In this interview recorded in Los Angeles, Jake Gyllenhaal — the brave star of such daring films as Donnie Darko and Brokeback Mountain — talks about his new mind-bending sci-fi thriller Source Code, and explains the difference between emotional nakedness and literal nakedness in film.
(This interview first aired on CNN-IBN)
April 29, 2011
Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Tusshar Kapoor, Nikhil Dwivedi, Pitobash Tripathy, Radhika Apte, Sundeep Kishan
Directors: Raj Nidimoru & Krishna DK
Three desperate men fighting circumstances and struggling to make a better life for themselves in a corrupt metro…these are the protagonists of the appropriately titled Shor in the City, a sparkling comedy thriller that sucks you into its world from the very word go. Directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, the film unfolds in Mumbai over a period of 11 days during the Ganesh festival, and follows three separate tracks that gradually intertwine.
Tusshar Kapoor runs a pirated-book publishing business with two petty-thief partners, who have got their hands on a bag filled with guns and explosives that they’re hoping to sell for a princely sum. Recently married and inherently decent, Tusshar has no interest in getting involved with his friends in this shady business. He prefers instead to stay home and pore over a copy of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist that has changed his life.
Sendhil Ramamurthy is an American-Indian who’s returned home to set up a small business, but finds himself being bullied by local extortionists who’re threatening him and his model girlfriend. And finally, Sundeep Kishan is a young cricketer who doesn’t know how to raise the Rs 10 lakh needed to grease the palms of the selector so he can get a place in the Under-22 team, and subsequently marry his girlfriend who’s being pressurized by her family to enter into an arranged match.
A delicious mix of quirky humor, gruesome violence, and surprising sensitivity, Shor in the City works on the strength of its smart script and consistent performances from its ensemble cast. Tusshar Kapoor surprises with a mature turn, and his delicate romance with Radhika Apte makes for some of the film’s warmest moments. But the actor who dazzles here is Pitobash Tripathy as the eccentric small-time goon Mandook, who steals every scene he’s in.
A living, breathing slice of busy Mumbai, this film has dark humor running through its veins: whether it’s the opening scene in which Tusshar and his partners rob a prominent author, or the scene in a restaurant’s toilet where Pitobash gets even with a former acquaintance. There is comedy even in the film’s dark climax, which for me was the only baffling portion of this film.
I’m going with three-and-a-half out of five for Shor in the City. This is one of those films that completely surprised me by how much fun it was. Now it’s your turn to find out!
(This review first aired on CNN-IBN)
April 29, 2011
Cast: Nandita Das, Purab Kohli, Juhi Chawla, Manisha Koirala, Sanjay Suri, Radkhika Apte, Anurag Kashyap, Shernaz Patel, Rahul Bose, Arjun Mathur, Abhimanyu Singh
Director: Onir
Four short stories, roughly 25 minutes each, make up the honest and hard-hitting feature I Am, directed by Onir. In the first, Nandita Das is an embittered woman determined not to lean on a partner to fulfill her desire for a baby. The next is about a displaced Kashmiri Hindu, played by Juhi Chawla, who returns to Srinagar after 16 years, to sell her old home and confront the ghosts of the past. The third stars Sanjay Suri as a manipulative filmmaker still grappling with the sexual abuse he suffered in his youth. And Rahul Bose appears in the fourth as a gay man brutally exploited because his sexual orientation makes him a criminal in his own country.
Each recounting a tale of betrayal, the four chapters in I Am are held together by protagonists desperate to start afresh and assert their individual identity. Director Onir addresses relevant themes, but spares us that self-important tone that ‘issue-based’ films invariably tend to take. The stories in I Am unfold leisurely, and with a silent grace that makes it easy to root for its principal characters. There’s warmth and quiet dignity in the relationship between Nandita Das’ character and Purab Kohli’s, who make polite conversation in a doctor’s waiting room. There is a sad wistfulness in the scenes between Juhi Chawla’s character and her Muslim childhood friend, played by Manisha Koirala, whom she visits for the first time in many years. There’s playful mischief in the nervous flirtations between Rahul Bose’s character and Arjun Mathur’s who he encounters in a suburban coffee shop.
There is however, a slight sloppiness to the dialogues in the third film starring Sanjay Suri, and interlinking the four stories through common characters comes off as a tad labored.
