Dear David (2023)

As of late, with a notable uptick in the amount of sexual violence cases in Indonesia, Dear David (2023) has become a particularly prominent focus of attention, especially in light of the buzz generated by Penyalin Cahaya (2022), a film that deals with the same subject matter, yet was ironically written by someone who has committed sexual violence. In order to ensure my reactions were impartial, I made a point to watch Dear David lately.

Hot off the heels of The Big 4, Netflix Indonesia is proud to present its newest original film, Dear David. Brought to life by director Lucky Kuswandi and produced by Palari Films, the production of Dear David was announced back in September 2022, as part of Waktu Netflix Indonesia's seven original titles scheduled for release that year. Starring Shenina Cinnamon, Emir Mahira, and Caitlin North-Lewis, the flick also features Maya Hasan, Restu Sinaga, Michael James, Agnes Naomi, Anne Yasmine, Jenny Zhang, and Natalius Chendana.

In comparison to his other works, which typically center around urban life and its inhabitants, Lucky Kuswandi's Dear David offers a refreshing new hue in his filmography. Co-writing alongside Nia Dinata, the pair released A World Without (2022) on Netflix to a reaction that was anything but favorable from both audiences and critics. Similarly, Dear David garnered a divided response, however many ultimately considered it a superior work to A World Without (2022). Both films are reflective of teenage issues, yet the respective outcomes differ greatly. Personally, I believe Dear David to be a far better piece of art than its predecessor.

Laras (Shenina Cinnamon), the brilliant and upstanding student council president at Cahaya High School, is often mocked by her peers for her scholarship status and willingness to assist faculty. But Laras harbors a secret - she expresses her wildest dreams through her personal blog, including fantasies about fellow classmate David (Emir Mahira), who plays on the school's football team. When Laras fails to log out of her blog one day, word of her writing quickly spreads, catapulting David to fame. The school's students begin to quote Laras' fantasy aloud and David is left bewildered, unaware of who wrote the blog. Matters escalate further when the Principal (Jenny Zhang) orders Laras to uncover the author of the blog, leaving her with an impossible task.

Dear David stands apart in its daringness to present Lara's colorful and thought-provoking imaginings. This narrative is reminiscent of Kat Hernandez from Euphoria and Sierra Burgess from Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, making for a unique and exciting contribution to the coming-of-age genre in Indonesia.

In spite of its boldness and relevance, there are certain elements missing from Dear David that lead to a wide range of reactions from viewers, some of which are negative. Some say that the film normalizes sexual violence against men, and while there is a valid argument that the effects of sexual violence are different for men and women in a patriarchal society and that Lara wrote her fantasies privately, the film still shows how David was humiliated by his friends due to Lara's blog. Additionally, the film does not present a satisfactory resolution for the man who was sexually harassed, which many find dissatisfying. While this is not Lara's fault, David's reaction to the situation appears contrived when he asked Laras to matchmake him with Dilla and the matter is seemingly resolved.

Despite some imperfections, this movie can't be said to simply normalize sexual violence against men, but rather it demonstrates how men who are subjected to the unjust power dynamics of a patriarchal society appear weak and unable to access the assistance they need, in the same way that women do. Unfortunately, the film doesn't deliver a satisfactory resolution for David. I was especially impressed with the bravery of this movie in tackling the taboo LGBTQ+ topic in Indonesia, as well as its unflinching depiction of how educational institutions can fail to adequately address sexual violence, instead prioritizing their own reputation over the victims, such as Laras and David.

I take the strongest objection to this film not for its content, but for its performances from two major players: Caitlin North-Lewis and Emir Mahira. It's a real shame, as both of them seemed stiff and wooden in certain moments, with North-Lewis in particular phoning it in after her disastrous turn in the forgettable Paranoia (2022). Thankfully, Shenina Cinnamon was able to raise the bar with her convincing performance, helping to maintain the drama.

Ultimately, Dear David is an unpolished and deficiently constructed narrative. There are some elements of this film that are particularly perplexing, and perhaps if the script was held onto for an additional month or so, some of the narrative shortcomings could have been identified and remedied.