Something in the Way

Teddy Soeria Atmadja's 2013 Indonesian film follows Ahmad, a taxi driver in Jakarta. He is addicted to pornography and at the same time clings hard to religious rules. The contradiction grows when he meets Kinar, a sex worker. The film does not resolve it; the narrative shows the tension between desire and guilt at length and neither excuses Ahmad nor punishes him. Reza Rahadian leads. The images are nocturnal and in narrow spaces. The tone is dark and the content explicit. Who it's for: viewers of Indonesian independent cinema and uncomfortable character studies. Who it's not for: viewers uneasy with sexual content and religious taboo handled together.