Posesif (2017) Review: A Powerful Indonesian Film About Toxic Love

 

Posesif (Possessive) | 2017 | 1h 42m
Genre: Drama/Romance
Country: Indonesia
Director: Edwin
Writer: Gina S. Noer
Cast: Putri Marino, Adipati Dolken, Gritte Agatha
IMDb: 7.3
My Rate: 9/10

Lala’s dream of finding love with Yudhis slowly turns into a nightmare when his possessive and controlling nature begins to destroy the future she has built for herself.

Warning:

Contains violence, strong language, sensitive themes, and sensual scenes.

At first glance, Posesif looks like the kind of teenage romance filled with sweet moments, young love, and the usual excitement of falling for someone at school. But that is exactly where this film can fool us. What begins as a seemingly ordinary relationship slowly turns into something much darker: a relationship where love becomes control, affection becomes manipulation, and leaving becomes harder than staying.

Lala (Putri Marino) is a high-achieving student and a talented diving athlete. Her late mother was a swimmer, while her father is a swimming coach who trains her for competitions. Although the pressure from her father can be difficult, Lala continues to follow her training and compete successfully.

Everything begins to change when Yudhis (Adipati Dolken) transfers to Lala's school. He is rebellious and quickly gets into trouble, even on his first day after wearing shoes that violate school rules. When his shoes are confiscated, Yudhis tries to retrieve them from the teachers' room. That is where he meets Lala.

Lala ends up being punished alongside Yudhis after she is caught helping him take his shoes back. The punishment unexpectedly becomes the beginning of their closeness. Lala feels that Yudhis understands her in a way other people do not, and their relationship gradually develops into something more.

But Yudhis also begins to influence Lala in ways that are not necessarily good for her. She starts skipping school and becomes less focused on her training. Once they officially become a couple, the situation becomes much worse. Yudhis gradually reveals his possessive and arrogant side. He manipulates Lala, hurts the people closest to her, and eventually becomes violent toward her.

When Lala tries to end the relationship, Yudhis does not simply accept it. Her attempt to leave only makes his obsession more intense.

That is the part of Posesif that makes the film much more powerful than its romantic-looking poster suggests. The film explores a sensitive subject that is unfortunately still very relatable: toxic relationships and violence between partners. It shows how people can become trapped in relationships that are clearly unhealthy, yet still find it incredibly difficult to walk away.

I think the film handles this idea very well because it does not simply show the relationship as good or bad from the beginning. The characters are given backgrounds and personal problems that help us understand why they behave as they do. Their conflicts develop naturally, and the story builds toward its resolution without making the characters feel like simple stereotypes.

That is also why the contrast with its initial appearance works so well. Looking at the poster, I would probably expect a typical teenage romance. Instead, Posesif offers something far more uncomfortable. The performances make that transformation even more convincing. Putri Marino and Adipati Dolken have strong chemistry, and their interactions feel natural enough to make the relationship believable.

Putri Marino's performance is particularly impressive. Her portrayal of Lala feels emotionally convincing, especially as the character gradually changes from someone confident and accomplished into someone who becomes increasingly confused and trapped by her relationship. It is easy to understand why the performance received recognition.

The supporting cast also contributes well, and the chemistry among the characters feels convincing. However, there are a few visual details that distracted me. In some scenes, Putri Marino looks noticeably more mature than the other actors, making it slightly difficult to believe that Lala is still a high school student. In other shots, she looks perfectly age-appropriate. The inconsistency in makeup seems to contribute to this difference.

The music and sound effects also support the story effectively. Camera movement and color composition are handled well, creating a visual atmosphere that fits the changing tone of the relationship. Overall, the film manages to bring its story and visual presentation together into an engaging experience.

One of the scenes that stayed with me is when Lala becomes overwhelmed by a difficult choice: should she follow her own dreams or adjust her future according to what Yudhis wants? Her university choice could shape the rest of her life, yet she finds herself considering someone else's wishes instead of her own.

Her father reminds her that her future is ultimately in her hands, and that she has to be confident in her own decision.

For me, this is one of the most important messages in the film. Sometimes, in the name of love, we start ignoring what is actually good for us. We slowly give up our dreams, our boundaries, our friendships, or even our identity just to keep someone else happy.

But love should not require us to abandon ourselves.

The line, “Bukan tanggung jawab loe, kok. Yudhis berubah atau nggak,” captures that idea perfectly. Whether Yudhis changes or not is not Lala's responsibility. She cannot build her future around the hope that someone else will eventually become a different person.

That is also why I think Posesif is more than just a story about a toxic relationship. It is also a reminder about self-worth. Loving someone does not mean allowing them to control your life. Staying loyal to someone does not mean sacrificing your future for them. And leaving a harmful relationship is not a failure of love.

For anyone who has ever struggled to move on from a toxic relationship, Posesif can feel uncomfortably close to reality. Sometimes the hardest person to choose is yourself. Yet that may be exactly the choice you need to make.

In the end, Posesif is a film that surprised me precisely because it looks like a romance but refuses to remain one. Beneath the teenage setting is a story about control, manipulation, violence, and the difficult process of reclaiming your own life.

And perhaps the question we should ask ourselves is not simply whether we love someone enough to stay, but whether the relationship still allows us to remain ourselves.

(Aluna Uwie)

Previously published on Alunauwie.com.

"This article was originally written in Indonesian and has been adapted into English for international readers."