Photocopier (2021) User Reviews

A slice of Indonesian cinema at its finest! [+79%]

[arungeorge13 · 8/10 · 13 January 2022]

Debut filmmaker Wregas Bhanuteja comes up with a powerful tech-thriller that shines in almost every department. I'm blown away by how he interweaves multiple elements within the plot, embeds them within Indonesia's socio-economic layers, telling a universally relatable tale. The characterization of the lead(s) is also worth a mention. At its core, Photocopier is a mystery - one that seeks to unearth events that happened during a night of drunken partying hosted by a theater group's playwright. The protagonist Sur (a magnificent Shenina Cinnamon) is the one who gets the short end of the stick. Some drunk selfies posted on her social media results in a loss of a scholarship, but her worries go far beyond that. As she digs deeper into what went down, she realizes that there's more to it than she initially thought.

While this mystery is solidly put together with a good number of twists and turns, Photocopier also revolves around the theme of abuse - especially of privacy, alongside physical and mental health. The film manages to inventively touch upon several aspects of human life even when it's busy keeping us on edge. These include friendship, breach of trust, betrayal, conservatism, fetishes, aesthetics, performing arts, and even an epidemic. The camera constantly follows the protagonist as she hustles her way through the streets of Jakarta in search of answers. The climactic finale is the icing on the cake, proving to be the most wildly effective cinematic ending for this particular story. And it also reinstates the significance of the film's title while at it!

Forced Idea, Well Executed

[kindredparadox · 6/10 · 16 January 2022]

Sur lost her scholarship, because her indecent photos went online. She launched an investigation to clear her name.

This is a good addition to the Indonesian movies scene. Nevertheless some things are getting old, yet with the inclusion of fresh infusion.

Not oblivious of the obvious holes in the plots with splashes of unrealistic conditions; The idea of Photocopier is kind of forced, but it is a well executed one.

It has more potential to be developed even further to be a greater one as mini series. Even more ironic is the alleged controversy around one of the Photocopier's writer. This could be the cost of that of greatness.

hardly ever seen...

[ops-52535 · 8/10 · 15 January 2022]

Any indonesian features in my life, but if this is the mean of their film production, i might start searching for more...

its a film about cheating and exploitation of the young and innocent, some will call it pedophelia, but the root of the story is a girl having a blackout due to alcohol comsume, next day her world is upside down, and she looses all her grants and everyones respect due too social and religious immorale.but this femme aint fatale, she take the burden and starts digging though legal and illegal methods to find out why and how...

the cast delivers very convincingly, the language and cultural barriere makes my evaluatiuon versus the moral code somehow limited,ive worked with 2 indonesians at the nursing home that i work, but having seen western productions over the same topic, i can tell theyve made a good product, as a man i can just say that the actresses casted for this movie is just smashing beautiful, and they could easily enter international fame with good language training.

Filmographically its high standard, some times the cam is too close to lock out surroundings, but the filming techniques are well managed. Also the presentation and use of social media as main source for the action of the movie are brilliant, hollywood prods pepper us with visual sms that comes and goes so fast, here theyve managed to tell the whole story from it, and thus that at a far lower budget...do also sense the abscence of music in large parts of this movie, usually a helping hand for a plot, but appears strong as a method in this flick

so i give my acclamation to the makers, and thanks for an unusual digital investigation.blackouts or not, the grumpy old man had loads of them when young adult and wish i could and would love to rewind and puzzle them together as they did in this flick, but its all over for me noiw and just nightmares of the past, but ill make a note behind my ear for my next lifetime.

A recommend for the acts, filming and story comes from the grumpy old man.

Good, but have been much better!

[nayyar-aditya · 6/10 · 16 January 2022]

The plot was unique and well-conceived, but the execution wasn't. It was obvious right from the beginning that this not going to be a run-of-the-mill movie & it wasn't. The young actress beautifully played the main character of Sur. She definitely knows how to put in a power performance, but even she was under-used.

Wasn't too high on the suspense factor as well. Rama, going to take a picture at 2am when it's raining, was a dead giveaway, and his father offering Sun to pay for her entire scholarship, killed the suspense was left by then. Having figured out the culprit so early, takes the intrigue factor away.

