Three Days to Forever

Yusuf and his cousin Ambar are due to travel to Yogyakarta for a relative's wedding. The night before goes long and in the morning Ambar misses her flight. They set off in Yusuf's car. The drive from Jakarta to Yogyakarta normally takes a day; they make it last three. On the road they talk, stop to drink, say things they had not thought about, and both reconsider their decisions about family. Riri Riza shows the Indonesian middle-class young in an unusual way: religion, marriage, sex and family expectation are all discussed directly. The narrative uses the structure of the road film but has no interest in the destination. Nicholas Saputra plays Yusuf and Adinia Wirasti plays Ambar. The dialogue is largely improvised. Who it's for: Viewers who like Indonesian cinema, road films, and conversation-driven narrative. Who it's not for: There is almost no plot and the pace is low. The film also barely steps outside its two characters.