Abang Adik (2023)
7.4
Two undocumented orphans scrounge up a life in this emotionally moving debut drama
Movie
Malaysia, Singapore
Cantonese, Malay, Mandarin
Crime, Drama
2023
JIN ONG
April Chan, Bront Palarae, Jack Tan
115 min
TLDR
Genuinely heartbreaking to watch.
What it's about
Because of being undocumented orphans in Malaysia, deaf-mute Abang resigns himself to a life of poverty, though his younger brother Adik burns with indignation, refusing help and getting in trouble.
The take
At the fringes of society, sometimes, all you have is your family. You would do all you can to feed, clothe, and protect them, and your fate hangs in the balance of what they do in return. Abang Adik is centered on two undocumented orphans in Malaysia, and because they only have each other, Abang does all he can legally and within his capabilities as a disabled man to scrounge up some money, but Adik tries to gain more secretly, resorting to scamming fellow illegal immigrants. Writer-director Jin Ong portrays their plight realistically, but more importantly, the drama works because Ong prioritizes crafting the compelling dynamic between them, making it much more heartbreaking when the loss of their one chance changes everything. Abang Adik may not be a perfect drama, but it’s a daring debut that’s needed.
What stands out
The performances. Wu Kang-ren and Jack Tan share a believable dynamic that works so well.
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