Run to the Beach

Riri Riza's 2018 Indonesian film follows Sam, setting out on a long journey with her mother. The destination is a beach in the east of the country; her city-raised cousin Happy joins the trip and the two girls agree on nothing. The subject is what is seen while crossing the country. The narrative does not build the journey as a story of growth; the roads, small towns and people met along the way are the material, and the friction between the two girls resolves slowly. Riza has long worked on narratives about children and the young. The cinematography shows Java and its surroundings in wide angles. The narrative is light with little dramatic rise; the tone suits family audiences. Who it's for: those who like road films and Indonesian family cinema. Who it's not for: viewers waiting for event; the film consists almost entirely of the journey.