Ketemu Jodoh (1973) Movie Review, Film Still and Poster

Indonesia 1973
Director: S.A.Karim
Cast: S. Bagio, Eddy Gombloh, Dewi Puspa, Ully Artha, Ratmi B29, Tan Ceng Bok
Rating: Dewasa (Adult)
Language: Bahasa Indonesia
VCD Quality: Poor/Decent/Excellent
Release Date: 1973; 10 August 2000 (VCD)
Running Length: 1 hour 24 minutes 43 seconds

The Movie Review

Ketemu Jodoh film still 1


KETEMU JODOH ( Meet the Soulmates )
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

Serendipity, yes a simple word with many possibilities to build a storyline. That's also the word underlying the premise of this classic Indonesian movie. Headlined by Indonesian actors and actresses that almost all of them have passed away years back, Ketemu Jodoh is in fact still could be enjoyed amidst the modern Indonesian Movies. Ketemu Jodoh if roughly translated in English would be "Meet the Soulmates"

Bagio (S. Bagio) and Kun (Eddy Gombloh) respectively is the president and the vice president of a company named PT. Karya Kalindo. Bagio is about to leave for Singapore, so he hands over the key of his house to his Housemaid, Minah (Ratmi B.29). Later on, in a restaurant Bagio meets two attractive girls, Dewi (Dewi Puspa) and Yuli (Ully Artha). Bagio had bumped to Dewi before and caused her to mad at him for walking carelessly. Bagio offers them jobs in his company with bigger salaries than usual. For Bagio's kindness and Dewi's apologize, Dewi and Yuli ask him to come for a supper in the house where they live.

However it turns out that Bagio and Eddy's boss cancels Bagio trip to Singapore. And so Bagio is stunned upon seeing that he is invited to his own house and confused that his stuff are not in their place anymore. Especially when he doesn't see Minah everywhere! Bagio then asks the reluctant Kun to help him solve the problem.

---Start of Spoiler Possibility Alert---
It turns out that Minah is Dewi and Yuli's neighbour back from their village, and Minah kindly offers Dewi and Yuli to stay at Minah's employer (Bagio himself) in exchange for Minah to able to go back home to her hometown. Dewi's father Mr. Item and Yuli's Mom Mrs. Salmah are worried about their daughters’ whereabouts so they brave themselves to go to Jakarta with no idea at all for what have been really happening to Dewi and Yuli.
---End of Spolier Possibility Alert---

As I was saying before all actors populating this light comedy film are already passed away thus giving the instant classic feel to the overall tone. Although Eddy Gombloh appears wooden most of the time and quite different with his other films, luckily that doesn’t affect much. Many classic Indonesian movies were shoot in Jakarta but this time it shows you also the look of the old Stasiun Kota or Beos (Kota Railway Station) where tourists occasionally go to a Cafe with the old Dutch/Batavia atmosphere not very far from there, well this is only an additional info actually.

Ketemu Jodoh biggest advantage is, of course, the idea itself of multiple coincidences. An idea that could actually easily fall to the cheesy/tacky realm, however that's not the case in Ketemu Jodoh. The pace is enjoyable with only minor scenes that are actually need to be deleted, but I could overlook that. Since the way the storyline being unraveled is clever. The audience is intrigued to see how the story will end. The comedy side is there, but there is zilch moment of laugh-out-loud, probably only a few chuckle-inducing scenes and a plenty dose of gentle (and also, in the contrary, slapstick) jokes.

Nevertheless as this comedy movie has its biggest advantage, it also has its biggest flaw, sadly that flaw is in the finale scene, just when the audience were expecting to see "big bang" on how everything comes to a clear understanding, the filmmakers end it only with a simple conversation. Ouch... Such a waste! Since the ending scene is actually one of the most important factors of a movie that is expected to linger in audience's mind, linger with satisfaction that is...

Ketemu Jodoh is not a great movie but is nevertheless a very decent comedy to watch. Plus, it almost devoid of any rude words.