A good movie to watch once if you are not critic minded & get satisfied with going-with-the-flow.

Pleasantly Surprised by this Tech Mystery Crime Thriller

[mohinderchugh · 13 January 2022]

I was no so sure if I should watch this movie as the movie is from Indonesia. It is co-written and directed by Wregas Bhanuteja . I got glued to the movies as Movie is tech Mystery Crime Thriller. I believe Netflix should focus on Cinema with good content only. I strongly recommend this movie.

Good mystery thriller..!!

[kamalbeeee · 7/10 · 5 March 2022]

A girl get rejected from scholarship interview for uploading her party pictures.. But she was surprised that she hasn't remember anything.. So she started to investigate to find that culprit..!

Once watchable movie..!

Very Powerful

[icocleric · 9/10 · 13 January 2022]

It's a long film, but a story many girls and women all over the world will be all too familiar with. And the struggles women have to fight against the system. Especially with people pushing doubt towards them, and their stories.

The ending is the most powerful thing about the film, and was incredibly inspiring.

Impact vs. execution

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 27 January 2022]

The movie tells a story, tells us something that is not just impactful but important. Now having said, it does take its time. So pacing wise, even if you agree with people loving this, you are allowed to disagree with the execution of the movie and how it deals or handles certain aspects.

Having said all that, the last impression is quite the strong one. We see what our main character goes through, what she has to endure and what is being said. If you have a moral compass that has the "right" settings, you will be left quite angry at times ... a lot of times that is. On the other hand, maybe that ending will change that .. not sure if it is enough, but it is quite the image it creates - no pun intended.

Toptier!

[exceladeogun · 10/10 · 16 January 2022]

Photocopier

I saw the trailer on Netflix's YouTube channel, and I was really intrigued, especially by the accolades I saw it was getting before it got acquired by Netflix. I was also sceptical to see it, because it's an Indonesian movie, and I'm sure I've not watched anything from that country.

I couldn't exactly remember the trailer as I was seeing the movie, and I think that's good, because everything felt fresh. The phrase 'never judge a book by its cover' or in this case 'never judge a movie by its country of origin' rings absolutely true!

A pure cinematic wonder from start to finish! The movie packs a sprawling number of elements and ties them all fastidiously. The finale is so emotive and inspiring, and seeing how it relates to the title of the movie holds much more value. The plot, the pacing, the runtime, the cast... Perfecto!

Definitely one of the best movies I've seen in a long while, and It's a definite recommendation. I'm excited to see more Indonesian movies.

I dont really like the plot.....

[ahmadfrie · 6/10 · 14 January 2022]

Everything was good in this movie but the story isn't really interesting like I dont really surprised in the ending I'm waiting for something bigger not just a boy taking pictures for his mates.... I dont say it's ok but come on 130min for this plot.

The best thing in the movie is the starring they did a great job.....

Controversial Social Issue, Watered Down

[santosofajar-76865 · 2/10 · 26 January 2022]

The movie tries to address taboo topics in Indonesia such as sexual abuse and alcohol but done in such a mild way (presumably to avoid flak from certain groups in Indonesia) that it just barely (and forcibly) gets their message across.

Even though the basics are there, (alcohol frowned upon, SA is a major issue, girls in some areas are still expected to stay in the kitchen, cohabiting if found out could result in a walk of shame around the neighborhood) the plot is somewhat out of touch with reality. There's a guy acting vulnerable, a "secret" victim, as if he was recently assaulted, because a photo of a SCAR on his ARM was used without his consent as stage prop. The prop itself was used for a play about Medusa and Perseus, but in traditional Indonesian theater style that makes one wonder why the scriptwriters chose to include a play about a Greek myth instead of an Indonesian one. The main protagonist got into trouble because selfies of her when she was drunk was on social media, but she knew it wasn't her so she goes out to seek justice. Only to find out it was her that took the shots through CCTV feed. But, convinced that her drink was spiked, she carries on to find the truth and plot twist (or should I say plot change? It's almost a whole different plot) she discovers she was spiked and sexually assaulted. Because a photo of her back was used without her consent, as part of the stage prop.

