Haunted by the past

What goes through your mind when a boy with wannabe rocker fashion suddenly appears at your door and claims to be your son? Your world may be turned upside down.

It happens to Tommy (played by musician Ferdy Taher), a former rock star from the 1980s. Masih Bukan Cinta Biasa (Still Not an Ordinary Love) is a sequel of Bukan Cinta Biasa [Not an Ordinary Love], which amused audiences of some 500,000 people back in 2009.

Director and screen writer Benni Setiawan still relies on the same formula from the first film to raise the audience’s curiosity -- a sudden appearance of a child from the past.

The first film talked about the massive change that occurs in Tommy’s free-living lifestyle when a 15-year-old girl showed up at his apartment and told him she was his biological daughter. Tommy, whose golden days as a rock star were over, struggled to face up to the reality and tried to become a religious and loving father. The sequel centers on Vino, another kid who claims to be his child and the change of lifestyle Tommy has to endure while living with his wife, Lintang (Wulan Guritno), and his daughter, Nikita (Olivia Jensen).   

While the first film centered on Tommy, Nikita and Lintang, the sequel focuses on the troubles that occur after Vino moves in to live with the family, and Tommy’s crisis of identity as a musician and the head of the family. Tommy and his family soon become frustrated at seeing Vino’s rowdy attitude, which resembles much of Tommy’s youth. The rocker boy’s presence also affects the relationship between Tommy and Lintang, prompting frequent arguments between the two.

Lintang, who becomes the family’s breadwinner, refuses to let Tommy return to his music. Tommy, who does most of the household chores, feels underappreciated because it is already too late for him to look for another job now that he is in his 40s.  This comedy-drama introduces Axel Andaviar as a newcomer. The young guitarist, who is son of guitarist Noviar “Ovy” Rachmansyah with the band Rif, delivers a natural performance as a rock musician and rebellious child, although he may need to work on his expressions.

Ferdy Taher’s acting has improved with the sequel, which requires him to explore feelings of sadness. He could count on Benni as a director with good advice if he encountered difficulties with a scene requiring him to cry.

“I never really cry in my life, that is why the sad scenes were difficult for me. Mas Benni told me to imagine that what happens to Vino happens to my own child, and that worked well,” he said, adding that he only needed 15 minutes to get the emotional feelings to come out.

Benni, who won the Piala Citra award last year, did a good job in heightening the plot and peppering it with a pinch of surprise. And there are several corny jokes he tries to crack during a scene when the band Boxis tries to recruit a vocalist.

Entertaining as it is, the movie is not flawless. It has a missing link, in that it fails to explain Vino’s process of contemplation. Moreover, in one early scene, there is an unnecessarily long shot that depicts Vino’s tattoos on his skinny and muscle-less body, which may not be too appealing for viewers.

Verdict: A light family film with a nice soundtrack: songs that can make you smile.

Masih Bukan Cinta Biasa (Still Not an Ordinary Love)
Starring: Ferdy Taher, Wulan Guritno, Olivia Jensen, Axel Andaviar, Joe P. Project
Production: WannaB Pictures
Director and writer: Benny Setiawan