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Demi Ucok: A drama without too much drama
Scenes from Demi Ucok, dubbed as a film by a mother, a daughter and you
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Scenes from Demi Ucok, dubbed as a film by a mother, a daughter and you.
The movie Demi Ucok (For Ucok), directed by Sammaria Simanjuntak, tells the story of a mother-daughter relationship — a subject that often prompts eyeball rolling and groans from many women and girls.
Yet it tells the tale without having to resort to either hysterical wails or any other unnecessary drama so commonplace in, well, dramas.
Instead, Demi Ucok spices itself up with matter-of-fact bluntness, lovable characters and insights into local traditions as well as current trends.
In the storyline, moviemaker Gloria Sinaga (Geraldine Sianturi) is faced with the challenge of taking a leap forward in her career.
Her first movie four years ago was a moderate success but it was, in her opinion, amateurish, and she has big dreams about her second work being more professionally made, more heartfelt, and so on.
Big as those dreams may be, time is ticking on and she is faced with the challenging task of finding the money to make them come true.
Her mother, Mak Gondut (Mak Gondut), does offer to financially assist her, but, as Gloria puts it, there are terms and conditions with a mother’s love.
In this particular case, the mother has a notion that her own life will end very soon, and before that happens she must see her daughter married to a man from a Batak tribe — the same one their family belongs to.
Yet the cosmopolitan Gloria cringes at the thought of a crowded and lengthy Batak-style wedding where the bride and groom often have little idea of what’s going on or whose hands they are shaking.
Moreover, she fears the possibility of having to give up her dreams and become like her mother — a socialite who seems to be everywhere yet reaching nowhere.
The intergenerational conflict begins, and both mother and daughter proceed to engage in various tactics to get what they want, from raising money on the Internet to asking for contributions from a shady politician. Not to mention Mak Gondut’s schemes to introduce Gloria to a number of single Batak men.
Mak Gondut’s hilarious lines, wily smiles, and, most importantly, natural expressions, are winners in many scenes. Her character, played by the director’s own mother, hits the spot especially for those who are familiar with the Batak culture.
However, Geraldine’s performance is far from being completely overshadowed. She manages to deliver Gloria’s character with all its imperfections — occasionally selfish, childish and even vengeful — as well as her positive traits and, ultimately, her love for her mother.
In addition to the surprising plot twists and unique characters, Demi Ucok is hip and generous in its use of computer graphics to assist in its storytelling, resulting in explanatory scenes that are colorful but not overpowering.
All that being said, however, there are a few snags such as the scene in which Gloria makes a movie featuring her mother decked in a princess costume being chased around by A Cun (Sunny Soon) — Gloria’s colleague and friend — wearing a tiger suit.
It may only be a small part of the storyline, but one might still wonder what sort of movie it would be, especially because, according to the story, it is eventually released and screened to an audience.
The character Niki (Saira Jihan), who is Gloria’s best friend, is intriguing in concept — a pregnant gay femme fatale who earns tens of thousands of dollars regularly but still sells pirated DVDs in a crowded alley.
Unfortunately, while Saira’s acting successfully delivers the character’s coyness and allure, it often fails to project her wit and complexity. Plus, the glasses that are supposed to moderate her jaw-dropping good looks aren’t very convincing.
And of course it is worth pointing out that one can hardly do badly in a theme so close to one’s real life, noting the fact that it is a movie about moviemaking.
Nevertheless, Demi Ucok, which was premiered at the 7th Indonesian Film Festival in Melbourne, Australia recently and is set to hit theaters here on Jan. 3 next year, is still a clever and entertaining flick. It is also heartwarming, again, without having to employ over-the-top emotional scenes.
Take, for instance, the line ‘The success of a Batak woman is ultimately judged through her children.”
In the beginning, this may sound old fashioned and even disheartening, especially for someone like Gloria who is aiming for the stars and seeking to be recognized for her filmmaking abilities.
As the plot progresses, however, those words are gradually seen in a different light. And a movie that can succeed in making that change of sentiment without being holier-than-thou or awash with tears is worth a try.
Demi Ucok (For Ucok; 75-minute)
Director-scriptwriter: Sammaria Simanjuntak
Starring: Geraldine Sianturi, Mak Gondut, Saira Jihan, Sunny Soon
Producer: Sammaria Simanjuntak
— Photos courtesy of PT Kepompong Gendut & Royal Cinema Multimedia
