Ola Bola (Cast Design and Individual Character)

In this movie doesn't really have a antagonist. It is about the growth of the protagonists and the mirror characters in pursuing their dreams together.

Marianne

Marianne works as a broadcast journalist under a company who in charge to take a movie named ‘Ola Bola’. She is depress when she know nothing about the 1980s football competition, and make her unable to write the movie successfully. She try to tell her boss that the movie can’t be taken and no one will be interested to it. At last, she failed to persuade her boss. Her colleagues advise her o just leave the task and move on with her plan to work at England, better career than stuck here to do a boring national football team movie. However, it is shown that she is not a person to have easily given up and decided to go to Sabah to interview one of the member of the national team at that time, Balak Eric. She soon discovers the whole story of the glorious moment of Malaysia football team at that time.

She is a kind person in respecting old people. She is also sensitive to notice the likeliness of old people. When she went to interview Balak Eric, she learns very fast that he doesn’t speak to her is she speaks English. So she started speaking in mandarin even though her mandarin is really bad. She then decided to stay in Malaysia to continue her career here in her country rather than oversea after she learns the values in the national team’s story of proud to be a Malaysian and wanted to contributes herself for the country. We can see her change in her point of view towards the national football team in the end of the movie. It really touched her heart to make such a huge decision to stay.

Eric - Mirror Character

Eric is the one of the Malaysia team’s player who joined the 1980s football competition. He also the player that Marianna come for interview. Currently, he becomes a trainer that teaching kids to play football. . He is very determined in pursuing his football dream that he left his home in Sabah to join the team in Kuala Lumpur. His family is very wealthy that work as loggings. He is constantly teased by his teammates as he has all the expensive sport accessories. He joined the team later then the other members and got the shirt of No.10 causing the other members to question his ability to join the team despite he has very good results before entering the team. No.10 shirt used to be the number of the previous legendary player of the national team and is the target of all of the team members.

The team members also question his ability to become the striker as he is just a goal keeper previously. With all the hostilities from his teammates, they did not pass the ball to him during a friendship match with other country’s team, causing them to lose the game. He is very disappointed with his teammates and argued that he was innocent when took this position. He just wanted to play football and pursuing his dream with the others but Ali and Tauke did not listen to him.

At last, the team became one again and he then becomes a better player with a good relationship and trust with his teammates. His ability as a striker is proven to his teammates and team well with the best striker in their team, Ali. However, he reacted very angrily when he found out that they are not going to Moscow even if they win the game. It shows that he is very persistent in reaching his goal that he has planned. But then he agrees that he will play the game again, this time not only for himself but also for his country. His love for football did not just stop at the Olympic qualifies game. He continues to teach the next generation to play football even if he is now old.

Tauke/Chow Kwok Keong - Protagonist

Chow Kwok Keong also known as Tauke, who is the oldest member of the team and the leader of the team. He also gave up his chance to play football in England bacause of his family and also because he wants to achieve his glory and dream in his own motherland. After the old coach resigned, Tauke has taken over all the training for his team alone. It is obvious that he is desperate to win the coming Olympic game as he has lost the previous one and with no further achievement in this four years. He is urged to prove his value in pursuing his dream has this will be his last chance to play the game. During the 80s, sportsmen are not paid to play the sports, Tauke has to work two jobs to earn for his family. He has to cope with his training and also his jobs as a rubber tapper and a clerk.

He also helps his girlfriend in her game booth in the funfair and sends her back home after work. This shows that he is responsible to his family and loves his girlfriend. However, he has a very bad temper and huge ego. He disagrees with the new coach decision to put Eric, the new comer, as the striker and Muthu as a goalkeeper. He is stubborn with his own perspectives and refuse to listen to the others. During the first friendship match, he disobeys the coach’s order and ignored Eric to pass the ball to him. He also got Abu to oppose the coach orders during the game causing Abu to be blamed by the audience as he has no clue where to go and what to do during the game. His bad temper also got himself a red card during the game. His irresponsible acts has made the team lost tragically.

