Rumah Ketujuh

The latest of Mira Lesmana production Rumah Ketujuh was a romantic-comedy set to be released for Valentine's Day 2003. The story was about two childhood friends, each have different beliefs in searching for their soulmate. The girl relies on astrology, while the boy likes to interprets his dreams.

With this kind of movie, the audience know how the movie ends even before the first act is over. Everybody knows the destination. It's the journey that counts. Unfortunately, despite some interesting things going on througout the movie, there's no real excitement, no real hardship that makes the destination seem to be really worth it. The ending was just too darn flat.

"From the makers of 'Ada Apa dengan Cinta?' and 'Eliana, Eliana'." Considering the heights of 'Ada Apa dengan Cinta?' and 'Eliana, Eliana', the statement above is quite considerable. But 'Rumah Ketujuh' is not as grand as that statement sounds.

Childhood pals Cakra and Lintang are in the search of their soulmate. Virgo-girl Lintang strongly believes that she should find a Taurus guy before her 25th birthday, while not-so-sensitive Cakra insists that he will find the girl of his dream in a situation quite exactly with what he finds in his dreams: amidst the crowd (of a party).

While going their own way to finding Mr. and Mrs. Right, they soon discover that their paths are not far separated. A full-of-dialogue journey that is quite enjoyable, especially if you are a Jakartan who's familiar with Hollywood's romantic comedies.

'Rumah Ketujuh' has all the potential to knock me out snoring in the cinema with its never-ending dialogues and never-there actions, but ... magically... I STAY AWAKE all the way. Even when I saw it for the third time! Indra Birowo as Cakra and Dewi Rezer as Lintang deliver a naturally-flowing chemistry.

The flick is supposed to be of a character-driven kind, yet the characters are not extraordinary. Yes, they believe in dreams and astrology, but then... they don't go to the extremes in this case. It lessens the height of the movie, however that's the way to make it enjoyable. And moreover, these characters are those next door people. We easily relate and go along with them.

Indra Lesmana's score swing high and low, making 'Rumah Ketujuh' an audio roller coaster. The movie is a good first-date activity, while the soundtrack is gonna be my all-time fave.

For Lintang (Dewi Rezer), astrology is the best way for her guide in searching her soul mate. She believes that the one for her is a man beneath the Taurus sign and she must find him before her 25th birthday, which she going to celebrate in for few days more. For Cakra (Indra Birowo), her friend since childhood, trust a dream he encountered is a perfect sign to indicate his love fate. He believes those several same dreams that happen to him are going to shows that his true love is. His dream is about a mysterious woman he meets in a party's crowd. The different perspective they got make them keep arguing every days and ends in a pledge to prove whose wrong between them. The deadline is Lintang 25th birthday. Soon enough, both of them meet with a person that they think are they love mate. Lintang meet up with Arman (Gary Iskak) and Cakra rally with Alina (Andara Early). Everything seem runs well, until Lintang and Cakra is getting busy with their new link and make their friendship in the edge of torn apart.

From the director that brings the teenager's loving flick, `Ada Apa Dengan Cinta', Rudy Sudjarwo, `Rumah Ketujuh (Seventh House)' is a romantic comedy for more mature audiences. The premise that the film offers is a good quality and promising a well entertainment. Too bad that the result is `Rumah Ketujuh' runs in a flat road. The conflicts that the film need is not explore enough. The high expectation that it have built is not satisfied enough. The focusing is to stressing to the main characters and forgetting the development of the rest of the other characters, like Arman (whose have only a several line) and the most interesting character, Alina. It's really hassle the film's structure in general.

The jazzy soundtrack by Indra Lesmana is well-done, but I don't think it fit the theme of the film. It soooo old (duh?). The characters are young adults, not a mature person! I think they should pick more hip and fresh young adults musician too.

Technically, `Rumah Ketujuh' is good in packing. The cinematography approach in a fresh ways, but in wardrobe department surely needs to find more fashionable designer. In wide-ranging `Rumah Ketujuh' is an average film and definitely needed to go to the planning room once again in order to bake it more properly.

5/10

"Rumah Ketujuh" is another Rudi Soedjarwo's market oriented movie, just like Ada Apa Dengan Cinta. But, unlike AADC, this movie is not that ugly.

It has a good script, flowing just like a water in the river. The script is also intelligent, yet it's very enjoyable to watch. Rayya Makarim has once again done a very good job.

I like the acting, especially Dewi Rezer's. She is just plain amazing. This is her first movie, but she already showed a good quality acting. Once again, when compared to Dian Sastrowardoyo's stupid-like-a-newbie actress acting on Ada Apa Dengan Cinta.

However, this movie isn't perfect. Though the script is fast-paced, the movie itself is very slow. And this movie lacks plot. It has a good idea, talking about astrology and its implication in our life. But it is not very "astrologic". "Rumah Ketujuh" would've been better if Rudi incorporate more astrology thing to Rumah Ketujuh (via dialogues). The lack-of-plot can be covered by adding dialogues that contains astrology-trivia.

Conclusion: This movie is significantly better than AADC, but it's still a so-so movie. The love story has no depth, and so is the astrology-thing. Rudi should've put more depth to either the story, or the astrology-thing, so that the movie is not easily forgettable.

My Rating: 6 out of 10 (2 points better than AADC)