'Dopamine' Plunges into Paranoia and Capitalism’s Cruelty with a Claustrophobic Thrill

The concept of a sudden, unexpected discovery of wealth and the morally corrosive consequences that follow has long been a powerful narrative staple in cinema. This enduring premise was notably present at this year’s Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival (JAFF), where two films explored the theme, with Dopamine offering a compelling, home-invasion-style approach that showcases yet another excellent performance from actress Shenina Cinnamon.

The film introduces Malik and Alya, a young married couple already struggling financially after Malik loses his job, a suffocating pressure amplified by Alya's pregnancy. Their desperation collides head-on with temptation when a mysterious guest dies inside their apartment, leaving behind a suitcase overflowing with billions of rupiah in cash. This sudden windfall immediately blurs the couple's moral boundaries.

Director Teddy Soeriaatmadja deliberately cultivates a suffocating, claustrophobic atmosphere, effectively demonstrating the speed at which the promise of financial relief can mutate into paralyzing fear, paranoia, and overwhelming guilt. Malik’s initial resolve rapidly crumbles, dragging Alya into the same moral vortex, and the anxiety quickly swallows their once-tight bond. Through this intense focus, the director presents multiple sharp commentaries regarding the cruelty of unfettered capitalism and the pervasive generational economic anxiety, themes that resonate particularly strongly in a country like Indonesia, which continues to struggle with persistent poverty. Simultaneously, the film highlights the increasingly faint line separating pure survival from outright criminality. While this layered thematic approach adds significant depth, it occasionally risks becoming convoluted, as an excess of complex ideas struggle to breathe within the spatially restricted setting.

In this sense, Dopamine unfolds for much of its duration as a character-driven chamber piece, with the cramped apartment serving as the primary, inescapable location. This spatial confinement allows the two lead actors to truly shine, as Angga Yunanda and Shenina Cinnamon carry the film’s immense emotional weight and tension with impressive conviction. Their on-screen chemistry is notable, though the physical and emotional demands placed upon Alya—as a pregnant woman suffering—place a greater strain on Cinnamon. Nevertheless, she remains entirely convincing, both as a deliverer and recipient of the story’s escalating violence.

Furthermore, an overall sense of grittiness begins to permeate the narrative as the real danger surrounding the couple becomes increasingly apparent. The synergy between the building tension, the mostly grounded violent scenes, and the excellent audiovisual craftsmanship—including the work in music, sound, and Aline Jusria’s sharp editing—results in several sequences that are nothing short of striking. Cinematographer Vera Lestafa captures the events with competence, demonstrating a particular flair during the action scenes confined to the tight quarters of the apartment.

However, the film’s story does not withstand close scrutiny. A number of narrative arcs are either forgotten or left undeveloped, the motivations of key characters often remain unclear, and the secondary characters fail to register meaningfully. The presence of the police, in particular, lacks logical consistency within the plot. Even with these narrative shortcomings, the aforementioned strengths—especially the pervasive grittiness, the superior audiovisual craftsmanship, and the magnetic acting—ultimately elevate Dopamine above its narrative flaws, creating an experience that is certainly entertaining while remaining true to its compelling title.