Adipati Dolken as Kumbang. (Courtesy of Maxima Pictures)

Teenage drama-comedy flick Crazy Love by Guntur Sorharjanto exposes young love in the most natural approach.

Rebellious twelfth-graders Kumbang (played by Adipati Dolken) and his wing boys '€“ Abdu (Kemal Palevi), Daniel (Herri Chan) and Basuki (Zidni Adam) '€” are young and restless.

Playing and goofing around are their ultimate interests despite their senior students'€™ status. No days are left without hanging out, making fun of teachers and being real clowns of the school.

One day, Kumbang, a good-looking punk who refuses to admit to having a tender heart, followed by his gang, conspire to cheat in a Mandarin language test. It is quite entertaining to see them hiding the cheat note inside a sandwich. Claiming to have a gastric problem, Kumbang excuses himself out of the classroom to eat the sandwich during the test.

Feeling irritated about having knowledge of the wrongdoing, classmate Olive (Tatjana Saphira), a straight-A student who also happens to be the four boys'€™ idol, tells the teacher that Kumbang needs to eat his lunch right away to avoid the illness.

Once Kumbang bites the sandwich, the cheat sheet reveals its identity.

Kumbang takes the blame alone, standing still under the sun in punishment for his deed. His three friends, however, come clean in the name of their brotherhood and join Kumbang in the school yard.

Concerned headmaster (Ray Sahetapy) encourages Olive, the school'€™s role-model student, to mentor Kumbang so that he can graduate by end of school year.

Kumbang takes on Olive'€™s offer to coach him on several subjects loosely. Nevertheless, it is a no-brainer that the young man enjoys her company. Olive once gives up over Kumbang'€™s ignorance, but she tries again. As expected, the two become good friends.

Kumbang, a simple guy who is a bit late in realizing his own life'€™s goal, begins to notice his potential. After all, he'€™s not dumb; he'€™s just too lazy to think. In a mathematic class test, Kumbang makes a history of his own by completing the sheet with 80 percent of correct answer.

Suspicious math teacher takes Kumbang to the headmaster, accusing him of cheating. The headmaster, who thinks that Olive has given up on mentoring him, agrees on the accusation, pushing on Kumbang to declare guilty.

Disappointed Kumbang nods on the challenge, deciding to make a revenge that will spoil his future.

As a light and entertaining movie, Crazy Love deserves a round of applause over a consistent performance of Indonesia'€™s new darling, Adipati, plus a perfect amount of support from Kemal, Herri and Zidni.

Being young and developing his acting skills, Adipati manages to stay focused on his character, exploring his emotions in acting naturally. Playing as a bad boy with a good heart seems to be the 21-year-old'€™s forte.

Amid the potential he has, however, Adipati needs to level up by taking more challenging screenplays, which will bring out his best.

Thanks to great help from senior actors such as Ira Wibowo (Kumbang'€™s mother), Harry de Fretes (Kumbang'€™s father) and Ray with their solid performance, director Guntur carries lighter task in wrapping up the film.

In spite of the too-easy-to-consume screenplay, Crazy Love interestingly brings in several regular spots in Jakarta '€“ old school buildings, worn-out flats, harbors '€“ in beautiful coloring.

Crazy Love
(90 minutes, Maxima Pictures)

Director: Guntur Soeharjanto
Screenwriters: Cassandra Massardi, Alim Sudio
Cast: Adipati Dolken, Tatjana Saphira,
Kemal Palevi, Herri Chan, Zidni Adam,
Ray Sahetapy, Ira Wibowo, Harry de Fretes, Judika
Producers: Yoen K, Ody Mulya

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