Nota

Year: 2015
Genre: Thriller
Director: Yasu Tanaka


Plot: A couple with marital problems return to the place where they first got engaged, hoping to patch things up. But when the wife discovers an ominous note written by her husband, a tragic set of events is put into motion.


The gist: I have a confession to make. I'm not a fan of Malay films. In fact, I haven't watched any Malay films made in my country for the last decade or so, could be longer. I did grow up watching P Ramlee films (who hasn't?) and saw a couple of 80s flicks (Mr Os is a personal favorite), but other than that, none. 

Forgive me for what I am about to say, but most Malay films in the last several years tend to be one of few things: a silly comedy (or lawak bodoh as they call it), a horror comedy, a horror film with lots of blood and not much else, Gerak Khas movies or blatant ripoffs of famous films from overseas. There have only been a few exceptions to this rule. You might ask how I came to this conclusion since I haven't seen Malay films for so long. Well, from trailers I have seen and some reviews I have read, this is what I feel. Let's just say my confidence hasn't been high.

So when the hype began for Nota, I thought now's the time to sit up and pay attention. After all, if enough people talk about it, there has to be something worth seeing here. So here I am.

Nota is the story of Erin and Kamal, a couple who haven't been on speaking terms for a long time. There's the hint of trying unsuccessfully for a child as the main reason for this. The two decide to go back to the place where they first got engaged, at Bako National Park. Erin thinks this is a chance for them to reconcile, until she finds a note in Kamal's planner, hinting at her husband making a decision that isn't what she's expecting at all. And from there, more and more clues start dropping, and things go south from here.

Director Yasu Tanaka has made a nice little thriller here. While the lack of an expensive budget is quite obvious, the film is beautifully shot. This is pretty much proof that big bucks aren't necessary to make a good film.


The good: Maya Karin and Hans Isaac are good in the lead roles, but it is the late Ramli Hassan that steals the show as the boatman that ferries the couple to their destination. Ramli's boatman is an eccentric character, one who is kind yet mysterious, funny yet sometimes creepy when he looks at someone in a certain way. He has plenty of stories to tell, in fact his lines are more than Maya and Hans' combined. He's just awesome.
The other good thing is the cinematography. It's not just the wide outdoor shots of Bako that I'm referring to, but also something as basic as a butterfly on the table, rice being cooked, hermit crabs walking on the sand etc. This is how a camera should be used in a film. Speaking of Bako, credit goes to the production design team for choosing the locations that ended up on film. Gorgeous to behold.


The bad: Nota lacks a genuine surprise. Perhaps I shouldn't have watched the trailer before seeing this. But even so, the resolution to the story is quite obvious once Erin makes her move in the third act. I was hoping for something to sweep the rug from under me but it didn't happen.
There are also other little things, like Erin's conversations with Mayumi that didn't seem natural to me. I'm referring to how it looked on screen and not how it was set up. And then there was the weird receptionist, which wasn't necessary (don't know why this was here).


Verdict: It's a solid little thriller that uses its strengths well. Despite being predictable in the final third, it's a film worth checking out, even if just for the visuals. (7/10)