Ada Apa dengan Cinta?

Watching this movie makes you want to go back to the time where you were a high school. A movie that reflects our lives as a teenager with all the problems and excitement within. High school memories never be the unforgettable ones.

Taking from Cinta's point of view, friendship and love can't mixed very well together. She sees that she must choose one of them. To get both of them means that she has to lie about it. But after all, it's no friendship at all if friends can't understand the problem faced by the others. That's a friend for, to share and to cheer up each other. Love is another thing, in a different side of one's life, but love is understandable.

Generally, this movie is enjoyable to watch. Not too dramatic, picturing in a very ordinary way, but yet, it touches the soul of the story. And the most endearing of this movie is the ending. An ending that makes people want to see it again and again.

It's a local champ, and can be a very entertaining teen flick worldwide. Real characters fill this high-school love movie. The script smoothly runs the story, and strongly constructs the whole first love theme. The love-and-hate chemistry between the main characters works very well too. Actually, the scene where Rangga (the guy, Nicholas Saputra) dropped his precious book in Cinta (the girl, Dian Sastro) is too much of a coincidence... and simply the easiest way to move the story forward. Still acceptable, though. Supporting actress Ladya Cheryll (as Alya, Cinta's friend) delivers a very natural screen-stealing performance. Good music, good faces, good ending too. Overall, this is the kind of movie for a date, for a lazy Sunday afternoon, and for all time.

While everyone seems to be sick and tired of Hollywood teen flicks, Indonesia churns out one which is top-notch. I'm Malaysian, and Bahasa Indonesia is pretty different from Bahasa Malaysia although they're supposedly almost identical. I watched it in the cinema so there were subtitles, which helped a lot.

This is one teen flick that you'll regret you didn't take the time to watch. It revolves around average people leading average lives, which makes it so easy to relate to. It tells a story of the choices you've to make in your life. Choosing your friends or your boyfriend. Many people are faced with this challenge in life, and this movie excellently portrays Cinta's (Love; the girl's name) social life (involving her four best friends) and the boy whom she fell in love with.

She has two choices to make--choose her friends, or Rangga (the boy). She finally has to make this decision one day when Alya (who seems to be in a terrible state), her best friend, calls her and asks her out just when she's about to go and see Rangga.

What makes this movie so memorable, so beautiful is that it is no where near shallow. It revolves around the problems that plague teenagers around the world today, as well as political problems that many countries currently face. It also promotes "karya sastera", or literature, and poetry as well as music amongst teenagers. After all, it is literature that brings Cinta and Rangga together.

I watched this movie over and over, and each time I walked out of the cinema feeling strangely elated. "Ada Apa Dengan Cinta?" reminds you of how it was like being young and innocent and free. It reminds you of the beauty of young love, and the importance of friends. It reminds you of how the strangest circumstances can bring people together and forge a bond so tight that not even distance would never be able to separate them.

Rather than use "What's Up with Love?" as the English translation to the title, I would have used "What is it about Love?". Certainly, the plot is basically about two teenagers experiencing those roller-coaster emotions that come with the first yearnings of love/mutual attraction. They find themselves behaving quite unlike their usual selves, and it makes them stop and ask the question "What is it about love?". (Of course, it ties in nicely that the female protagonist's name is Cinta, which is "love" in Indonesian).

The plot is universal enough for anyone to relate to. So the real attraction of this movie lies in the strong script, the good shots used and the ability of the young actors to interact with each other on-screen. They don't seem camera-conscious and they aren't given awful lines or skimpy clothes that seem to be standard stuff in teen movies.

I'm jaded when it comes to watching teen movies (in fact I hardly bother with them now that I'm not a teen) but this one I really liked. Cinta's school friends certainly remind me of the friends I had in school, so it was pretty realistic to me.

What ties it all together is the clever use of an awesome soundtrack with all original songs written by the brilliant Melly Goeslaw. The music itself can tell the story, and that says a lot for it.

There are weak moments, as there are in most movies. But nothing I've cringed at, or anything I care to remember. I cannot understand much of the Indonesian language and yet the movie spoke to me, so I give it my thumbs up.

Simply one of the best Indonesian movies. It's a sweet, yet touching chick-flick that will always be a favorite. The story contains some good messages--mostly about friendship, attitude, and the art of literature. The actors and actresses did a really good job in displaying the uniqueness of every character. Rangga, portrayed by Nicholas Saputra, is a lovable one for sure. Not only for his charming look, but also for his personality. And so does Cinta, portrayed by Dian Sastrowardoyo--a funny, bold, and popular clique girl. The screenplay & concept are also excellent. There are some memorable quotes and poems which everyone will love. No wonder this movie is a big 'hit' again in 2014. Even for teenagers who were only one or two years old when the movie came out. 'Ada Apa dengan Cinta?' is definitely an eternal favorite and a good reference for movie learning purpose.