Falling in Love Like in Movies

Not usually a huge fan when it comes to films about making films. Even less a fan of gimmicks in films. But they are used so masterfully here that I couldn't resist finding them endearing and even appealing.

I absolutely adored the parts where Bagus would say what he wanted done in the film, then it would be done. "Imagine in black and white." Abracadabra! Done. Even more amazing when Cheline did it late in the film, "What about racing drones?" Done! "Then the audience would be confused as we scale the building, then it would rush down to chase us from behind, then swing over to a front angle!" Check, check, check! "How about we movers behind her, to show the change?" Voila!

Most of the comedy was obvious, which made it all the more ingenious to leave the Cheline Dion one completely deadpan delivery every time.

Maybe I'm weak to have fallen for the cheap gimmicks and romantic comedy tropes. So be it!

Jatuh Cinta Seperti di Film-Film is a delightful surprise, a romantic comedy that feels both intimate and cinematic, simple yet emotionally layered.

Film dengan cerita sederhana dan relate dengan kehidupan keseharian kita namun dibungkus dan disajikan dalam penceritaan yang unik dan jenius. Sebagai sebuah film rom-com, film ini sukses menghadirkan humor yang segar dan pas. Chemistry tak perlu diragukan. Salah satu film terbaik tahun ini! Sebuah film dari sinefil untuk sinefil. What a great 8 sequences of cinema!

It's rare to find a film this self-aware yet so heartfelt. From cinephiles, for cinephiles - but accessible to anyone who's ever fallen in love or dreamed about it.

Jatuh Cinta Seperti di Film-Film is an Indonesian romantic drama that feels like a warm hug to those who adore love stories and the art of cinema. Directed with a gentle and personal touch, the film offers a narrative that is both touching and nostalgic, wrapped in a cinematic atmosphere that evokes a sense of longing and affection.

I give this movie an 8 out of 10 because it delivers a heartfelt love story that's simple yet emotionally resonant. The dialogue feels sincere, and the characters' interactions create a natural chemistry that brings the story to life. There's a quiet charm in the way the film unfolds-slow, steady, and full of warmth.

One of its strongest elements is how it treats the world of cinema-not just as a setting, but as a meaningful metaphor. The visuals are beautifully crafted with warm tones, soft lighting, and a score that enhances the emotional depth of each scene.

While the story doesn't break new ground and follows a familiar structure, it's told with care and elegance. This is the kind of film you watch when you crave emotional sincerity, cinematic beauty, and a reminder of how love and storytelling are forever intertwined.

A movie within a movie, within a movie! Something to that effect in this little gem about the crazy process of movie making, and how a screenwriter deals with the creative approach by involving his personal life, and those of others with great consequences.

It ultimately ends up as a love story, but without the Indonesian melodrama. Instead just a clever and funny structure, thanks to the talents of Yandy Laurens, who has gone against the grain of Indonesian film styles, by creating characters of great empathy (and the cast did an amazing job) in this honest and heartfelt story that combines the zany struggles in movie making, the process of grieving and most importantly, love.

Such a wonderful film! I am a fan of meta films, and this is a prime example of how it is done. This film perfectly blurs the line between cinema and reality. The protagonist claims that this is a commercial movie, and not an art film. I will remain respectful to his opinion, and add that this is still a work of art.

It is difficult to make a rom-com and not fall in the potholes of genre cliches. This film handles those issues perfectly with its meta elements while not overdoing the self-awareness trope, a problem with many such works. The movie manages to do this expertly by presenting the story through its sequences. And every sequence feels like an individual chapter of the story which just works so well.

The film also handles its characters maturely. The emotions are as strong as they need to be, and never unintentionally melodramatic. The writing is definitely its strength. The screenplay is what glues it all together. But the direction, cinematography, and the editing deserves a lot of praise too. These technical aspects are displayed at its best during the chase scene which is my favourite scene in the film.

Maybe the only criticism I have for this movie is that it does start to feel a bit monotonous in the middle (sequences 4 and 5). The First Climax sequence could have been better. But the movie picks up once again with that chase scene.

As Cheline said during that scene, this film is "a cinematic experience".