He is also very irresponsible and immature to decide to leave the team behind after causing chaos for the team and between members. He left the team but lives his life emotionally. He did not turn up on time for his rubber tapper job and went missing for two days for his clerk job without informing his boss. But soon, he realizes his fault and willing to turn over a new leave. He apologies to his coach and got back to the team. He then carried out his duty as a captain responsibly and work hard with the team to unite together. He also hold a huge responsibility to hold the secret that the government’s decision to boycott the Olympics in Moscow, causing the team unable to competition in Olympics even if they win the game. Even though the news brings a huge impact to him, but he managed to pull himself together and kept the secret well to not affect the mood of the team to play the game. When the truth was relieved, he tried very hard to persuade his members to continue fighting and never give up. This shown that he has grown from the beginning into a better leader, brother, son and player.

Harry Mountain - Mirror Character

Harry Mountain is the new trainer of the Malaysia’s team who came from XXX. In the beginning when he just came, he was disappointed with the old strategies that they are still using and determine to use his new strategies on the team. He is a very responsible and sensitive coach as he is really serious I doing his job well. He realizes Muthu’s better potential in being s goal keeper rather than a striker and Eric as a striker rather than goal keeper. So he switched their position in the team. However, the decision made some of the members unhappy, especially Tauke and Ali. They felt that the coach is just here to fool around and will cause them to lose the game. He is also a very forgiving person. He forgives Tauke when Tauke came to apologies to him and wish to be back to the team. After then, he quickly started his training plans with the team and soon sent them to the army to train their teamwork and improve their strength and stamina.

Ali - Mirror Character

Ali is the strongest forward in the team. He was sad and angry since he trained so hard to get the position of number 10 but failed due to the new coach’s arrangement. He was very unhappy about this and treated Eric badly because Eric took the position which he wanted. He questions Eric’s ability to own that position as Eric is just a new boy and a backup player. He is also very determine in pursuing his dream but in the wrong way. He still went to play the game with his injured ankle and doesn’t want to get rest or treatment for it which might cause him to lose his legs forever. He is also very stubborn to pass the ball to Eric during the game causing the team to lose the game tragically.

However, he came to realize his fault and became a more positive person. He then understand is doesn’t matter of what position he gets in the team but it is the teamwork that matter. He was very angry when he found out that they are not going to go to Moscow even they win the game and refuse to continue the game. He lost his determination of the fact that he cannot play in the Olympics. After listened from his teammates, Tauke, Muthu and Ah Cai, he realized that it is not about himself going or not to Moscow but about being proud for his supporters outside cheering and also his country and agrees to play the game.

In the end, he work hard with the team members including Eric very well and achieve their dreams together.

Rahman - Mirror Character

Rahman is the determine guy that he never give up to be a sport commenter. He is also Taoke’s best friend who Taoke always complained to him about the new coach or his feeling. But Rahman always listen to him with tolerance and give him advice. He always stays with positive mind that make him smile. He works really hard to become a formal sports commenter. He trains himself a lot and follows the instructions given by his teacher. He even trains with his two twin daughters. He shown a lot of love for his family and his family is very supportive about his career. His family’s support became his outmost motivation in chasing his dream. In the end, he finally became a formal sports commenter and made everyone enjoy the game with his very own style of presenting the game.

Ah Cai/Ong Tian Cai - Mirror Character

Ong Tian Cai known as Ah Cai, which is the typical Chinese name. He born from a rich family and his family very supports him to play football when they know their son love football. Although he joined the team for few years already, he never had any chance to play in any competition. He never give up about that and training hard. He always believes that he will one day have his chance to play in competition. It can be seen that he is a very loving person towards his family that he always has his football shoes with him all the time even when he sleeps. It is a gift from his father in showing support to his football dream. Besides that, he is humor and always gives the team a lot of fun to release their stress and tired.

We can also know that he must be very good in physics and he plays his football rather different from the others. He calculates his ball before kicking them to goal. Plus, his technic really works and he help to team to won the game too.

