Si Doel Anak Sekolahan (Doel the College Boy) soap opera charmed TV viewers in the 1990s, mainly by its portrayal of a humble Betawi family, particularly Doel – a bright young man who was in a constant dilemma in choosing between the rich, outspoken Sarah and the shy Betawi girl Zaenab.

Under the same story formula, the first Si Doel movie spin-off attracted 1.75 million viewers, making it the fourth-biggest box office of 2018.

Its newly released sequel, Si Doel The Movie 2, somehow pulls off the same recipe without making it tedious. The love triangle remains the highlight even though Doel is not the main character this time around.

The previous movie, Si Doel The Movie, ends with a heart-rending scene in which Sarah (Cornelia Agatha) whispers to her estranged husband, Doel (Rano Karno), suggesting he divorce her. 

Although she still loves him, Sarah feels that she does not deserve to get him back after leaving him 14 years ago. Doel has already moved on with Zaenab (Maudy Koesnaedi), whom he married after Sarah ran away. 

Will Doel take up Sarah’s suggestion that he dissolve their marriage? How will Zaenab respond? Si Doel The Movie 2 seeks to answer these questions with a heart-wrenching plot.

Directed and written by Rano Karno, the movie starts off with Doel’s dilemma in finding the right way to tell Zaenab that he had bumped into his old flame, Sarah, in the Netherlands. The fact that Sarah gave him a son, Dul (Rey Bong), makes the situation more difficult for Doel to tell the truth.   

Doel decides to keep it a secret until Zaenab and his family in Jakarta are ready. However, his plan is ruined when Mandra, Doel’s witty uncle who accompanied him in the Netherlands, spills the beans by sending photos of the reunion to Doel’s chatty sister, Atun (Suti Karno).

Doel’s anxiety escalates when his son, Dul, calls him out of the blue, saying that he wants to spend school holidays at Doel’s house in Jakarta. Sarah tries to stop Dul, but he insists on flying to the capital with or without her.  

Si Doel The Movie 2 gives prominence to Sarah, who has been struggling with a guilty conscience for years. She knows that her mother-in-law, Mak Nyak (Aminah Cendrakasih), is really disappointed in her. Sarah wants to apologize but fears that Mak Nyak would never forgive her.

Zaenab, meanwhile, struggles to comfort herself. Deep in her heart, she knows that Sarah is Doel’s true love. Yet it is painful to realize that all of her sacrifices for Doel and his family mean nothing.

Zaenab, as she has always done in the past, prepares to let Doel go even though it will break her heart.  

Si Doel The Movie 2 is not just about Sarah and Zaenab’s melancholy and their tear-jerking scenes. It is full of humor, thanks to Mandra and Atun. Unfortunately, some of the jokes cross the line with fat shaming uttered multiple times as punchlines. Some of Mandra’s jokes are cheap and shallow.

Meanwhile, a newcomer in the film, Atun’s son Kartubi (Ahmad Zulhoir) shines bright, bringing laughter without trying hard to act funny.

Iconic supporting characters of the 1990s TV series also make a return in Si Doel The Movie 2, such as Mandra’s ex-girlfriend, Munaroh (Maryati Tohir), who was absent in the first installment. 

All in all, Si Doel The Movie 2 may not be impressive, but its nostalgia, sentimental drama and humor makes it an entertaining watch for this Idul Fitri holiday.

--Si Doel The Movie 2 will hit theaters on June 4

INFO BOX

Si Doel The Movie 2 (Falcon Pictures, Karnos Film)

Director: Rano Karno

Writer: Rano Karno

Cast: Rano Karno, Cornelia Agatha, Maudy Koesnaedi, Mandra, Suty Karno, Aminah Tjendrakasih, Rey Bong

Running time: 95 minutes

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