Veteran Singaporean actor Zhu Houren hopes his new film Pace will encourage audiences to look beyond stereotypes surrounding people recovering from drug addiction and recognise the possibility of rebuilding their lives.
The 71-year-old stars in the upcoming local drama alongside Desmond Tan, Elaine Jin and his son Joel Choo. The film, directed by his other son Jonathan Choo, is scheduled to open in Singapore cinemas on Oct. 8.
Pace follows Malcolm, a middle-aged former drug offender who has recently completed rehabilitation. He turns to long-distance running while trying to find purpose through his late brother’s passion for the sport and repair his strained family relationships.
Zhu plays Kong Sai, Malcolm’s resentful and estranged father, a man whose years of disappointment have hardened his relationship with his son. Joel plays Jing, Malcolm’s younger brother, whose passion for running becomes an important source of inspiration for him.
Zhu said Singapore’s generally comfortable environment can make it easy for people to overlook groups dealing with difficult circumstances. He hopes the film can encourage viewers to understand experiences that are not always openly discussed.
The actor also acknowledged that some people had described Pace as too positive because it does not rely heavily on conflict or dramatic twists. He said he initially had similar reservations after reading Jonathan’s script, but ultimately supported his son’s decision to tell the story from a different perspective.
Jonathan, 37, first developed the basic idea about six or seven years ago. What began as a story about a prodigal son eventually evolved into a film about recovery, family relationships and the difficulties of changing one’s life. He revisited and reorganised the project about two years ago.
The filmmakers also removed several planned deaths and additional addiction-related storylines from the final version because they felt those elements could distract from the central story. Jonathan said he sees the editing process as part of filmmaking rather than something to regret.
The film does not present Malcolm’s actions as acceptable, but instead focuses on his perspective and the emotional challenges surrounding recovery. Zhu described Malcolm’s sense of shame as intense and fragile, with even a small setback potentially threatening his progress.
The project also brought the Choo family together professionally. Zhu said Jonathan was firmly in charge on set, while Joel said he trusted his older brother’s direction. The three had previously worked together on shorter film projects.
Zhu also praised Taiwanese actress Elaine Jin, who plays Sally, Malcolm’s perceptive stepmother. He described her as direct and candid when expressing concerns during production, saying he appreciated her straightforward approach because it was focused on making the film work.
Pace is supported by the Singapore Film Commission and the Infocomm Media Development Authority through the Media Talent Progression Programme Long Form Content Grant and Yellow Ribbon Project. The film also features local content creators Simonboy and Zaki Hussain.
For Zhu and his sons, Pace is ultimately an attempt to bring attention to people whose struggles can remain hidden behind Singapore’s comfortable image, while showing that recovery can involve setbacks, difficult relationships and the continuing effort to move forward.
