Writer: Ezwan Mehzas

Writer Ratings:
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Watch this if you liked: "Enough".

Fathia (Nora Danish) works at a cafe and is a skilled chef but her life changes quickly after she meets handsome and wealthy business man Faizal (Farid Kamil). They get married and have a child named Tiara. However, after years of marriage, Faizal starts spending less time at home and when Fathia finds out what Faizal has been doing behind her back, Faizal starts getting abusive.

The film was a rather beautiful film. With picture perfect locations and fine camera work, the effort that has gone to this film has not gone to waste. The cinematographer used shallow depth of field appropriately to aim the focus of the audience towards the intended subjects. In one particular scene, the background was beautifully out of focus and a slight 'bokeh' effect is seen.

Plot-wise, the film was flawed as those that have seen and remembered the 2002 film "Enough" starring Jennifer Lopez would have been able to predict some parts of the films plot. It is uncertain if the similarities are intended but it is noticeable. Still, the film has no real intention to surprise the audience with plot twists but rather to tastefully tell a story.

The film's audio is also an awkward feature. It does not look out of sync but the voices of the cast sounded like it was dubbed in. The sounds of the voices do not blend well with the environment so it does not sound like the characters are really there at the location. So while the film visually pulls you in, the audio brings you back to reality.

The film employs the use of time skips and montages tastefully and reduces the need to have the audience see or take notice of parts of the story that are not so important to the viewers, such as the dating scenes being a montage and the absence of any wedding scenes. Viewers will also not be confused regarding the timeline as it is written on screen using a font that seems to match the art style of the film.

The film does not have a big cast of characters and thus makes it easier to remember them better as they get sufficient screen time. Needless to say, the cast played their roles well as expected from an experienced cast. Nothing was out of place and the child actress known as 'Adik Adriana' played her role well.

The film is a visually beautiful one and its use of locations could almost challenge Malaysia's tourism advertisements.


Cinema Online, 24 September 2013