Dear David New Movie 2023 Review

Dear David (2023) Review

   Lucky Kuswandi's "Dear David" is definitely charming. Although it presents a fairly ordinary teenage romantic drama, it is deeply moving due to its heartwarming storytelling style. Through the story, we meet Laras (Shenina Cinnamon), a young teenager who is one of the brightest students in her school.

  Since his family's financial situation is not up to the level of his ambitions, he works hard to earn a scholarship. While her mother praises her sister's healthier marriage prospects, Laras is more concerned with her education. Because of all these aspects, he comes across as someone we can root for.

  We get to know him through his outrageous fantasies posted on an anonymous online blog. In addition to his reputation as an ideal student, he finds solace in these stories and narrates them with impeccable detail. Passion and desire seep from his words. But none of his friends or family know this side of him.

  Even after her blog becomes public knowledge, none of them suspect that she is after him because of a perception she holds in their eyes as the ideal student. He is confident in any situation and sometimes brave. However, this reflects his intelligence rather than a mindless quest for attention. So it's hard not to admire him as a character.

  However, he is not one to be in the limelight romantically. As a result, the subject of her fantasies, David (Amir Mahira), does not see her as someone who can come up with all the scenarios in sexual stories. Laras falls in love with Dilla (Caitlin North Lewis), who is stigmatized for something she is not guilty of, even though she is interested in him.

  He loves photography and is more open to social media views than his peers at school. While this presence may be due to a privileged background that allows her to afford excess, it's no excuse for a guy to vilify her just because she refuses to go out with him.

  In addition to being David's love interest, Dilla was Laras best friend after being bullied by other students. For the longest time, we see them not seeing eye to eye. The incident with David makes him a prime suspect, as their conservative school considers his openness immoral.

  Due to the shame of his ex-girlfriend, Laras guiltily approaches her. But the same situation not only heals past wounds, but also makes them more aware of each other. Their friendship is at odds with their interest in David, where the film falls into the rudimentary structure of a love triangle narrative.

  However, what makes Dear David different is its mature exploration of narrative themes, gently guided by its nuanced narrative approach. Much of the success of this Indonesian film is how sensitively it handles its smaller moments, which seem significant in its treatment.

  There are moments when the camera lingers after the dialogue, giving the actors enough space to explore beyond the lines of the script. Even when there's talk between teenagers, you care about them more deeply because you pay attention to the little moments they make.

Robert Cauble and his team's gorgeous cinematography presents cityscapes inspired by the character's environment, while also revealing the organic appeal of romantic romance. The silence never feels stiff and almost always makes us feel closer to the characters. Written by Winnie Benjamin, Daud Sumolang and Muhammad Zaidy, the screenplay manages to introduce relevant themes of sexual expression and female desire to the themes of social hierarchy, mental health and sexuality in organic moments.

  Through Laras, we see a student determined to stand up for himself because of the wisdom that allows him to understand injustice more clearly. Through David, we see a boy pressured beyond a point where he feels he's worth something if he stops his emotional struggle. Through other parts of the narrative, the film introduces themes of shame, violence and persecution, while advocating the need to break free from the constraints of prejudice.

 

Overall 

 There is a fight against the conservative way of thinking, whether it is wanting to express one's desires or wanting to tell the truth about one's sexuality without guilt or shame (perceived by conservatives as sins that need to be purged). The script presents the journey of these characters towards letting go of the shame attached to their actions and expressing themselves without burden. We witness various aspects of their lives, presented with appropriate warmth and compassion.