Gie

The first thing in my mind after watching this movie was INTERPRETATION IS LEGAL!!

If you found this movie was disappointed then the diary which this movie was based on, was also disappointed since it only had fragment of events instead of Soe Hok Gie's mind. The director has tried to add some fictional character (at least 3) to dramatize the story but the result was not as good as I expected.

Removing three girls and adding two fictional girls in the name of the romance won't get any praise from me. When (if you read the diary) the real Gie was a platonist and he couldn't tell anyone, even him self, whether he loved one or more of those three girls, in the movie, Gie were able to determine he loved one of those two fictional girls.

Adding 'Chin Han' in the movie could be a good decision. Chin Han was representation of grass-root people, especially they who were actually blind in politic world but naively support a party. If only Riri Riza stopped after the scene when Chin Han was kidnapped in the dawn of Soeharto's era, this movie would not be a tendentious movie.

Removing the detail of the scene when Gie met Soekarno, especially the dialog, was the part which really disappointed me. Instead of showing how Gie accused Soekarno as immoral president (as he described in his diary), Riri Riza presented a story of a too-large-jacket which worn by Gie in Istana Presiden (President's Palace). Was Riri afraid of Soekarno's supporter? Whatever the reason is, the scene was disappointed, just as "Soekarno met Marhaen" scene in Yayasan Anak Bangsa's Soekarno which was released three years before.

Gie was shown as most-perfect man in this movie and nobody else in the movie as perfect as he was. He had respect to woman. He was an idealist. But in reality, he was just a naive (and some times naughty) young lad. He watched the porn movie (he admitted himself in the diary). He had a serious discussion with Ong Hok Kam (also bright student) who unfortunately, Riza reduce his name to "one of Gie's friend".

The movie version of Gie wasn't a real Gie.. Well, at least, it didn't close to my interpretation of Gie. However, as I said in the beginning, "interpretation is legal"

This movie is a part of Indonesian Struggle when Soekarno almost ended. But the struggle not just for origin Indonesian race, that other race can do that, Chinese include for the struggle. Gie, as a student have idea who really want free and this country should have shape for the our future. But, the Gie feeling disappointed with all the happened not supporting him. Finally, he going to some mountains for forget the politics. Nature is his soul, he can enjoy at there and thinking about the God. Relationship Gie with the mountains give him strength and peace. I love the scene when Sita singing "Donna dona". Its very powerful.....but this movie very slowly so that I'm not patient.

I would have to agree with another comment giver on this movie about the vagueness of Gie's relationship with his father, the human side of Gie that only appeared in the latter part of the movie, the fact that Gie always seemed to be sheltered from the fistfights that rampantly broke up among the debaters at the university, and the narration style that was rather monotonous and unclear. However, I must say that when watched in a more relaxed mood, I really did enjoy the cinematography of this movie. The soundtrack and the casting were fabulous as well (umh, hello, you don't get any better than Nicholas Saputra!).

However, I'm rather disappointed with the plot of the latter part of the movie, but since this was based on true story then I really can't blame the screenwriter--I just expected better from such an important and respected man in Indonesia's history.

Anyway, this movie is an interpretation of the life of Soe Hok Gie, a young Chinese Indonesian activist who lived in the 1960's and was an influential freelance journalist and university students' leader who opposed the communist party and the regimes of Indonesia's first presidents Sukarno and Suharto. His dream was to see Indonesia become a land truly founded on justice and righteousness, and his academic life was all about the fight to make this come true. Up to the point that he reaches the climax of seeing the Sukarno regime crumble down, I have tremendous respect for this person, and I still esteem him as a very important person in Indonesia's history. I am also proud to share his Chinese heritage. I just feel really pity, though, that Soe did not seem to be quite ready to grow out of an intellectual student's life and face a new season afterwards. Do watch the movie to find out what I mean. I think it should be legitimate, though, to hint that you won't be disappointed with the way the filmmakers portrayed the ending... I'll keep you curious on this one. WATCH IT!

By the way, if you read Indonesian, feel free to surf to my journal entry "Catatan Seorang Perantau" for my further thoughts on this movie and what I think today's intelligent young generation should learn from it. www.myspace.com/graceclarissa

My biggest satisfaction in this movie is watching Nicolas acting out all the characters in Soe Hok Gie. I read the diary before watching the movie, and Nicolas is so spot-on about most of Soe Hok Gie. Superb. Love Nicolas sooooo much!

"Gie" is a movie based on the true story of the young Indonesian student activist Soe Hok Gie (1942-1969). He was a vocal, idealistic, often angry voice criticizing the government of Soekarno in the 1960's. The movie follows the life of Gie from childhood, showing the influences that shaped his uncompromising character. His early days as a schoolboy already shows signs of an unyielding will, especially in the face of unjust authority. Gie kept a diary of his thoughts and opinions, which forms the backbone of this film. He was a voracious reader, and was especially attracted to the existentialist thinking of Albert Camus. He was also a prodigious and articulate writer, penning countless critiques of the government, both as a student and later as a lecturer at the prestigious University of Indonesia. His diary is full of musings on different aspects of life. He led student anti-government rallies. Yet at heart he is a patriot, ultimately concerned with the well being of Indonesia and its poorest citizens. His untimely death at 26 due to accidental poisoning by noxious fumes from the Semeru mountain in Java ended a life of prodigious output. The movie does not reveal merely the political aspect of his life, but also poetry, love, and his passionate dedication to a self-examined life. At almost three hours long, it does not feel dull and at the end the viewer is cinematic ally satisfied. It reminds me of the intensely emotional dramas of Martin Scorsese, in particular the recent "Aviator". In technical respects the movie does not quite reach those heights, but it has the same intimate personal feel. You know from watching this film that the Director is passionate about the material. The cinematography is gorgeous, especially in the outdoor and mountain scenes. It is not perfect, some scenes feel a bit long, and some of the acting is uneven, but on the whole it is highly recommended, especially for young Indonesians striving for a sense of national identity and purpose in their lives.