Abang Adik

The story is about the emotional journey between the two "stateless brothers" - Abang (a deaf-mute man) and adik (a teenager) - and their lives. Through their lives, it reveals a lot of local social justice issues, e.g. Public servants' attitudes, illegal foreign workers hiding from immigration operations, taking on odd jobs for a living... and so on.

The pace is rather slow at times, which appears to be a common style among most new Malaysian directors, who love to bring out the typical Malaysian street scenes, building conditions, and local values, which can be overly deliberate and extra to some extent.

The character development between the two brothers is good. They are very well developed and engaging! However, it's weak on the supporting characters, e.g. The Myanmar girl, her scene is very touch-n-go and left unaddressed! Of all the supporting characters, I love "MONEY SISTER"! Although 'she' plays a small role in the movie, "she" is outstanding, and she seems to have a lot of untold stories that are worth exploring (perhaps in another solo movie??!!)

I love the communication scene in the prison, which carries so much emotional weight and struggle. Abang lives well in life day-by-day, but from the scene, audiences could realise that deep inside his heart, he has a lot of voices of unfairness, despair, anger... that wish to be heard and understood! No doubt, Wu Kang Ren's acting is superb! You feel him all the way, from his eye-contact, tears, emotion, and body language... He deserved the BEST ACTOR AWARD!!!

There are a few pitfalls in the movie, e.g. Some scenes are rather shaky, and the storyline is very much one-dimensional. Besides, the last scene of Abang meeting Adik in the prison is NOT well managed. It can be more touching and much better than that, yet the angles and build-up motions do not achieve the optimum outcomes.

For a local production, I gave 3.25 out of 5.0. It's a nice cameo, but NOT up to an excellent movie, without pitfalls or weaknesses. The storyline is rather simple and thin. What makes it good is the emotional depth of the silent communications of Abang that carry us away! If it is without it, it can be a very pale and plain movie. (Gosh~~ I burst into tears badly in the cinema!!)

I didn't get a chance to catch this movie when it was in cinemas last year, but thanks to Netflix, I now understand why it was so hyped. I won't delve into the plot, but it's a very gritty and uncompromising look at the issue of stateless residents in Malaysia. For those living outside of Asia, and especially outside of Malaysia, it might be hard to grasp the crucial role that official identity documents play in citizens' daily lives. Without an ID, you can't attend school, get a job, open a bank account, get a phone line, or do much of anything.

In addition to the brilliant performances by the cast, Pudu (the part of Kuala Lumpur unflatteringly depicted in the movie) should also be considered a main character. Its markets, back alleys, and low-cost flats have never looked so good on film. Only in this part of KL could a story involving a melting pot of people from different ethnicities, languages (I counted 5 to 6 different languages or dialects used in the movie), and genders be so convincingly set.

All in all, a very good Malaysian movie that succeeds in bringing attention to a myriad of social issues that are plaguing the invisible segments of our modern society.

This movie is a masterpiece that will cause emotions that will stay with you. Certain scenes in this movie make your jaw drop. It is so deep that it makes you reflect on yourself, on life, the world around you, on the differences and similarities between us humans, on what it means to be human, what it means to be grateful. This is a very deep and raw movie showing us the beauty in humankind, the ugliness, and the despair. It depicts how unforgiving, complex and terrifying life is no matter what good or bad of a person you are! Depending on "what life" has been "given" to you, as Abang mentions, you cannot judge anyone, or can't even blame yourself regarding life.. This movie make you think if we will ever know answers to some of the "whys" in this life... and make you think about what it means to be human.

During this movie, I found myself feeling deep sadness and love for humanity. But definitely a deep level of sadness and helplessness for us humans.

The cast is just chef's kiss! I especially enjoyed the brothers' relationship and the character portrayals were magnificent. KUDOS TO THE ACTORS, DIRECTOR, WRITER, CAMERA CREW etc.! The characters and message is so simple yet so deep and the story's pain and impact will always stay with me. Thank you for this masterpiece. I am hoping for an Oscar.

Brace yourself for an unexpectedly gripping, gritty, humorous, and tear-jerking Malaysian film with a Taiwanese twist. Prepare for a rollercoaster of heartbreaking twists and spectacular acting!

Don't underestimate this film! I was a newbie to Malaysian cinema and didn't know what to expect. But as they say, 'don't judge a book by its cover' (or in this case, 'a movie by its poster'). This film matched the quality and storytelling of Taiwanese cinema, so don't make the same mistake I did!

The story revolves around two brothers on a mission to secure their Malaysian ICs, crucial for employment and escaping a life of misery. However, their plan takes a 180-degree turn when a crime takes place.

This dilemma highlights a broader issue in Malaysia's management of their Identity Cards (ICs). The issue of illegal immigrants counterfeiting these ICs to secure employment is woven into the narrative, offering an insightful look into a significant societal challenge.

Amidst the central theme, the film weaves in subplots of romance and brotherhood, enriching its emotional tapestry.

The acting will leave you in tears... There are many parts of the film where my heart sank and tears welled up in my eyes.

There were many moments in the film where I silently exclaimed, 'WHAT THE HECK' and 'OH NO.' The movie provides subtle clues bit by bit, allowing you to piece together the plot yourself before it reveals the pivotal points that will make you go, 'OHH!' Whether some of the plot twists are justified remains questionable...

Wu Kang-ren, a Taiwanese actor portraying the deaf-mute brother, absolutely nailed the role of Abang. Although his character had no spoken lines, you could feel his pent-up frustration, misery, and sadness in the way he communicated through sign language.

For example, a line in the movie, 'Do you know how hard my life is?' wouldn't, in my opinion, have been as impactful if exclaimed rather than signed. Wu Kang-ren's performance was really superb.

If you appreciate stories that are driven by intricate plots and rich character development, this is a must-watch. A word of caution for the squeamish: while not overtly gory, the film does contain scenes with a fair amount of blood.

Given the tsunami of film entertainment out there, new and old combined, to find such a rare and exquisite gem of mastery is extraordinary and delightful. Akin to how I imagine Sir Richard Attenborough might have felt when he discovered a new and beautiful life form. This film tops my chart and I saw it twice in a week just to sustain that satisfying glow. It is masterful not because it has a high concept, which requires an out of the box view on things and that is hard to do, but it is even harder in my book to explore something that is utterly common and do it exceptionally well. In this case the word to describe this film is a mild and gentile one from the English language. That word is: "belong", and "belong" is the theme of the film. The idea of belonging, however benign it is as a word, actually underscores the foundation of our humanity, gives meaning to our existence and rewards us with happiness. The film is set in Malaysia, a multicultural world in which if you have not been properly assigned, accepted and therefore belonged, you become an underclass and an outcast, and this is the story of two brothers who in their utmost try to belong, to be included within the mainstream as a necessity for survival. But beyond that, there is an even closer and more intimate circle of belonging and that is one of kinship. Brother to brother and father to son. This is where the story hits the hardest and explores the deepest. But an idea alone does not make a great film. It is the execution of that by way of the medium and this is where the mastery of the artistry lies. This one has it all. The three names to remember from this film are Lay Jin Ong the director, Kang Ren Wu who played the elder brother Abang and Jack Tan who played the younger brother Adik. That said, the entire cast is also magnificent. Last but not least, special honor should also be given to the actor who played "Auntie Money" but whose name escaped me. Given how well-crafted this is, how deeply it touches, I predict this will be an Oscar contender and I certainly hope I am right in my prediction.