Balada Sepasang Kekasih Gila (2021) Review : Love, Madness, and Humanity

 

Balada Sepasang Kekasih Gila | 2021 | 1h 30m
Genre: Drama/Crime | Country: Indonesia
Director: Anggy Umbara | Writers: Anggy Umbara, Han Gagas
Cast: Denny Sumargo, Sara Fajira, Vera Sharoon, etc.
IMDb: 6.3
My Rate: 8/10

Djarot and Lastri, two people considered "crazy" by society, find love in a world that sometimes seems even more chaotic than they are. Haunted by dark pasts, they embark on a journey to discover the meaning of life.

Warning:

Contains sexual content and violence.

 

Synopsis of Balada Sepasang Kekasih Gila

Lastri (Sara Fajira), a woman living with mental illness, is constantly harassed by the people around her. Her presence is seen as a threat and a nuisance. Eventually, she is forced to leave her home and wander the streets until she is kidnapped and raped by a group of thugs.

Lastri retaliates by castrating the man who assaulted her. As a result, she is imprisoned for some time before being released by a woman who claims to be an acquaintance of her aunt. However, Lastri is then forced into prostitution, where she is made to serve men of questionable character.

Djarot (Denny Sumargo), a man with a low IQ, is accused of being a communist after killing several people who bullied him. He is confined to a mental institution, where he experiences harsh treatment during his initial isolation. Eventually, he manages to adjust to life with the other patients.

After his condition is considered improved, Djarot is released from the mental institution. With nowhere to go, he wanders the streets and does whatever he can to survive, including scavenging and searching for food in garbage bins. Even then, he continues to experience unpleasant situations.

Feeling increasingly broken, Lastri decides to escape. During her attempt, she encounters Djarot, who tries to help her. Djarot does everything he can to free Lastri from the guards at the institution where she is being forced into prostitution, even suffering serious injuries in the process. A feeling of "love" begins to grow between them, but fate eventually intervenes and separates them.

What will happen to Lastri and Djarot's lives after that?

 

Review of Balada Sepasang Kekasih Gila

Balada Sepasang Kekasih Gila is a film produced by KlikFilm and adapted from the novel of the same name by Han Gagas. The story has an intriguing premise and offers a unique perspective. It seems to aim to portray the world through the eyes of people whom society considers "unhinged."

The story is narrated by a young child, which makes it feel more meaningful. The narration is also written in aesthetically pleasing language, with wordplay that focuses more on psychological games and patterns of thought.

Unfortunately, the foundation of the story feels weak, particularly when it comes to the characters' backgrounds. There are several inconsistencies that make the direction of the story unclear. The dialogue also sometimes feels forced, as if it is trying too hard to deliver messages about humanity. As a result, some conversations don't flow naturally and feel stiff.

The reason behind Lastri's mental illness, or even the type of mental illness she has, is never explained. There is a scene in which she is given medication to prevent hallucinations. However, Lastri suddenly appears to become "sane" when she is imprisoned, as seen through the changes in her behavior. During her escape, however, she seems to become "crazy" again.

Unlike Lastri, who is imprisoned for her crimes, Djarot is placed in a mental institution for rehabilitation. Even though both characters are considered "crazy" and commit crimes that can be considered relatively similar, they receive very different forms of punishment. This creates an inconsistency in the story.

Djarot is also released from the institution as though he has been considered sane. However, there is no visible difference between his condition when he enters the institution and when he leaves it. This leaves the audience somewhat confused about the conditions of both characters, as if their "madness" can simply appear and disappear depending on the situation.

Another inconsistency concerns the search for the true nature of God. The narration seems to be presented from a specific religious perspective, namely Christianity. This is reinforced by the appearance of a Bible in one scene, and Lastri also confirms her religion. However, the wedding is suddenly conducted using Islamic rituals. This creates some confusion regarding the religious perspective presented by the story.

The acting is quite good. Denny Sumargo, who already has considerable experience, delivers a convincing performance. Surprisingly, Sara Fajira, who made her acting debut with this film, also demonstrates acting skills that are no less impressive. Unfortunately, the costumes and makeup feel less polished and could have been better optimized.

Although some scenes don't make complete sense, changing our perspective while watching the film can help us understand the events that take place. Unfortunately, the ending feels somewhat forced.

Overall, this film is quite good and contains several meaningful messages about humanity. There are still many aspects of the story that could have been explored and developed further.

 
Memorable Scene

Lastri is separated from Djarot after the pickup truck they are hiding in suddenly begins to move. Realizing that she has lost Djarot, Lastri expresses her sadness by crying throughout the journey. Djarot, meanwhile, realizes that Lastri has disappeared and also cries over her departure.

In this scene, we can clearly see the emotional connection between the two characters. They seem to be left wondering whether they will ever meet again. It is a complicated and emotionally layered moment.

 

Memorable Dialogue

"Humans are too busy worshipping their own thoughts."

 

Ending

Sad Ending

 

Recommendation

Worth Watching

 

(Aluna Uwie)

 

Had been published in Alunauwie.com
"This article was originally written in Indonesian and has been adapted into English for international readers."