Agak Laen

When I was walking in to watch this movie, I didn't have any big expectation. I thought , "ah maybe this is just like most of the comedy movie where joke is in 1-3 scenes." But I was wrong, all of these comedy movies that I have watched, I've never been laughing this hard all time. Every scenes are delivered with really good punch joke where whole cinema laughing constantly. They are milking bataknese stereotype joke with bataknese accent so hard hahaha. This movie is definitely rewatchable. Although this film might be hard for you who watch dub or sub since most of the jokes are delivered in Indonesian but it's okay, just bring your Indonesian friend to watch together haha.

I think Indonesian comedy movies are saturated with stand-up talents with one-liner jokes that spread throughout a simple, nice backdrop for the main story. This caused a string of box office hits but no substance that could differentiate one movie from the others. Agak Laen proved that the formula could be fresh if brought by a really amazing story backdrop and sense of realism.

The movie has a perfect sitcom setup. A haunted house attraction becomes viral after a real person died there. It's full of great scenes with cool comedic timings, they know how to turn between drama and funny scenes well. I feel like the four characters are too many since their traits seem to be similar, hence it's blurry to remember who's who. The plot tries to give nuance with more chemistry and personal issues, and it works!

The climax is one of the best I've ever seen. It goes realistic and does not ignore basic logic even though it's comedy. I am still hugely disappointed by how they keep making blunt advertisements throughout the movie, which I think could be better. Still, watching Agak Laen gives me hope that Indonesia comedy movies do have great future.

The story of this comedy film was done very well and succeeded in combining comedy, horror, sadness, love, conflict and satire. The transitions between story segments flow very neatly, for me the concept and story style of this film is reminiscent of the style of Coen Brothers films.

In several scenes, the audience can be sad and smile and even laugh at the same time. The director and writer, Mukladi Acho, was very successful in packaging and mixing all the scene transitions very well.

Another thing that I think is extraordinary is the cast, almost all of whom have stand-up comedian backgrounds. Their roles and acting are so good and very natural.

This film has succeeded in making a new breakthrough in the style of comedy films in Indonesia, the challenge now is to maintain the continuity of the subsequent films.

With that tittle it is indeed delivers just that .. stranger things in a funny way that is. From the befinning of the movie maybe one will think it is another ordinary slapstick comedy movie from Indonesian which is the norm all this years or decades if you will.

Then the pace of the movie starts to pick up . One thing leads to another. And that is when the movie is worth the watch all the way right up till the end.

Worth to mention as well that this is oen of the movie that you will want to keep backing up the bad guys . The story telling was done in way that wont bore you down .

And yes in time the story build all around the guys and thats the pillars of it all . Yes life is hard and nothing is easy but the way life was endure was really another level.

**Headline

**Rating: 7.5/10**

**Suggestion:** "Agak Laen" stands out for its quirky storytelling and relatable characters. The film captures the essence of everyday life with a comedic twist, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. The humor is often spot-on, allowing viewers to connect with the characters' struggles and triumphs.

However, some plot points feel underdeveloped, leaving certain character arcs lacking depth. The pacing occasionally dips, which might disengage some viewers. Still, the film's charm lies in its ability to portray the ordinary with a whimsical touch, making it a delightful watch overall. It successfully combines humor with heart, offering valuable life lessons without being overly preachy.