Category: Foreign language drama
Original Indonesian Title: 1 Kakak 7 Ponakan
Directed by: Yandy Laurens
Reminded me of: Wonder
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"Damo, Damo, you have to watch this - I heard it's really good!" said Mrs. Damo, right after Mr. Damo recovered from watching Siksa Kubur. And as soon as it started, Damo realised that he and Mrs. Damo have a VERY different taste in movies.
Apparently, this movie is an adaptation of a Sinetron titled (in English) "A Sister & Seven Siblings" from the 1990s, just with a gender-swap.
The plot:
The movie starts off with Moko (Chicco Kurniawan) who moves in with his heavily pregnant older sister and her husband, Agnes and Atmo (Maudy Koesnaedi and Kiki Narendra) to prepare for his thesis defence and graduation to a Masters program in architecture. Agnes and Atmo live with Woko (Fatih Unru), Nina (Freya Jayawardana, credited here as Freya JKT48) and Ano (Ahmad Nadif) who is Atmo's nephew.
Moko and Maurin (Amanda Rawles) are in a relationship, though it's hard to tell how serious it is.
Moko passes his thesis defence, but right about that time Atmo suddenly dies of a heart attack, the stress of which brings Agnes in to labour. Agnes gives birth to Imah, but dies from excessive bleeding afterwards. Two deaths in the family means that Moko is suddenly the head of the household, supporting three teen children and a baby, and is forced to give up his education and career.
Money worries pile up as Moko tries to get work as an architect, but is fired after he turns up late to a meeting due to family responsibilities. Moko then breaks up with Maurin as he feels he is holding her back while he is stuck being dad to four.
Four soon turns in to five as Nanang, Moko's childhood piano teacher, needs to leave his daughter, Ais (Kawai Labiba) with someone trusted for a month due to family issues. The deal is sweetened by the envelope of cash Nanang leaves. However, throughout it all, Moko is reliable, patient, kind and loving and never shows signs of anger and keeps himself balanced and affable (almost like he's the perfect TV dad).
Two years pass and Ima is now a bit older and doesn't need constant supervision, meaning that Moko can start looking for work. He applies for an entry-level position at an architectural firm, but by sheer chance, the place he interviews at is also where Maurin works. Maurin notices Moko interviewing and interrupts the interview to try bump Moko up to a more senior role. This is successful, but Moko needs to complete a project in order to pass the initial stages.
The laptop that Moko currently has is old and unreliable, so he saves up to buy a Macbook. Unfortunately, right around this time, Ano falls sick, and because Moko was not able to afford the health insurance, the money he planned to buy the Macbook with now has to go to paying for Ano's hospital bills. Taking pity on Moko, Maurin comes over and lets Moko use her laptop to complete his task during an all-nighter while she looks after Ano.
Moko passes and is offered a job. Right around this time, Moko's sister, Osa (Niken Anjani), and her husband Eka (Ringgo Agus Rahman) have arrived back from working in Australia. Eka comes across as very money and career-minded to the point of pride.
The whole cadre go on a short getaway holiday to a beachside town, and it is there that one of the hotel staff, Erna, recognises Ais as one of her relatives where she states that Nanang had previously requested her and her family to look after Ais in their village, but that task went to Moko in Jakarta. That night, Eka gets in to Moko's head about making hard decisions in order to further his career, especially since Moko has been tasked with working on a client project in a far-off town - one of those hard decisions being to put Ais with Erna. Eka also talks a lot of smack about how Moko's family has been a burden to him - which the children all overhear, putting everyone in a sour mood for the trip home.
While in the far-off town, Maurin and Moko grow closer. Moko finds himself being bombarded by requests for money by Eka for household expenses (despite the fact that Moko is already sending money back home). But Moko, always wanting to be agreeable and be the good guy, obliges. During the client presentation, Moko has a sharp disagreement with the client as Moko wants to make the new buildings much more family friendly - something close to Moko's heart - but the client boots him and he gets a reprimand from his boss.
Sensing something is wrong back home, Moko makes an emergency trip back home and finds all the children are out working jobs as Eka has put it in their heads that they need to work to stop being a burden to Moko. Ano works on a construction site, Woko works in a printing shop and Nina as a waitress. Moko goes to each workplace to help convince the kids to stop working and to just be kids. Moko also makes a trip to Ais' village where she is working a drinks stall.
But most curious of all is the Eka is missing - Osa says that Eka had put all the money into investments (including all the money he weaseled out of Moko), but the fact that Eka hasn't returned speaks volumes.
Ais returns, the whole family embrace and realise that the time they have together is most important of all.
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Oh man. Another depressing movie. What is it with Asians and depressing movies? God damn.
That's really it. It's one of those pull-your-heartstrings movies, and in terms of western cinema, the closest I can think of is Wonder.
But another weird one in that no CGI or effects - it is simply a drama. It’s essentially a "sinetron" squished in to movie form.
Having said, I felt it was very by-the-book. Yes, it's sad. Thankfully it's nowhere near as contrived as Sunshine Women's Choir. Man, that really went OTT.
Chicco Kurniawan does his part quite well, and he plays the TV dad quite well.
As a movie, it was OK. A plot that certainly has its contrivances, but doesn't feel too outlandish. I mean, having to look after a house full of people on no (apparent) income does feel a touch unrealistic, but I'm just glad they turned the histrionics down.
STAR RATING: 3/5
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