NEW to Shudder, Indonesian psychological thriller sMOTHERed is atmospheric but has little else going for it.
Directed by Kevin Rahardjo and Rafki Hidayat, it tells the story of Jakarta-based micro painter Alif (Rio Dewanto), who is struggling with memory loss after a serious car accident.
Life with Alif, before the collision, was no bed of roses for his wife Nadine (Faradina Mufti) and son Emir (Jordan Omar). Described as “toxic” by one person who knew him before he suffered head trauma, his family were frightened of him and found him difficult to be around.
However, the bang to the head has improved Alif’s personality and he is now a far more pleasant individual, yet his memory of his former self, and the broken mess he is pictured as, are scant at best.
Family life is better for everyone since the crash, as his long-suffering wife and son grasp this opportunity for a fresh start. It is only when a stranger claiming to be his mother shows up that Alif starts to search for the truth and uncover the demons that have haunted him all his life.
Aminah (Vonny Anggraini) hasn’t seen her son since he ran away from home as a teenager. She’s never met her daughter-in-law or grandson and her unexpected visit gives Alif cause for distrust as he questions whether she really is his mother.
A modern day folk tale, sMOTHERed is far too longwinded and fails to create an intensity to match its haunting tone. It drags along for the most part with its wafer-thin plot doing little to compensate for a sluggish pace.
The film takes the legend of Malin Kundang, a famous folktale from West Sumatra, about a young man who leaves his mother to seek fortune elsewhere, only to return years later as a wealthy merchant and deny knowing her out of shame, giving it a very modern twist.
While well crafted with strong performances throughout, this emotional snapshot of shattered hereditary ties will suck the life right out of you.
(2/5)