Inbefore, I do agree that SA is SA, but this halfassed attempt at addressing the issue is making light of real life problems in Indonesia such as rape, leaked nudes, voyeur photos / videos in public toilets, leaked sex tapes that could cause the people in the video to go to jail (or even caned in some areas.) Indonesians applaud this movie because they say it "dares" to touch sensitive issues and taboo while in reality it barely touches the surface.

If someone tells you the cinematography is a masterpiece, you really should ask them what they've been watching and why would they do that to themselves.

Also the main protagonist went to the party wearing traditional clothes, the kebaya, and as an Indonesian that used to frequenly get blackout drunk at parties I can assure you, no one wears a kebaya to that kind of party.

All in all, you'll see a lot of Indonesian reviews say it's underrated, making this movie the very definition of overrated.

One Of The Best Indonesia Movie

[Cirdl3 · 9/10 · 15 January 2022]

OMFG This is really look what happening now, the victims can only silent and cannot say anything about it, cause they don't believe them and cause they don't have solid evidence and the Victims find it hard to find justice. I just can't stop open my mouth like surprise while watching this, this is is a masterpiece super recommended movie to watch. My emotions while watching this is really super swing like happy,mad, and sad. I really feel bad and sad for the victim's. I really mad and hate her father he's super annoying don't wanna listen to her, and her mom cannot say anything, and maybe scared with her husband, this is really look like what happening now. The plot twist was kinda make me shock and the driver is really make me shock, and he's very annoying to, and her friend to he was make me surprise . When the movie was going to end I just like mad and wanna cry deep inside my heart I really want to scream. Very recommended to watch.

Between Artistry and Reality: A Critical Examination of Wregas's Cinematic Endeavors and the Uncomfortable Nexus of Violence

[renerenerene · 6/10 · 3 October 2023]

Wregas, undoubtedly an intriguing figure in the realm of cinema, crafts narratives that tantalizingly brush against the boundaries of reality, captivating audiences with his unique perspective on the human experience. His work, a fusion of performative arts and stark societal truths, unveils a raw, unfiltered gaze into the complexities of existence. Yet, despite his undoubted prowess, Wregas grapples with a significant flaw that casts a shadow upon his artistry: the inability to present a realistic reality.

In his latest film, Wregas's geographical body intertwines intricately with the narrative, blurring the lines between creator and creation. He endeavors to encapsulate the profound dialectic of performing arts, entwining it with the brutal, unforgiving reality of sexual violence. The result, on the surface, is a cinematic exploration that delves deep into the visceral layers of human experience.

However, the uncomfortable truth that emerges, starkly visible beyond the confines of the frame, is the revelation that the very architect of this narrative is entangled in the grim reality he seeks to depict. The scriptwriter, an individual responsible for shaping the characters and events, stands accused of perpetrating the very violence depicted on screen. This revelation casts a chilling pall over the film, forcing viewers to confront the unsettling intersection of art, artist, and societal culpability.

For cinephiles well-versed in the intricacies of reception studies, this construction becomes a poignant case study. It underscores the inextricable link between art and its social burden, challenging the notion of cinema as a detached, pristine entity. Instead, it serves as a stark reminder that every frame, every line of dialogue, carries the weight of the world it reflects.

In navigating this complex terrain, it becomes imperative to engage in a critical dialogue that delves into the ethical responsibility of artists. Wregas's work, while undeniably powerful, raises unsettling questions about the boundaries of artistic expression and the moral obligations that accompany it. As we dissect the layers of his creations, we must confront the uncomfortable reality that art, no matter how aesthetically compelling, cannot divorce itself from the ethical quandaries of the world it seeks to mirror.

Promising Set-Up Story but Messed at the End

[aldri-feb · 5/10 · 21 January 2022]

First of all I'm from Indonesia and I've seen a lot of Indonesian movies. Many great movies came from my country, so I have my own expectation when seeing this film after most people praised it so much, but sadly I'm disappointed.

