Catatan Harian si Boy (2011) Movie Review, Trailer and Poster

Indonesia 2011
Director: Putrama Tuta
Cast: Ario Bayu, Carissa Putri, Albert Halim, Abimana Setya, Poppy Sovia, Tara Basro, Paul Foster, Onky Alexander, Didi Petet, Btari Karlinda
Rating: Remaja (Teen)
Language: Bahasa Indonesia
Release Date: 25 June 2011
Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes

The Movie Review

As a person who had watched the original sequels of Catatan si Boy (1987), I realize I'm awfully late to see this at Wednesday July 6th, but better than never! (Pret, Alasan!)

To be just on the level with you all, I don't remember much about the whole plot of Catatan si Boy since the last time I checked, its VCD/DVD was still yet to be released. Besides I could watch the movie back then just because my cousin kidnapped me to be her date buffer! In case something went wrong, she'd bail out by using me as an excuse! Sob... sob... But now I can thank her for that experience. The original Catatan si Boy and its sequels are such a big legend... In fact, the name/nick "Boy" was use to refer someone praise-worthy in many aspects. Many kids my age were somehow "competing" to get that nickname. :-)


CATATAN (HARIAN) Si BOY (Diary about Boy)
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

So on that Wednesday Night, at 9 o'clock pm, we chose seats at the uppermost row of the studio which gave me broader view of the viewers. And we had fun alright, many laughter and shocks to hear Indonesian everyday language being used which comprises of strong crude words/insults including (sorry, for Info only): "Anj*ng, Ta*". Yep, we were kinda stunned to hear those words, but believe it or not those words are important building blocks for many jokes that are uttered by Andy (Abimana Setya).

This movie is about a diary which is held very tightly in a weak hand of a woman who's in a comma. It turns out that woman is Nuke (Unknown actress), the old flame of Boy (Onky Alexander). After Tasha --who is Nuke's daughter-- gets a hold of the diary, she realizes how her mother loves Boy so much and the journal is simply all about him. Tasha (Carissa Putri) thinks probably that if she could bring Boy back to her mom, their meeting would greatly ease her pain. But she is just a new kid in Jakarta, she spent almost all of her life in London, her only companion is her boyfriend, Nico (Paul Foster) who has his own problem with brutal debtor.

Tasha meets Satrio and his friends in a police station and soon enough they get along very well and Satrio is even willing to help Tasha find this Boy. However Tasha's present is not entirely welcomed by Satrio's friends, especially his boss Nina (Poppy Sovia) who has a crush on him. Furthermore, Satrio's close relationship with Tasha enrages Nico who will do nasty things to them. What will happen to Satrio, Nina, Nico and Tasha? Will they find Boy?

To make it short, I both hate and love this sequel/remake. But whatever the reasons or whatever any movie critic has to say about this movie, it won't curb the intention of CSB fans to flock the cinemas day and night to see it! Yeah I know that. So let me make it straight. The script at the beginning is terrible and the characterization is a mixed bag. How can you take side of an a*shole like Satrio who deliberately steals someone's girlfriend? It would be understandable if Nico is such a woman-beater or a player, but his only problem is that he owes money to someone else and he's even responsible for taking care of Tasha's mother. But how can we also take side on Nico who is afraid to fight Satrio one on one and choose to hire some goons to beat the heck out of Satrio and his innocent friends? I'm glad that Satrio is not Boy' son! I wished that Nico from the beginning of the movie was set to be Tasha's annoying creepy ex-boyfriend who's stalking her all the way from London to Jakarta. So that Satrio's present is entirely acceptable. How can Satrio be said as cool if he deliberately disrupts the 3-year relationship between Nico and Tasha which they had been friend first for 8 years?!

But why did I give this movie a high rating? Aww simple mate... Catatan (Harian) si Boy is freaking awesome! :-D Totally entertaining in terms of comedy and action. The comedy is not that slapstick kind of humor but smart humor that really reflects the everyday conversation and jokes between young Indonesians (mostly Jakartans I guess). Seriously the studio was full of laughter and it gives this unspeakable satisfying feeling.... And I really miss this feeling....
The action is also there, not a lot of car chases but the fighting scenes are great for a drama. But what really surprised me is the awesome and top-notch performance of Albert Halim (as Herry) as the replacement of Emon in the original Catatan si Boy. Herry is the transsexual/gayish type of guy but he's a nice guy who can be a real man when it comes to saving his friends. His body language and jokes are just Awesome! Another one who is precious to the movie is Abimana Setya (as Andi), Satrio's friend who talks vulgar and dirty but great when it comes to fighting or giving wise advice. Andi's has got these full set of vulgar jokes that really really cracked the whole studio up! :-D

So fellas, go hurry and see this film! But for those who doesn't understand Indonesian, the language might be a hurdle to fully enjoy it. Take your Indonesian friends to see the movie with you and ask them questions about the jokes, and you will understand many things about Indonesian colloquial language from this motion picture. I'm looking forward for a day where I can re-watch this movie. It sure is a satisfying Indonesian film!

> NB: Oh and guess what? There are cameos by Btari Karlinda, Onky Alexander and Didi Petet. Do you think Didi Petet (as legendary Emon) is still gayish? See it yourself ;-D

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com
posted: Sunday, 10 July 2011 10:54 am