deliasayang

Ada Apa dengan Cinta? (2002)

Better than most Hollywood teen movies, for sure.

Rather than use "What's Up with Love?" as the English translation to the title, I would have used "What is it about Love?". Certainly, the plot is basically about two teenagers experiencing those roller-coaster emotions that come with the first yearnings of love/mutual attraction. They find themselves behaving quite unlike their usual selves, and it makes them stop and ask the question "What is it about love?". (Of course, it ties in nicely that the female protagonist's name is Cinta, which is "love" in Indonesian).

The plot is universal enough for anyone to relate to. So the real attraction of this movie lies in the strong script, the good shots used and the ability of the young actors to interact with each other on-screen. They don't seem camera-conscious and they aren't given awful lines or skimpy clothes that seem to be standard stuff in teen movies.

I'm jaded when it comes to watching teen movies (in fact I hardly bother with them now that I'm not a teen) but this one I really liked. Cinta's school friends certainly remind me of the friends I had in school, so it was pretty realistic to me.

What ties it all together is the clever use of an awesome soundtrack with all original songs written by the brilliant Melly Goeslaw. The music itself can tell the story, and that says a lot for it.

There are weak moments, as there are in most movies. But nothing I've cringed at, or anything I care to remember. I cannot understand much of the Indonesian language and yet the movie spoke to me, so I give it my thumbs up.