Fatal Reaction: Singapore

Documentaries about dating agencies are scarcely original, but this foray into the genre (the second part of a series about the problems single women face finding suitable partners) has a novel twist: the dating agency in question is a government organisation. As we hear the ex-leader Lee Kuan Yew proclaim, Singapore needs to boost its population to compete in the world market. The director follows a handful of Singaporeans as they attend various 'dating' events, including a love cruise. Men and women have very different expectations. The grimmest, most poignant moment comes as a die-hard chauvinist, used to bullying his mother, tells the young woman he hopes to marry what he expects in terms of obedience and housework. As he gorges himself on a pizza, she breaks down in tears.