Jamojaya

Last updated
Jamojaya
Directed by Justin Chon
Written byJustin Chon
Maegan Houang
Produced byAlan Pao
David Matheny
Joseph Dang
Alex Chi
Yamato Cibulka
Shaun Sanghani
Starring Brian Imanel
Yayu Unru
Cinematography Ante Cheng
Edited byReynolds Barney
Music byRoger Suen
Production
companies
88rising
Stars Collective
Tunnel Post
Release date
  • January 22, 2023 (2023-01-22)(Sundance)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
Indonesian

Jamojaya is a 2023 American drama film written and directed by Justin Chon and starring Yayu Unru and Brian "Rich Brian" Imanuel in his film debut, playing a Indonesian rap star struggling with his newfound celebrity. [1] [2]

Contents

Cast

Synopsis

James (Brian Imanuel), an aspiring Indonesian rapper, has just been signed by a big American record label, and finds himself in Hawaii at the label's private resort to record a new album. The new deal however, comes with a few strings. Joyo (Yayu Unru), James' father has been previously managing James' career, and he's found himself unceremoniously pushed aside by the label for the polished Shannon (Kate Lyn Sheil). James struggles with the desire for fame, fortune, and independence, while maintaining his artistic integrity and loyalty to his father. [3]

Release

The film was released on 22 January at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Filmed in Hawaii, it made its hometown premiere at the Hawaii International Film Festival's Spring Showcase on 31 March 2023. [4] [5]

Reception

The film has a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 18 reviews. [6]

Nick Allen of RogerEbert.com gave the film a positive review and wrote, "Jamajaya is Chon's most soulful and calibrated film yet. It proves how his urge to explore the deepest pains of his heartfelt characters can be sublime when pitched at the right volume." [7]

Therese Lacson of Collider graded the film a C+, as a positive review, and wrote, "Jamojaya is at its weakest when it pushes its music industry storyline to the forefront and the family drama into the background. But Imanuel and Unru's performances are enough to give this film praise..." [8]

Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review and wrote, "Powerful performances anchor a messy family drama." [9]

Kate Erbland of IndieWire graded the film a C+, as a negative review, and wrote that it "continues Chon’s traditional obsessions but wraps them in a shallow story filled with predictable problems, obvious baddies, and trite lessons." [10]

Andrew Barker of Variety gave the film a positive review and wrote, "Jamojaya is elevated above its familiar narrative paces by sensitive camerawork and a pair of intriguing performances, and its suggestion that showbusiness ambitions and family ties don’t so much collide as unravel on parallel tracks." [3]

Fred Topel of United Press International gave the film a positive review and wrote, "Jamojaya is a father/son tale set in the recording industry between cultural barriers. Writer/director Justin Chon balances all the intersecting issues beautifully and still creates a universally moving drama." [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy Greer</span> American actress (born 1975)

Judith Therese Evans, known professionally as Judy Greer, is an American actress. She is primarily known as a character actress who has appeared in a wide variety of films. She rose to prominence for her supporting roles in the films Jawbreaker (1999), What Women Want (2000), 13 Going on 30 (2004), Elizabethtown (2005), 27 Dresses (2008), and Love & Other Drugs (2010).

Sister Aimee is a 2019 American biographical film written and directed by Samantha Buck and Marie Schlingmann and starring Anna Margaret Hollyman as Aimee Semple McPherson. It is a fictionalized account of McPherson's 1926 disappearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Chon</span> American actor and director

Justin Jitae Chon is an American actor and filmmaker. He has directed three films, Gook (2017), Ms. Purple (2019), and Blue Bayou (2021). He is also known for portraying Eric Yorkie in The Twilight Saga film series. He is a member of the K-pop parody group Boys Generally Asian.

<i>Seoul Searching</i> 2015 American film

Seoul Searching is a 2016 South Korean comedy-drama film written and directed by Benson Lee and starring Justin Chon, Jessika Van, Cha In-Pyo and Teo Yoo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Lyn Sheil</span> American actress (born 1985)

Kate Lyn Sheil is an American actress. She is primarily known for her roles in independent films like You're Next, V/H/S, The Color Wheel, The Sacrament, and the award-winning Netflix series House of Cards.

<i>Other People</i> (film) 2016 American film

Other People is a 2016 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Chris Kelly in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Jesse Plemons, Molly Shannon, Bradley Whitford, Maude Apatow, Madisen Beaty, John Early, Zach Woods, Josie Totah, and June Squibb. It is a semi-autobiographical look at Kelly's family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Brian</span> Indonesian rapper and singer (born 1999)

Brian Imanuel Soewarno, known professionally as Rich Brian (formerly Rich Chigga), is an Indonesian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known for his viral debut single "Dat $tick", which was first released in March 2016 on SoundCloud. The single was later certified gold by RIAA. His debut studio album, Amen, was released in 2018 and peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard 200. Brian's second studio album, The Sailor, was released in 2019. He released an EP titled 1999 in 2020. He released another EP titled Brightside in January 2022. Brian has collaborated with many artists from China and South Korea such as Chungha, Keith Ape, Jackson Wang, and Jae Park.