Abu - Mirror Character

Abu’s character has no much explore as his role in the movie wasn’t much either. He is a guy without self-identify. He can’t make any decision by himself and just follow people’s order. Example like the game he replace the position of his teammate but he don’t know whose order to listen. New coach or Taoke? Causing him to be directionless during the game and was laughed by their fans. However he is also a very friendly person. He always makes the team members laugh by teasing each other. He is a guy with a warm heart.

Muthu - Mirror Character

Muthu is the eldest among his siblings. He was the forward before the new coach changed him to be goal keeper. He is also the golden triangle with Ali and Tauke on the football field as they are the best players in the team and they teamwork is really good. He is very determining in pursuing his dream compared to all the other team members if you ask me. He left his village and family for the football training. His father is very angry about it and scolded him everytime he comes back. It break his heart that his father doesn’t see him proudly for playing football and thinks football has no future but he still continue in chasing his dream. He felt guilty for not being able to help his father picking coconuts. He told himself to no give up and one day makes his family proud of him.

The story became tense after Tauke left the team when his brothers then involved in a car accident. They were trying to help their father to sends the coconuts and replace their eldest brother who was on the field playing a competition. This has made Muthu even more guilty as he will not forgive himself if anything bad happens to his brothers. He started to question his determination on chasing after his dreams as they have once again lost the competition before coming to the hospital.

However, just when you thought he would give up on his dream, he did not. He went back to the camp and practiced even hard and even more determine to make it into the Olympics.

You will feel his very strong mind of achieving his dream when the team found out that they’re not going to Moscow even if they win the game. The news breaks him apart. Feeling sad but he is still clear of his mind that he wants to play the game not only for himself but also for his father to be proud, his brothers to be proud and his country to be proud. He told the team that he will still pla the game even if he is the only one play. The team is very much touched by him and decided to continue the game and aim for victory.

In the end, they won. Muthu’s father is also very proud of his son.

Siew Lee - Mirror Character

Siew Lee is Chow Kwok Keong’s girlfriend and work hard in fun fair. This character doesn’t really explore much but she portrays kindness and supportive towards her boyfriend’s football dream. She believes in Tauke’s ability and determination to play the football to the Olympic Games. She is always beside Tauke to show her support. She even lends him money when he needed money for Muthu’s brothers’ medical fees even they are not married yet. It breaks her heart to see Tauke losing the game and then gave up football. She told him that money can earn later after used but chances to chase after his dream has only once.

When Tauke went back to the team, she was very happy and cheered for him in the funfair during his competition against the Korean Team. She is a very loving girl who supports her love ones unconditionally.

Chow Mei Ling - Mirror Character

Chow Mei Ling is Chow Kok Keong’s sister who works as a tailor. In the beginning of the movie when she first came out, we can see she is kind of the leader among the siblings. Her mother made some food for the sisters but she orders them can only eat it after they finish the job and her younger sisters did not dare to oppose. It also seems that she is very dislike of her brother who is always making himself busy between his work and his football training but yet has no achievement at all. She doesn’t like her brother’s attitude of making their mother worrying about him all the time. She thinks her brother doesn’t worth their mother’s worry.

However, when Tauke decided to give up football and acted immature after quitting the football team, she couldn’t hold back and confronted him. She hated the fact that her bro has his chance to chase after his dreams but gave up so easily while she gave up hers so that he can chase his dream instead. She felt unfair that she who used to have good grades in her study have to give up her studies to earn for her family but her brother can continue pursuing his but still thinks he is the only one scarifies for the family. She scolded him in tears and told him to not give up his bright dream. It is very touching to see this part where I understand the love Mei Ling has for her family even though she always has bad temper to her family.

In the end of the movie. Mei Ling bought a television which is very hard for the people during the 80s as it is very expensive. She did not tell anyone about the reason she bought the television but I think I know. To let her family watch how bright their brother and son can be on the football field while she is still working in the tailor factory. She is also happy for the brother in winning the game.

At the end, yes, all the characters have a purpose and important in this movie. The movie can’t be explored that well or the expression if without anyone of them. Everyone one of the characters that carry different kind of feeling that make audiences understand and same feel with them.