Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Geez & Ann’ On Netflix, An Indonesian YA Romance Based On A Bestselling Book

With the success of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and pretty much every other great film adaptation of a young adult romance, it makes perfect sense that YA love stories continue to sweep the world off its feet. The latest to hit Netflix, a teen rom-com called Geez & Ann, is an Indonesian film based on the bestselling book of the same name by Rintik Sedu. We’re here to tell you if this one will warm your heart or leave you feeling cold. 

GEEZ & ANN: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Ann (Hanggini Purinda Retto) has it all together; when we first meet her, she’s stage managing an alumni festival at her school, encouraging her friends to get out there and perform, running things like a boss. She even keeps her cool when the power goes out, but when she climbs onto a box to inspect the potential source of the outage, she loses her balance – and she’s caught by Geez (Junior Roberts), a charming musician who seems immediately enamored with her. Once the two lock eyes, it’s game over. They’re connected. Ann is predictably a little hesitant to dive into things with this boy bander, but it isn’t long before she gives in, and the two fall fast. But like with any love story, things for our young lovers can’t be too easy.

It turns out Geez’s mother (Dewi Rezer) has banned him from playing music and believes he’s given it up, and fully expects Geez to attend her alma mater in Berlin for university. Geez is able to balance his double life for a little while, but his mother refuses to accept any fate for him but the one she has planned – including any that involve Ann. If that wasn’t enough, Ann has her own heavy family drama to deal with. Will Geez’s mother scare Ann off? Will the distance be too much for these young lovers? All this is revealed by the time Geez & Ann comes to an end.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Geez & Ann definitely evokes a bit of To All The Boys…, but tends to give into its cheesier inclinations, which pushes it into territory that feels a bit more sappy than typical YA romance fare.

Performance Worth Watching: Junior Roberts totally steals the show as Geez. With his floppy hair, glasses, and charming smirk, he gives off serious young Hugh Grant vibes – he’s the perfect young leading man, someone to spark crushes and win hearts. While the film itself may lack the soul the story needs to work, Roberts’ endearing performance and chemistry with his leading lady help sell it.

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take: After a rushed first act, Geez & Ann feels like a series of vignettes that see the couple text, listen to music, and go on what appear to be meaningful outings but don’t seem to carry much weight. The lovely meet-cute at the beginning of the film feels totally squandered by what follows; it’s as if Geez & Ann expects us to be wholly on board with something we know little to nothing about. We get no real information about either of the young leads before they get serious with one another – well, more about Geez in the coming scenes, but not nearly enough for either of them – which makes it difficult for us to get serious with them. This isn’t to say Geez & Ann is bad or unwatchable, but it just doesn’t resonate emotionally the way it should.

With its cute, simple premise and adorable lead actors, I had high hopes for Geez & Ann. The right combination of stakes, story, and star-crossed lovers can make a young adult romance a home run. Unfortunately, however, Geez & Ann fails to make the stakes high enough for us to truly get invested in the central couple. There’s something to be said for love at first sight, but the film rushes the relationship of the young leads so quickly that we’re never fully able to fall in love with them ourselves. At the end of the day, Geez & Ann feels empty. It’s a shame, too, because the rest of the film’s ingredients work so well together.

Our Call: SKIP IT. Geez & Ann is sweet and its leads have great chemistry, but the love story feels so rushed that it’s hard to truly get invested in their relationship, which is crucial for films of this nature.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream Geez & Ann on Netflix