WHAT THEY DON’T TALK ABOUT WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT LOVE

Original title: Yang Tidak Dibicarakan Ketika Membicarakan Cinta

Directed by: Mouly Surya
Starring: Nicholas Saputra, Ayushita Nugraha, Karina Salim, Priambodo, Lupita Jennifer

With such a lengthy title, this one is surprisingly "quiet" although not a silent film at all. With storytelling reminded you of the Dardennes brother, What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love, is an unusual love story and a good one. That is if you ara patient enough to read between the lines since I doubt summer moviegoers who flocked into Iron Man 3 and consider the special effect as the pinnacle of movie making will enjoy this one.

In a school for disabled children, or teen, there are Diana (Karina Salim), a girl with low vision (she can only see things an inch from her eyes) who secretly liked her peer, Andhika (Anggun Priambodo) who happen to be visually impaired too. Then there's Fitri (Ayushita Nugraha), another visually impaired girl who had a some sort of boyfriend but hooked into Edo (Nicholas Saputra), who is mute.

How do they speak of love if their senses are impaired? That is how this film succeed to convey. Although they had disabilities, their love is just like anybody.They must transcend their disabilities to express their feelings. Their mistakes and misunderstanding is very human. Surprisingly this film is very simple and does not try to be too difficult or reduced itself into a tearjerker moments.

The acting was good, with Nicholas Saputra shines all by himself and as a marquee name, he proves that he is worthy of admission price. However I feel something is lacking in the subtleties that follows, I think it could have been more deep and symbolic. But it is not bad, as the first Indonesian movie to be screened at Sundance this year, Mouly Surya is a filmmaker to watch.