Lim Kay Tong steals the show in 1965

SOMEBODY give Lim Kay Tong an Oscar (or the Singapore equivalent). The veteran actor has taken on many roles in a career that spans over four decades on the big screen, television and stage but his career-defining one would probably be his latest.

As the late founding Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew in the historic thriller 1965, Lim brings nuance and depth to the part - a result of months of research despite him only appearing for a few minutes on screen.

The rest of the film doesn't fare as well and is let down largely by its tedious and overdrawn plot. It's also stuffed with way too many fringe characters - probably just so it can fill its ensemble cast with household names.