Well, 'Penyalin Cahaya' actually has promising set up and made me interested to know who did that to Suryani character. But the more conflict goes and revealed some truths, the more this film got trapped with it's own plot. What annoys me the most is, the scene when Rama and his people drugged Suryani and her friends during dengue fogging. I felt that scene was really a messed and no sense. Also, this film tried to bring a great message in the end. Somehow the ending was forced to happen and I felt nothing with the message.

Again, this is my personal review from this film. I tried to like it but I couldn't. I still appreciated 'Penyalin Cahaya' for good ensemble cast, nice set up story and solid script. Other than that, it could have been much better.

All for that photo?

[woutervandersluis · 19 January 2022]

It was an interesting movie to watch being so professional well filmed and with all those beautiful people. The plot was however a bit meager and on points unbelievable. On tree- quart of the movie we know who is the culprit. Moreover his motive in my eyes strange and futile. He could have got those photos in a more legitimate way. His unnecessary and ritualistic behavior was demonstrated in the end in his opera like appearance in the dengue scene which was as beautiful as it was unbelievable.

great story and great setting

[LetsReviewThat26 · 7/10 · 19 January 2022]

When sur wakes up after a party she finds out photos of her leaked online. Her scholarship is ruined and she must work with a fellow student to find out the mystery; I liked the mystery elements to the film. The characters were well made and acted and it shows a glaring problem that is faced in todays society that I think was approached well.

Very promising, terrible ending.

[billygerrardus · 7/10 · 13 March 2022]

(Spoilers ahead)

I heard about this movie many times, and I loved Wregas' award winning short movies before so I thought this is going to be very interesting.

The first 3/4 part of the movie really was a superb drama. The search of what was really happening in that night and the one behind that was very compelling and nicely wrapped. However the last quarter of the film is just simply unrealistic.

The dramatization resolved around everyday technology, rational thinking, and the bitter facts of how society treat the victim of sexual harassment. Until a young and rich psychopath dancing while reading a Greek myth inspired poem, in a costume, as his way to destroy the evidence.

The last 1/4 of the film are just full of not well thought scenes. How the hell, someone who can craft a very careful, evil master plan do not know that someone is taking pictures of his creepy behavior? How did Tariq opened the gallery inside the driver's phone? Why did the driver even saved the videos in the first place? How did Rama knew about the drawer under the fish is the place to save the stolen photos?

The ending is also too damn forced, only to show an artistic way of making viral tweets. It's a shame really, and I hope all the movie makers will do better next time because all the ideas and premises are just unique and special.

So powerful you must watch

[iamMarkPrice · 8/10 · 15 January 2022]

Wonderfully shot and expertly executed. Photocopier dives deep into the dark side of Indonesian culture and does not pull it's punches exploring treatment of women, mental illness and exploitation of the poor whilst overlaying with more universal thenes around friendship, trust, socioeconomic power dynamics and young adulthood.

Performances leap off the screen engaging the audience emotionally and holding one there throughout the duration. Pacing and in the edit is well thought out.

Everyone involved in this film should be thoroughly proud. We want to see more stories of this calibre on our screens.

The first half was more interesting

[kevintin · 7/10 · 25 February 2022]

I almost felt like the film had to censor itself for the audience or the government. There was a turning point in the film, when Sur found the photos of the Milky Way. Many of the characters turned 180 degrees after that point. Sur, Amin, Tariq, Rama. But especially Tariq and Rama.

The film is almost a meta for its theme itself. Girl has a little too much fun once in her life, she gets shamed, so she MUST blame something. Anything. That seems to be the moral of the story. Because good girls don't get drunk and have fun in their culture. Except Sur did, a second time at Amin's place, and could have easily taken photos of herself.

In fact, just because Rama suddenly became a Me Too perpetrator starting from Act II, Sur's photos were still taken from her phone and still likely uploaded by her, and they weren't even close to the photos Rama took. Yes Sur was vindicated in feeling that something not-right occurred that night. But that rationally wouldn't get her scholarship back.

