Sometimes it feels like such a relief when other cultures prove as ridiculously shallow as ours. Isn’t that a relief? I know next-to-nothing about Indonesia, and yet I here’s a high school musical featuring two teens falling in love while singing and dancing.
Awwwww.
Look! It is just as silly as anything we have! There’s no hidden agenda, political bent, or deeper meaning. Just two silly kids falling in love. What could be more American? Except that not one iota of this film is American. Go figure.
Ok, so how does this silliness begin? With a poetry contest, of course. Because … why not? Rangga (El Putra Sirira) and Cinta (Leya Princy) are the best students in school. (As Rangga is clearly in college, I should hope so.) Rangga wins the prize, to Cinta’s dismay. Adding insult to injury, her job on the student newspaper requires her to interview the winner.
Rangga is broody and reluctant, because of course. Movies tell me constantly that being a broody loner is the key to a woman’s heart, but IRL I think you just end up lonely. Am I wrong? And here lies the central problem with Rangga & Cinta – it is difficult to be sullen and sing at the same time. Once you start singing, the game’s over, right?
The real controversy in 
this film is that Rangga is a jerk, but common intellectual curiosity might melt this frozen heart. Gee, I sure hope so.
Cinta, btw, means “love” in Indonesian. How fitting, right? And how symbolic. Is Rangga avoiding love? Hostile to love? Indifferent to love? Oh, I’m so into the metaphor, aren’t you?
I found Rangga & Cinta no better or worse than “High School Musical.” Ten years ago, that would have been a damning statement. Now? I guess I’ve softened marginally on Disney’s evil … probably because Disney has so many other crappy musicals to offer. Gee, doesn’t that one look OK in comparison. Is that a good enough reason to watch this film? I should hope not, but if you ever have a choice between this and a non-animated Disney musical, maybe pick Rangga & Cinta.
This Indonesian brooder named Rangga
Had trouble getting along-a
Then Cinta one day
Presented his way
It was probably better *sigh* in the manga
Rated TV-14, 119 Minutes
Director: Riri Riza (Three ri’s an a za, huh?)
Writer: Mira Lesmana, Jujur Prananto, Rako Prijanto
Genre: Stupid kid tricks
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Fans of High School Musical
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: If you didn’t like High School Musical in English, I doubt it gets better in Indonesian
