FILM REVIEW: Last Minute On Sunday2 min read
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Two filmmakers in the making have a discussion over food about their next film around the idea of “longing”. Kenny shares his idea with his friend, Iki, about how a boy spends his Sunday with his mother.
Director: Kenny Gulardi
Year: 2019
Language: Indonesian with English subtitles
Runtime: 11 min
Review by Nadia Alang
Ah, Sundays. The last day before a new week starts and the Monday blues set in. Most of us would take any opportunity we can get to soak in all the last minute of fun left for the week, and Kenny is no different. In a short period of time, Kenny’s retrospective story from his childhood inspires a refreshing perspective on how we spend our time.
When his plans of spending the day at the Internet cafe are interrupted, young Kenny begrudgingly stays home with his mother. As it is told in recollection, the moments that are captured in a quick montage show their bickering and teasing one another as though they were friends. The tiger-mum impression we get in the first instant of hearing her shrill and harsh voice interrupting his sleep is altered and we realise how special this mother-son bond really is.
The film doesn’t go overboard with this cheesiness. We get serious moments too where the perky music comes to a halt, the shots get a bit more focused on the mum’s tired face. Plus, their dialogue is a bittersweet reminder that young Kenny had not intended to stay in that day.
At the end of the day, the boy has to get ready for school, and she has to keep up with chores. It’s nothing dramatic or eventful, but I felt like that was the whole point of it – Kenny only saw these moments in retrospect. Perhaps, he is longing for it out of regret and the short film leaves that open for interpretation.
Last Minute on Sunday (Di Penghujung Hari Minggu) is a lighthearted short film that captures the adorable dynamics of a mother and son’s relationship. While the narrative does not capture a conflict or anything dramatic taking place, it is uniquely told in retrospect.
You can catch Last Minute on Sunday on Viddsee here.
