MAY 28 ― When I first noticed that Cendol, the latest film from M. Subash (director of films like Pensil and my personal favourites Misteri Bisikan Pontianak and Papa's Shoe) and My Stupid Boss, an Indonesian production set in Malaysia and starring a mix of Indonesian and Malaysian actors, will be opening on the same day in Malaysian cinemas, it seemed like a great opportunity to see a sort of David vs. Goliath battle between an underdog Malaysian film-maker known for making films on what can only be described as impoverished budgets and a slick mainstream Indonesian film with surely multiple times the budget.

Judging from Subash's output of the last few years, which yielded interesting experiments like the silent movie Jendela (which, believe it or not, had only ONE actor!), the LGBT-social-commentary-disguised-as-a-horror-flick Misteri Bisikan Pontianak and the very arthouse-leaning Papa's Shoe, I believed with all my heart that it wouldn't be a one-sided battle when it comes to substance and quality.

So it is with great disappointment that I regret to report that of all the times that Subash decided to put out an absolute dud of a movie, he had to choose now.

Reading the synopsis, one would probably expect your standard M. Subash film as it is again set in conditions of almost extreme rural poverty, with characters struggling to make ends meet.

In the case of Cendol, it's a family of three consisting of a bedridden father, a physically disabled older son working odd jobs and selling cendol to put food on the family's table and a bright young daughter who's doing very well in primary school despite the family's perilous economic situation.

But the actual film, despite valiant efforts from the actors, was completely hamstrung by a cliché ridden script, absolutely woeful and baffling editing choices that screw up the film's plot thread and painfully amateurish cinematography, making the whole thing feel like a student film, and not a good one at that.

Completely gone are the gorgeous and sometimes perfectly judged framing that littered Papa's Shoe, which makes me wonder whether not having his regular collaborator M. Suurya (who's usually the cinematographer on his films, in addition to also being the composer, producer and editor sometimes) this time around is the real reason why Cendol is this bad.

So in the end, there really wasn't much of a battle to begin with. Even if My Stupid Boss was the winner by default, it's actually an excellent enough movie to compete with loads of other mainstream movies, much to my surprise.

Written and directed by Upi Avianto, famous for directing hits like 30 Hari Mencari Cinta and Realita, Cinta Dan Rock N Roll, her latest film My Stupid Boss is a completely inspired modern take on Asian-style slapstick comedy.

Yes, you read that right, Upi is a her, which makes the whole thing even more interesting seeing that very few women actually get to direct big films in this part of the world.

Starring Indonesian superstar Bunga Citra Lestari (“BCL”) and rising new star Reza Rahadian, BCL plays Diana, the wife to an Indonesian expat Dika (played by Alex Abbad), working in the oil and gas industry in Malaysia, and who's become so bored staying at home that she finally manages to get a job working as the head clerk for her husband's old university friend, who insists on being called “Bossman”, played by Reza Rahadian.

A complete and utter weirdo, or maybe eccentric is the better word, Bossman is a superb comic creation, with Reza relishing the opportunity to completely sink himself physically into the role, and accentuating the many hilariously annoying habits (especially that unforgettable giggle) that the Bossman unselfconsciously displays to the whole world.

This is, in fact, completely his film, with Diana mainly just being the agonised straight man to his annoying and deadpan comic routine, and it's a partnership that oozes comic chemistry, leading to mighty fits of laughter and giggles from the audience I saw it with throughout the movie.

Narrative wise, there really isn't anything you haven't seen before here. It's a little bit of Horrible Bosses crossed with a bit of the gooey sweetness of The Intern, without any love affair going on between the two protagonists since they're both happily married.

But what really makes the film such a memorable experience is the chemistry between every single one of the cast. Like any good sitcom, you treasure the experience of spending time with the characters, which is why you watch the shows week in, week out.

There's a bit of that magic here, not only between BCL, Reza and Alex Abbad but also from the Malaysian supporting cast, which includes Bront Palarae, Chew Kinwah, Atikah Suhaime and Iskandar Zulkarnain.

Despite the characters being pure caricatures, the infectious spirit of the acting just sweeps you along, and you appreciate the privilege of spending about 90 plus minutes of your time with these characters, sort of like that feeling you get when you hang out and joke around with your best buddies.

Yes, the Bossman may be stupid, and the film’s title sure does sound like it too, but the film itself isn’t. In fact, there’s something to be admired about seeing someone having the courage and confidence to be this intentionally stupid, because it takes an altogether different level of intelligence to achieve that!

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.