Abang Adik (2023)

Director: Lay Jin Ong

Language : Cantonese, Malay, English

Genre : Neo-noir drama

Rating: 4/5 stars

Written by : Eswandy

Finally at the end of 2023, we are awarded with the best local film. Abang Adik. The film tells the story of a pair of undocumented orphans in Malaysia, Abang (Wu Kang-ren), a deaf mute person and his indignified younger brother Adik (Jack Tan) who struggle in a poverty-stricken and crime-ridden environment.

The directorial debut of local filmmaker, Lay Jin Ong, Abang Adik is focusing on survival of a group of people who have been forgotten by society as they try to make a living in this country without legal documentation or identification card (ID). The setting takes place in the Pudu area which is located in the center of Kuala Lumpur. The image of Pudu contrasts the splendor of Kuala Lumpur which is always presented as a modern, diverse, and beautiful city. Referring to reality, in Abang Adik, Pudu is also shown as a gloomy place inhabited by poor people and immigrants whose daily lives are squeezed by various social and criminal problems. The cinematographer, Kartik Vijay who found success from his previous work, The Garden of Evening Mists (2019), successfully brought the audience into the world of Abang Adik through his camera lens work. Every frame he creates in this film can effectively translate how difficult and cruel their lives are and this successfully helps the audience appreciate the storyline of Abang Adik as well as the world created by the director.

Led by the characters of Abang who is deaf and mute and Adi who is rebellious due to his young age, Abang Adik takes the audience through their journey of difficult and unfateful lives with the hope that something good will happen in their lives. Although life is hard and money is their main problem, both of their lives are filled with love and affection from the people around them. I am happy when the representation of ‘love’ in this film is highlighted regardless of family and gender relations. Although the characters around them are prostitutes, transgenders and beggars and they have no kinship, but they still care for each other. This is what makes the main character in this film continue to live with a goal and this is also what makes the audience feel close and invested to the story of Abang Adik. A soul-wrenching film, the film moves from scene to scene slowly but soulfully. The emotions that is conveyed without having to say a word, like the character played by the mute and deaf Brother.

Abang’s effective acting has led the actor (Wu from Taiwan) to win the best lead actor award at the Golden Horse awards. Production wise the film has unusual quality. Like i said earlier, the camera technique are able translate the dark, dirty, and brutal sight of Pudu onto the screen. The songs and music in this film are well composed a Japanese composer, successfully raising emotions naturally. For those who are familiar with films from the Taiwan New Wave Cinema era, especially Hou Hsiao-Hsien‘s films, maybe you will easily fall in love with Abang Adik. Therefore, it is not surprising that Abang Adik found success in Taiwan.

As I write this, the film is out of theaters and is not yet available from any streaming platform or physical format such as DVD or Bluray. I really hope this movie will come out to streaming platforms soon and more people will watch and appreciate this masterpiece.

*This article is written based on the reflection of the writer’s own personal view and expression towards the subject matter.