Early in the first episode of The Aces, Muk (Chandra Satria) reminds his son Kieu (Kevin Ardilova), “On a billiard table, the white ball doesn’t know who is rich and who is poor.” This theme of classism in billiards is arguably the most interesting component of this Indonesian billiards series that debuted on Amazon Prime in 2023. Classism is a dynamic at the heart of the sport’s 500+ year history, yet it’s been curiously unexplored throughout most billiards film and television.
A compressed history lesson: Billiards originated in late 15th century France. It was played by royalty, such as King Louis XI and Mary, Queen of Scots, and it was often referred to as the “Noble Game.” For centuries, a billiards table was a symbol of opulence, and it belonged exclusively to the wealthy elite. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century, when billiards’ identity schism occurred, and tables started to show up in saloons and taverns, targeting a less reputable demographic. Eventually, it became culturally coded, affiliated with alcohol, gambling, and danger.
This was equally true in Indonesia. During the Dutch East Indies, billiards was an elite colonial pastime, played in venues not accessible to most Indonesians. Popular places for playing billiards included the Harmony Society in Batavia (now Jakarta) and the Balai Pemuda, a Dutch elite social club that was affectionately known by the locals as “Roemah Kamar Bola” (or Billiard Room House). But after Indonesia’s independence, the sport shifted – or expanded – building popularity among middle- and lower-class populations, and engendering a seedier image, particularly associated with gambling and alcohol.
The Aces sits at this class and cultural intersection. The series focuses on two billiards players on opposite sides of Indonesia’s economic spectrum who are slowly brought together to compete against one another in the 2022 Jakarta Billiards Society. JBS is a once-in-a-lifetime 9-ball single elimination tournament, where up to 16 people from any demographic can compete. Players advance by winning their best-of-three matches. But the stakes are high: either you win the tournament or you are banned from ever competing in it again.
On one side of the baize is Dharma (Emir Mahira), scion of the legendary Triasmana family, which seemingly runs Jakarta and has retained control of JBS for many years. The family is ruled by the fearful patriarch Faisal (Surya Saputra), who reminds his audience of financial backers that, “Billiards is meant for people like us, the chosen ones. Because if billiards were in the wrong class, the lower class, it would be associated with cheap beers, rural gambling, and low-class prostitution.”
On the other side is Kieu, a gimpy-legged, chainsmoking, reckless, billiards crackpot, who gambles to keep his family’s dilapidated Taurus Billiards afloat, though his father vehemently disapproves of Kieu’s money-earning tactics. There is barely enough money for food, never mind getting Kieu’s father cataract surgery. As Kiu says, “For us, billiards is survival.”
Series creator Salman Aristo said, “The Aces tells the story of the generation gap between a father and his son, including their expectations and navigating the communication gap, and billiards provides a unique twist.” It also portrays the social class differences between the two main characters in a compelling way. All these story elements are meant to be conveyed as “one table, millions of destinies” on the billiards table. (1)
While The Aces gets high marks for exploring billiards history through classism, the series ultimately fails because the story lacks any real drama or tension. The eight episodes long overstay their welcome. Dharma’s path to JBS is both plagued with melodrama and boring to watch, especially as the actor Mr. Mahira portrays him as a one-dimensional, anxiety-ridden, petulant son. (Kieu’s character is at least a bit more nuanced.) Character arcs don’t make sense, and key plot points (such as the JBS gambling) are underdeveloped. There is also an annoying Mr. Miyagi-like mentor named Yundus Pendekar, the “insane billiards master,” who spends a disproportionate amount of time pounding vodka-and-wine potables, but does little else to move the story forward.
As for the billiards, the creators seemingly tried to inject some verisimilitude into the series. Emphasis is rightfully put on the very mundane practice of using a guided hole stroke trainer to aim a cue stick straight. And the series briefly explores the craftsmanship of cue making. But other details are completely botched. Some of the 9-ball play is inaccurate, with balls shot out-of-order. The lags for break are inconsistent with the characters’ skill levels. A ball-in-hand setup on the 8-ball is narrated to be highly tense, when it’s super straightforward. Most egregious, the JBS tournament, which doesn’t commence until episode 5, finally unfolds at a level of play nowhere near commensurate with the hype the series has painstakingly built. Collectively, these gaffes are unforgivable and lead to a disappointingly subpar viewing experience.
The Aces is streaming on Amazon Prime, though access may be restricted depending on one’s home country.
