Me Before Me Review: The topic of adolescent mental health has become a very important topic of conversation these days, as every other form of media has seemingly embraced it and is trying to bring forth different perspectives. Indonesian film Aku Sebelum Aku is a warm and moving drama that showcases a young man’s mental state as he finds himself under immense pressure from his father, which, in an interesting twist, is a result of his own trauma. As the trauma travels across generations, we see the cycle getting repeated and find ourselves questioning whether there is any end to the turmoil.
Starring Bimasena, Ringgo Agus Rahman, Widuri Puteri, Prastiwi Dwiarti, Aming, and Ronal Surapradja, the Netflix film is written and directed by Gina S. Noer.
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What is Me Before Me about?
Me Before Me follows a high-achieving teenager whose school project on family history forces him to confront his strained relationship with his father and reassess what success truly means.
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Is Me Before Me based on a true story?
There is no official confirmation that the film is based on a true story. It is presented as an original screenplay by writer-director Gina S. Noer.
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Who stars in Me Before Me on Netflix?
The film stars Ringgo Agus Rahman, Bima Sena and Widuri Puteri in the lead roles.
Me Before Me Review
Mental Health Takes Centre Stage Without Losing Emotional Authenticity
Netflix’s Me Before Me follows a relatable premise that keeps mental health before everything. Jati, a young boy still in school, finds himself between a rock and a hard place as he is unable to enjoy his childhood thanks to his father’s immense pressure to be perfect. Slowly breaking under the pressure, the film highlights how undue pressure from those in authority can have lasting impacts, as we can see from Jati’s father’s life trajectory. The pressure to excel academically and the desire for parental approval are also themes that are dissected in the movie, and it goes to show how children find themselves fighting a losing battle that is tipped against them.
As a result, the film’s main focus becomes Jati’s anxiety and emotional dysregulation as he is unable to perceive how to navigate this situation. His emotional well-being takes centre focus and, with warmth and sensitivity, the film breaks down the cons of such huge pressure on young children who don’t understand the reasons behind it. The struggles are a part of Jati’s everyday reality, which will be relatable to many audiences, making this movie feel authentic rather than sensationalised.
Strong Performances Make Every Emotional Conflict Feel Real
Bringing forth these complicated emotions to our screens is Bimasena, who does a fantastic job of making us root for him. We see early on what his father’s pressure has done to him, and the actor does a great job of capturing the anxiety of a teenager trying to balance academic excellence with emotional exhaustion. Viewers will find themselves in Jati in more ways than one as he compares himself to his peers and wonders what could’ve been. Although he doesn’t say it out loud, the message becomes loud and clear.
Ringgo Agus Rahman is equally compelling as Jati’s father, as he, too, has demons of his own. With his own trauma making him act in the ways that he does, the film showcases a bleak future for Jati as well if nothing changes. His character isn’t just another strict parent; there are nuanced emotions behind the strictness that the film does a good job exploring.
The rest of the cast is great as well, and helps add emotional relief to Jati, and as a result the film as a whole, and makes it feel less heavy than it is.
The Film Balances Generational Trauma With Hope and Healing
Me Before Me does a good job of showcasing generational trauma in a way that feels relatable, without reducing it to a single explanation or emotional outburst. Even when the situations are small and inconsequential, compounding over a long time, they become big issues. As Jati gets to the bottom of his family’s past, he slowly realises how his own life has been generations in the making and has come about as a result of years of expectations. The film does a great job illustrating how silence, unresolved grief and inherited fears can compound and influence relationships for years to come.
Yet, there’s a refreshing amount of hope in the runtime that stops it from becoming too bleak an affair. Writer & director Gina S. Noer does a great job of balancing the different moving parts of the film, giving it space to breathe as well as hope for reconciliation and betterment. There’s light at the end of the tunnel, and Jati himself leads the way, which works well for the storytelling as a whole. The message, in the end, comes down to the fact that simply acknowledging our past is a step in the right direction, which simplifies this huge, complicated topic significantly. Plus, it also highlights that sometimes our loved ones are just flawed individuals, and not villains.
Where Me Before Me Stumbles Despite Its Ambitious Storytelling
There are a ton of heavy themes being discussed in the film – from mental health and generational trauma to Indonesia’s sociopolitical past. With so many varied discussions taking place, the film sometimes isn’t able to balance these different elements and make use of them to the fullest. Certain storylines feel underdeveloped as well and, as a result, some emotional revelations don’t have the desired impact. On top of that, sometimes, the pacing can really test viewers’ patience and drag the runtime. In the end, though, it succeeds in creating an impact on viewers despite its shortcomings thanks to how sincerely it tells its story.
Final Verdict
Me Before Me is a hopeful film that highlights important topics that are extremely relevant in today’s day and age. While it can get a bit slow sometimes, it does a great job with its authentic storytelling and is a thoughtful exploration of family, identity and the pressures put on teenagers from a young age. Overall, this one’s worth a watch if you’re in the mood for something emotional and moving.
Me Before Me is streaming on Netflix. Did you watch the drama? Let us know in the comments below!
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