Indonesia has proved to be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to producing quality films. Producing a string of hit movies, one after the other, Indonesian-made films garner a lot of attention in Malaysia. I’m sure movies such as Ada Apa Dengan Cinta, Eiffel I’m In Love, Janji Joni are still fresh in your minds. After all, all three films raked in millions of ticket sales here in Malaysia. The most recent Indonesian film to hit our shores, Berbagi Suami (directed by the acclaimed Nia DiNata) will undoubtedly create an impact amongst moviegoers.

The movie goes against the norm, dealing with issues heavier than typical teenage angst. As the title of the movie obviously states, Berbagi Suami (literally translated as ‘Sharing Your Husband’) deals with polygamy. Before you begin to think that this is too taboo a subject to be openly discussed in a movie, think again. The movie is raw, gritty and unflinching; it doesn’t try to sugar coat the heavy message. What I liked most about the movie was the fact that it does not subconsciously try to influence you to be for or against the issue but rather it presents the issue as it is and takes a step back while you make your own decision.

The division of the storyline into three almost parallel stories, contrasting the risks and consequences of polygamy life to one another, gives the audience multiple views of polygamy. The first sub story is about a religious woman who finds out that her husband has married 3 other wives only after a surprising turn of events. The second sub story is about a young village girl who naively marries a man already married to two wives as he provided her with lodging while she studied in the city. The third sub story is about another young woman who marries the man she loves (who, as you can guess, is already married) but must keep it a secret from his wife (who is, coincidentally, her boss).

I highly recommend this movie to those with an open mind who are looking for a movie that is courageous and also downright entertaining. I believe that the director accomplished what she had set out to do, which was not to spoon feed her audience the message of the film, but to inspire her audience by giving them something to ponder about once the lights in the cinema switch back on again.

Rating: ★★★★☆ -- Good