As usual, i will review a movie. This time I wanna give the chance to one of the indonesian movie called Arisan! To be honest with ya, at first i actually thought this movie would be as boring , as bad, as suck as other local movies, but to my surprise, i gotta give two thumbs up to this one. And definately, this one's worth to be reviewed. Okay, here it goes!
First of all, the movie title is Arisan. For you who doesnt understand what arisan means, it's an uninformal joint financial pool initiated with the aim of fostering and maintaining ties and esprit the corps. It usually involves close friends, neighbors, former classfriends, alumni, office mates etc, who meet on regular intervals at an agreed venue and contribute to a joint revolving fund. Members of an arisan group headed by the treasurer draw lots in an arisan gathering or party to decide who gets the arisan money. Or, for a shorter definition, arisan is a common term for a monthly social gathering between friends and relatives who chip in money to be won in turns through a lucky draw. This movie is definately a breakthrough. Arisan! is a satirical comedy mocking the life of the rich in Jakarta, the capital of indonesia and tackling the taboo subject of homosexuality. I'm really surprise, but also relieved, State censors passed the movie with almost no cuts. Scenes left untouched including the oral sex in public toilet and the controversial gay kissing scenes.
This movie tried and successfully pictured the reflection of true lifestyle of the riches in Jakarta. Arisan really show anything honestly, naturally, and logically. The story is about Meimei, a successful interior designer battling with infertility and married to an unfaithful husband, while Andien, a spoiled housewife, is also married to an unfaithful husband. Leading male character Sakti is their faithful gay friend who is struggling to "cure" his homosexuality, but can't resist to fall in love with a guy, whom loved by MeiMei too. So many problems, but all comes to arisan with creating happy face to hide all of those problems.
By Hollywood standards, the movie is low-budget (US$230,000). But it's really made efficiently, with almost perfect script and great casts and actings, and actually gets a great appreciation of the public as well. A huge success in the small and competitive local market, and eventually is among a crop of new movies seen as signalling the revival of the Indonesian film industry after collapsing for more than a decade.
