User Reviews

In my opinion, the movie fail to choose its direction. Is it really a gay-themed movie or a transgender-themed movie? If Khir Rahman had decided well on that, he could come up with a definitely better movie.

Ruby/Rubidin was a man in love with another man, Ghaus. The turning point was when Ghaus mentioned 'If only you're a woman' to Rubidin during their vacation and poof! Rubidin decided to be Ruby. The conflict started when Ghaus cannot accept Ruby and Ruby faced with debt and had to go back to her village to not be accepted by her parents. When her father died, she came back to the village as a man, confused and almost getting married to a local girl.

For me, technically, it seems that Khir Rahman as a director do not understand the process of being a transsexual. I was dumbfounded knowing that Ruby wears a wig and obviously flat-chested whilst the first thing to do before undergoing a sex-change operation is to have enough female hormones that'll prepare her for the operation.

Anyway, the movie was saved by the acting. Jalil Hamid and Normah Damanhuri as Ruby's parents delivered two of the best performances (and lines) i've seen on screen and I do believe they deserve a lot of acknowledgements for that. Unfortunately, the lead actor Arja Lee was a bit wooden and his manly appeal made some of the audience laugh. That reaction is open for interpretation but it's a situation worth for a thought.

I expected a lot from this movie especially for it trying to be different but due to the major flaws, it was hard not to dislike this movie. 'Bukak Api' should be an excellent reference if ever Khir Rahman realized that transgender is the theme that he should go for at the first place.

"... Dalam Botol" depicts the gritty realism of regret one needs to live through when a life altering decision is made. In a gist "...Dalam Botol" illustrates the mistakes, lessons and lost bliss that Arja Lee's character, Ruby/Rubidin, has brought upon himself.

Although the movie explores Ruby and Ghaus' (Wan Raja) homosexual relationship right at the start, the bigger picture however serves as a stern warning to those who are considering the alternate lifestyle. It does not wish to punish those who are unable to help their sexual preference or even to condone the gay community. This movie tells us that even though it is a person's own free will to undergo a sex change operation, one should be prepared to face the burden of the consequences that comes along with it as well.

The part where Rubidin visits his ailing father back in his childhood village serves as a touching eye-opener. Particularly when Rubidin's mother Makcik Sal (Normah Damanhuri) and his father Pak Mus (Jalil Hamid) are expressing their disappointment of their son's choices in life but never once did they speak of disowning him as their son. Pak Mus still accepts Rubidin as his beloved son and puts him in charge of his will as well as funeral preparations when he dies.

"... Dalam Botol" also observes how Rubidin had messed-up his potential future with Dina (Diana Danielle). Although Dina is not as perfect as she may seem by harboring secrets of her own, at least she is capable of gaining a second chance, unlike Rubidin who fails to embody the masculine strength that Dina requires so badly in her life.

The strength of this movie is unquestionably the quality of acting delivered by the actors, which fruitfully embodied their respective roles in the most sincere way possible. It falters as a commercial film, but succeeds in dealing with the subject matter of its theme. For Khir Rahman's directorial debut it is an impressive effort.

The beginning of the movie displays an interesting style of editing which illustrates the chaotic urban life of Ruby through its jump cuts, close-ups and rickety style of filming. When the story shifts to the village, a different approach of filming is then employed. It utilizes more of panning shots and long shots that present a brighter and wider outlook towards Rubidin's life.

The soundtrack that was handpicked by Saidah Rastam and Khir Rahman for the score of the movie is very unconventional, but somehow manages to fit the ambiance of the movie. The two main songs that were used were "Mana Ku Tahu" by L-Vynn Mohsin at the beginning of the movie and then later towards the end, "Buka Pintu" by Anneke Gronloh which were decent enough. The soundtrack was only heard at specific moments of the movie, therefore the rest of the scenes were left with real-time background noises to emphasize the emptiness and confusion of Rubidin's mind. Khir Rahman picks filming locations that at times may seem like he is desperately pushing boundaries, but the reviewer believes he has his own hidden meanings embedded through them.

"...Dalam Botol" as Khir Rahman's directorial debut is very laudable and he exhibits definite potential to make more quality-laden movies. Producer Raja Azmi that had the courage to support a movie that tells the true story of her close friend, is also someone who is not short of a well-deserved praise.

-Ajami Hashim- Top Malaysian blogger