Writer: Ezekiel Lee Zhiang Yang

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Watch this if you liked: "Honey", "Step Up"

There are so many colours in this movie!

Watching "Oh Baby" is like a throwback to the Sunday mornings when "Saved By The Bell" was on Malaysian TV - only that instead of eyeing the pleated skirts of Elizabeth Berkley, our attention this time is focused on those of Cinta Laura Kiehl, the 15-year-old Indonesian starlet.

This movie is in fact a vehicle for the upcoming actress, who so often says the most mind-boggling things to the Indonesian media on record. Perhaps that's why it works! Cinta Laura Kiehl is completely refreshing to watch, although her dancing here is not as good as we would have thought. Granted she's no Jessica Alba but honey, move them hips more! The girl bluffed her way through 90 odd minutes of clever editing without really needing to show much groove. Shame!

Good thing her acting wasn't too shabby then. The hirsute honey is flanked by Ridwan Ghany and Randy Pangalila, who both play her love interests to some level of competence. Of course, a story like this is entirely derivative from any Hollywood highschool sitcom. It's also painfully predictable too. That's where director Cassandra Massardi must be so thankful for the music score to the movie - it's absolutely fantastic. Never mind the teenybopper fare, it keeps the movie moving. For that, much of the movie's flaws can be tolerated. Cinta herself sings pretty good too.

Consider "Oh Baby" strong on soundtrack. As for the movie, I guess you could watch it as the debut feature of a Britney-wannabe who just might make it. There are many cameos by various Indonesian artistes in this movie, so if Cinta doesn't cut it for you, perhaps they would. For me, I'm wondering if we'll see more from her on the big screen soon.

Cinema Online, 23 September 2008