Promised Hearts Review: Netflix brings a romantic Indonesian film which is more faith-based as it brings the story of childhood friends who grow up and begin to realise their feelings towards each other through a series of events. While the film brings our favourite childhood friends to lovers troupe, the plot doesn’t seem to do justice to viewers who enjoy this theme and fails in many aspects.
Promised Hearts Director
Anggy Umbara
Promised Hearts Cast
Beby Tsabina, Deva Mahenra, Caitlin Halderman, Dito Darmawan, Alya Rohali, Ayez Kassar, Imran Ismail, Kiki Narendra
Release Date
31 March, 2025
AKA
Setetes Embun Cinta Niyala
-No Spoilers-
Promised Hearts Review
The plot of the film follows childhood friends Niyala and Faiq, who grow up together in the latter’s house after Niyala’s mother passes away. While the two grow up together, Niyala has feelings budding for Faiq, but her life takes a drastic turn when she finds out that her father has arranged her marriage with her childhood bully to repay his debt. Moreover, Faiq surprises her by introducing his fiance which only further breaks her heart.
Childhood friends to lovers troupe is definitely one of our favourites over the years, and seeing one friend fall in love while the other follows way after isn’t something new. When watching this film, I looked forward more towards the emotional aspect and the fluttery feeling that buds within me from the plot. Unfortunately, I hardly got much of this and was only met with a mediocre script that hardly managed to give me the beautiful emotions of a good romantic film. The film had a lot of potential, but it failed in many aspects which only disappoints me when thinking about it together.
The film is surely more faith-based than it is romantic, which you will realise in the first few minutes of the show. However, it doesn’t go overboard with it either and keeps me on the borderline of both themes, which kind of leaves me confused. Is it Fate? Faith? Love? Well, the characters are just as confused as the viewers and in the end it’s everything you can think of.
Moving on, I have to come to the cinematography of the film which is absolutely beautiful, especially when it comes to capturing the scenic beauty of the seaside village. But then the script makes things hard for the viewers as a repetitive scenes makes its entery- the character looking far off into the horizon while another appears from behind them. The number of times you will find Niyala on the shore just staring into the horizon will have you wondering how many more times you will find her there. Many of the conversations could have been done elsewhere with better dialogues but somehow, all we get is the least amount of effort put in by the creators.
Even the characters will annoy you in ways that will have you wondering what is wrong with them. The female lead seems almost stupid and easily fooled, while the male lead makes him seem indecisive and almost playboyish. On one hand, he is asking god to help him recognise the one he loves so that he can sincerely love them, but then he goes ahead marrying another. Meanwhile, the female lead does the classic stupidity of going into the lion’s den all alone. No matter how many I see, this doesn’t get any better, and it just makes me wonder why these characters are not getting any better. The second female lead is more realistic, mature and someone I loved better than the others.
Altogether, the romance film is definitely not romancing and will leave you with a mediocre experience, maybe even questioning your choice of watching the film.
Summing Up
Promised Hearts brings the classic romance plot of childhood friends to lovers with the expected hurdles falling in their way that will strengthen their bond. However, the feelings evoked during the film are more of faith than of the tickling romance, so beware before you choose to watch the film.
Watch Promised Hearts on Netflix.
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