Rich Brian, arguably Indonesia’s biggest musical export since Anggun, has indeed come a long way since his 2016 viral hit Dat $tick.
The rapper, whose real name is Brian Imanuel Soewarno, made his acting debut in Jamojaya, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 23. Rich Brian plays James, a young MC from Indonesia who signs with a record label in the US.
James’ father, played by veteran Indonesian actor Yayu Unru (who had a cameo in the latest episode of the HBO hit series The Last of Us), served as his manager until a public break-up, leading to the central conflict of the film.
If that sounds vaguely familiar (except for the father managing son’s career angle, which Rich Brian’s real father Heru Soewarno never did in official capacity), that’s because James’ rise in the music industry is somewhat reflective of Rich Brian’s own life.
Though no trailer for the movie has been posted online, a discussion about Jamojaya in an Indiewire interview of Rich Brian alongside director Justin Chon (Ms. Purple, Blue Bayou) revealed that much of the film plays out in Indonesia and that Bahasa Indonesia is spoken throughout to preserve the authenticity of James’ relationship with his father.
Andrew Baker from Indiewire also gave Jamojaya a glowing review, calling the film “a fresh take on a familiar story.”
On Rich Brian’s performance, Baker wrote: “Imanuel acquits himself well during his first outing in front of the camera — if James’ inner life sometimes seems a bit hazy, that’s fitting for a young man who knows he’s on the cusp of realizing a dream, while growing increasingly unsure if that dream is actually his anymore.”
Baker reserved higher praise for Yayu’s performance, saying: “But it’s the performance from Indonesian veteran Unru that worms its way under your skin. His almost reflexive self-abasement in front of the American music executives invites deep pathos, and his all-consuming love for both of his sons is rendered in heartbreaking vividness. But you can also see how cannily he employs these attributes to keep himself in James’ orbit.”
Jamojaya also stars Kate Lyn Sheil (Kate Plays Christine, She Dies Tomorrow) and Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis.
We will surely be on the lookout for a wider screening of Jamojaya.
