Gie

Don't get me wrong,Riri Riza's 2005 biopic, Gie, is well done for what it is.

The movie encompasses the teenage and early adulthood years of Soe Hok Gie, and does so competently enough.

The trouble with Gie is that it's just about two and a half hours long and plods its way through Gie's thoughts and experiences, based on his journal, in a rather uninteresting way.

After having read a few other reviews from other users about the film, it appears Riza also took various liberties with fictionalizing his life, but not in a way that really made the film more interesting (save for adding the character Han to the picture).

What we get is a movie that solemnly trots through Gie's experiences during upheaval and political unrest taking shape in Indonesia during a battle of Democracy versus "guided" Democracy (i.e,. Communism).

The actual upheaval is rarely depicted and the effects of the political change are mostly glossed over in the film itself. We only get Gie's interpretations of these events rather than a cinematic macrocosm of their effects.

In short, despite the film being rather lengthy and covering various events, it doesn't quite elaborate on the societal toll quite like other similar films in the sub-genre, such as The Year of Living Dangerously or The Motorcycle Diaries, both of which managed to capture more of the cinematic idealism of the story's portrayals rather than maintaining a one-note depiction of events.

Even still, Nicholas Saputra's portrayal of Gie is wonderfully refrained. A lot of his inner turmoil and angst are withheld from any outbursts or external shouting matches. Instead Saputra was directed to emote through facial expressions and the matching inner dialogue that the audience experiences through the journal's narration.

I feel like in the hands of a more audacious filmmaker Gie could have been much better than what it is. Even still, if you're unfamiliar with Indonesia or its political history, this is a fascinating film that gives you a small slice of what one of the more turbulent and unpredictable moments in Indonesia's recent political history was like.

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!

this movie was one of my highly anticipated movie, but the result turns me down..basically, the plot is some what boring because of the inconstancy story narration makin its very confusing for me to follow the flow of the main character GIE, at the opening of this movie i already cant understand the whereabouts of gie, so pluralistic but cover almost nothing of gies unique personal background, the question in multidimensional opening scene that it has to cover the "who-why" aspect not just the who part and the why part, which to avoid an misinterpretation.

riri riza should have done more research on the issue of gie especially on hes mind set,in my perspective he himself doesn't understand GIE stand point way of mind where logically how can you expect hem to let the viewer know gie if he himself doesn't understand gie, which in the end he makes the looks of GIE struggle and stand point looks completely naive.

i understand the task in directing GIE is a hard task you have to know and understand philosophy to create the perfect composition of GIE, not just plainly adapting it from hes book which by the way is only a simple diary , plain adaptation of gie is which i think creates the roots of the storyline-disorder of this movie.

the poor artistic value and the unmet tone color of the movie ,even more makes me unattached to the movie , a more effort should have been done in both of the department, but overall i do appreciate riri riza and the gang for the moral effort of even have the boldness to picture a story like this ,salute......

"How a person masters his fate is more important than what his fate is".

-wilhem van Humboldt

"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.

This biopic avoids common genre pitfalls by steering clear of hagiography. Instead, it serves as a mood piece, presenting a series of incidental scenes that intersect with significant historical events, emphasizing their impact.

The film's portrayal of its central character is subtle and poetic, mirroring the understated beauty of the narrative. The cinematography is both strong and seamlessly integrated, balancing formal beauty with naturalism. The film's naturalism is enhanced by its gentle music and focus on small, intimate moments.

Set against a backdrop of political turmoil and corruption, the film's melancholic tone is underscored by the protagonist's love for nature and tranquility, which infuses the story with genuine heart and humanity. It contrasts the calm and serenity of the protagonist's world with the pervasive corruption of the times.

"Gie" stands out for its unique approach to important themes, blending a wistful and melancholic mood with a clear political intent to create a deeply emotional portrait of its era.