Newly Rich

Ody C. Harahap's 2019 Indonesian film follows a family's experience of sudden wealth after their father dies and his hidden fortune comes to light. The mother and three siblings, who lived for years on very little, now have money and no idea what to spend it on or how. The film's interest is not wealth but how moving up a class damages relationships: old friends, the old neighbourhood and old aims suddenly no longer fit. The question of why the father hid the money is the emotional knot, and the answer is not easy. The transitions between the comic and dramatic sections do not hold everywhere. The cast works well together. Who it's for: viewers interested in Indonesian cinema and family comedy. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a single consistent tone, or who dislikes a predictable ending.