The story told in the first half was the story of people feeling pressured to be perfect and what it does to them. That's a much more interesting exploration than Rama going completely bonkers. Did Rama really spread the evidence everywhere that he was a molester? What was in it for him to do that? And again, the nutso shown at the end of the film just isn't the same person as the empathic introvert from the beginning of the film. Not the same character at all.

I guess in Indonesian culture there's no room to learn and grow from mistakes, take responsibility and becoming better human beings for it.

Deserve more recognition

[thomasafik · 10/10 · 14 January 2022]

Extraordinary. Despite all the controversies of its second author, this film contains a lot of message. It's cool, I admit. Shows a lot of developments in Indonesian films lately.

Idea and story good. Bad ending.

[queenvalbrient · 7/10 · 29 January 2022]

Need more in the ending to give impact. It's 7 because ideas and storyline good. Just the ending a little weak... it's great to portray the social issues contrast between rich and poor.. a beautiful acting from the main character aswell.

Bad ending

[Otte1 · 4/10 · 11 September 2022]

This starts off well, looks like a promising mystery. Then you have the protagonist screaming all her lines even when the scene did not call for screaming. But I will give that a pass.

The ending.....absolutely stupid. Not sure what happened, why, the motivations or even the full result. So it makes everything else up to that point to appear wasted...like one of those 'it was a dream' cop-out. It almost appears the studio ran out of money and said 'end this now'.

The purpose of having a mystery is to answer who, what, when, where & why.

We got the 'who' but the movie does not answer the rest.

One of the best movie i have ever seen

[Thedragonmaster-20667 · 10/10 · 14 January 2022]

This movie is amazing. The characters are well made and the story is well written. I really enjoyed so much watching this movie and even i got so emotional in one of the scenes. I almost cried at the end of the movie. The ending is shockingly good. The director successfully built it to the climax. Good job!!!!

absurd movie

[Horror_Flick_Fanatic · 4/10 · 23 January 2022]

This is an oddball movie. While the camera work and directing seem decent at first and some of the actors were good, and others were hams, it had problems I couldn't overlook.

This is a mystery whodunit. But the crime isn't a murder nor a rape. The crime is another student drugging his peers after parties. While the students are out cold and unconscious inside an Uber (Netcar), the driver stops at a predetermined location where the perpetrator (not the driver--the student) takes tattoos picture with his camera of the drugged students to be used as backdrops for their play. Like WTF? How is it that none of the "victims" noticed their tattoos on the backdrops during their student dance rehearsals? (facepalm) One of the girls who had pictures taken of her back wears blouses with the tat exposed. Why did the kid need to drug her if she shows her back tats in public? (facepalm again)

The plot meanders in all of the wrong places. The director does get us to cheer-on "Sur" in her investigation even though we don't know at all what happened to her while she was unconscious . That's left to our imagination until the end when the "crime" is reveal. Another student victim had a picture of a scar on his arm taken. This is treated like an unspeakable crime with all of the victims traumatized by the violation (facepalm)

The last act is totally bonkers. The perpetrator with two of his father's henchmen spray mosquito fogger to obscuring the view from the public and subdue and hold the victims against their will in the commotion while the perpetuating fruity loco kid with mercury fly wings sings out some theatrical nonsense. Then they leave the victims unharmed. WTH?

Another reviewer said this film is about pedophilia. Seriously guy, which film did you watch because it certainly wasn't this one? There is zero mention of sex and the perpetrator is another student in the performing dance group. Where did you come up with that one?

Anyway, even though the story is ridiculous, this film does have # metoo vibes. Except there are no sexual improprieties in the story (facepalm). The girls push up the large office Canon copier to the roof and make hundreds of photocopy pictures of their faces and elbows and a handwritten affidavit.

Man, if this is the best film from Indonesia for 2022, bruh, we gotta talk?

This is no clickbait movie, it's really good!

[michael-64099 · 9/10 · 21 January 2022]

Because Hollywood mess up alot lately with all the remakes and clickbait alike movies, I surge up alot of movies from everywhere but America. And this Indonesia movie hold up very well.

Great and believable cast.

Good story Trilling suspense Amazing production Respect it's viewer And a great ending, it's very strong in the concept of yang- yin on ironi itself.

Highly recommended!