<i>Patti Cake$</i> 2017 film

Patti Cake$ is a 2017 American drama film directed by Geremy Jasper. It was screened in the US Dramatic Competition section of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. It was released on August 18, 2017, by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

<i>My Happy Family</i> 2017 Georgian film

My Happy Family is a 2017 Georgian drama film directed by Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß. It was screened in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and had its world premiere in the Forum section at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. Ekvtimishvili and Groß were awarded Best Director at the Sofia International Film Festival, where their film was entered in the International Competition section. The movie was added to Netflix in December 2017 internationally and resided there until December 2022.

<i>Kate Plays Christine</i> 2016 American film

Kate Plays Christine is a 2016 American documentary film written and directed by Robert Greene. It follows actress Kate Lyn Sheil's preparation for the role of Christine Chubbuck, a newscaster who committed suicide on live television in 1974, for a fictitious film. It is one of the two films about Chubbuck that premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, the other being Christine.

<i>Columbus</i> (2017 film) 2017 American film

Columbus is a 2017 American drama film written, directed, and edited by Kogonada in his feature directorial debut. The film follows the son of a renowned architecture scholar who gets stranded in Columbus, Indiana and strikes up a friendship with a young architecture enthusiast who works at the local library. Michelle Forbes, Rory Culkin, and Parker Posey appear in supporting roles. The film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was released in the United States on August 4, 2017, by the Sundance Institute, receiving acclaim from critics.

<i>Searching</i> (film) 2018 film by Aneesh Chaganty

Searching is a 2018 American screenlife mystery thriller film directed by Aneesh Chaganty in his feature debut, written by Chaganty and Sev Ohanian and produced by Timur Bekmambetov. Set entirely on computer screens and smartphones, the film follows a father trying to find his missing 16-year-old daughter with the help of a police detective. This was the first mainstream Hollywood thriller headlined by an Asian-American actor.

<i>Kindred</i> (film) 2020 British film

Kindred is a 2020 British mystery horror drama film written and directed by Joe Marcantonio and starring Tamara Lawrance, Jack Lowden and Fiona Shaw. The film premiered at the 2021 Montclair Film Festival at a drive-in screening.

<i>Endless</i> (2020 film) 2020 film

Endless is a 2020 American fantasy romantic drama film directed by Scott Speer and starring Alexandra Shipp and Nicholas Hamilton.

<i>Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street</i> 2021 American documentary film

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is a 2021 American documentary film directed by Marilyn Agrelo.

<i>Poser</i> (film) 2021 American film

Poser is a 2021 American drama film directed by Noah Dixon and Ori Segev and starring Sylvie Mix and Bobbi Kitten.

Materna is a 2020 American drama film directed by David Gutnik, starring Jade Eshete, Assol Abdullina, Kate Lyn Sheil and Lindsay Burdge.

<i>Earth Mama</i> 2023 film by Savanah Leaf

Earth Mama is a 2023 drama film directed and written by Savanah Leaf, based on the short film The Heart Still Hums by Leaf and Taylor Russell. It was released on July 7, 2023, by A24.

Andi Wahyuddin Unru better known as Yayu Unru is an Indonesian actor and acting coach.

The Long Game is a 2023 American historical drama film written by Marla Quintana, Paco Farias and Jennifer C. Stetson, directed by Julio Quintana and starring Jay Hernandez, Dennis Quaid, Jaina Lee Ortiz and Julian Works. It is based on the 2010 novel Mustang Miracle by Humberto G. Garcia.

References

  1. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (October 12, 2021). "'Crazy Rich Asians' Backer Among Producers Of Justin Chon's Under-The-Radar Music Drama 'Jamojaya' Starring Rapper Rich Brian In Movie Debut". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Jamojaya". sundance.org. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 Barker, Andrew (January 22, 2023). "'Jamojaya' Review: An Aspiring Rapper Clashes With His Manager-Father in Justin Chon's Slippery Drama". Variety. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Topel, Fred (23 January 2023). "Sundance movie review: Rich Brian rap powers touching 'Jamojaya'". UPI.
  5. ↑ Subiono, Russell (March 30, 2023). "Director Justin Chon talks new film 'Jamojaya' screening at HIFF". Hawaii Public Radio. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Jamojaya". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ Allen, Nick (February 2, 2023). "Sundance 2023: Rotting in the Sun, Jamojaya, Cassandro". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  8. ↑ Lacson, Therese (February 2, 2023). "'Jamojaya' Review: Justin Cho's Family Drama Delivers Strong Performances, But a Weak Third Act; Sundance 2023". Collider. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ Han, Angie (January 26, 2023). "'Jamojaya' Review: Justin Chon's Father-Son Drama Leans on Its Leads to Overcome Flaws". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  10. ↑ Erbland, Kate (January 23, 2023). "'Jamojaya' Review: Justin Chon Drops Viral Indonesian Rapper Rich Brian Into a Thin Music Drama". IndieWire. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.