the entire cast has,” says Patricia Mok, who plays Ah Hui’s sister. “Most of us have been working so closely with Jack for so many years, that we already know what changes he wants to make from a single expression, and even though I left J Team all those years ago, coming back to work with him feels like a homecoming with everyone involved.”

Money No Enough 3 is now playing in cinemas such as Golden Village