Of the cast, Abhimanyu Singh stands out with a brazen, unflinching performance as a corrupt cop who misuses an unfortunate law to his advantage; and Juhi Chawla is a portrait of suppressed vulnerability as she confronts her feelings about an old home and an old friend. Even actors like Purab Kohli and Arjun Mathur leave a lasting impression in less showy roles.
Accompanied by a haunting score, I Am is an occasionally disturbing, but ultimately hopeful film about companionship and acceptance in this judgmental world. I’m going with three-and-a-half out of five for I Am. For its fine performances and its inherent honesty, don’t miss this one!
(This review first aired on CNN-IBN)
April 29, 2011
Cast: Lara Dutta, Vinay Pathak, Brijendra Kala
Director: Shashant Shah
She’s an uppity investment banker who doesn’t suffer fools. He’s a boorish but well-meaning klutz who has a problem shutting up. Missed flights and car breakdowns leave Lara Dutta and Vinay Pathak’s characters with no option but to hit the road together from Jaipur to Delhi, hitching rides in trucks, camel-carts, and trains, and at one point in an overcrowded jeep owned by local goons.
Blatantly ripped off from John Hughes’ cult hit Planes, Trains and Automobiles, in which a pair of unlikely companions are forced to make a long road trip together, Chalo Dilli starts off smoothly but becomes a repetitive and predictable mess when its writers fail to fully exploit the comic possibilities of such a ripe scenario. For laughs the script relies on farting and belching jokes, and the standard discomfort that arises when you throw a snotty diva and a pan-chewing hick together.
There’s also an unnecessary subplot about an inter-gang rivalry that our protagonists get inadvertently involved in, and a lecture on corruption that is squeezed into the film, but makes no sense here.
Both Lara and Vinay’s characters are complete stereotypes: He’s the coarse bumpkin with a good heart, she’s the ‘independent’ woman too focused on her career to start a family. Mercifully, we’re spared a romantic track between the two, but Chalo Dilli does end with a twist that is both shamelessly manipulative and entirely predictable.
Save for a few moments of inspired lunacy provided by Vinay Pathak, this is one bumpy ride you don’t need to take. I’m going with two out of five for director Shashant Shah’s Chalo Dilli. After some 36 hours on Rajasthan’s dusty roads, Lara Dutta doesn’t have one hair out of place or even a slight lipstick smudge. This is that kind of movie!
(This review first aired on CNN-IBN)
April 29, 2011
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Idris Elba
Director: Kenneth Branagh
If, like me, you’re unfamiliar with the mythology of this Marvel Comics superhero, there’s a good chance you’ll be underwhelmed by Thor. Based on the handsome God of Thunder who comes decked out in his armor and swinging his mighty hammer around, this laughably silly film marries the revered back-story of Thor with a clumsy modern-day adventure. If it all feels way too bland, blame it on the fact that the movie has neither the snarky wit of Iron Man nor the grim undertones of The Dark Knight; it’s a safe, family-friendly offering much like a harmless Disney fable.
Chris Hemsworth is Thor, the impulsive young prince from the realm eternal known as Asgard, who is stripped of his powers and banished to Earth by his honorable father Odin (played by Anthony Hopkins) after he recklessly reignites an ancient war against the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. Befriended by scientist Jane Foster (played by Natalie Portman), Thor must adjust to his new life in this new world, while his trusted hammer Mjolnir remains embedded in the New Mexico desert, and his deceitful brother Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) takes over Asgard.
Director Kenneth Branagh, best known for his Shakespearan adaptations, tackles familiar themes like feuding fathers and sons, sibling jealousy, and the importance of humility. But it’s hard to take seriously when Asgard is designed as a gaudy Tron-meets-Las Vegas eyesore, and the action scenes bigger than most we’ve seen recently but not necessarily better.
If Thor is salvaged to some extent, then credit must go to its strapping star Chris Hemsworth, who knows how to have fun with the material. His fish-out-of-water scenes provide a good laugh, particularly one in which he marches into a pet store and demands a horse.
Thor isn’t unwatchable, far from it… It just fails to match up to the high standards set by some recent comic book films. Again, if you’re familiar with the mythology and a fan of this universe, this might be exactly what you were expecting. For those coming in from the cold, it’s average entertainment at best.
I’m going with two-and-a-half out of five for Thor. Surprisingly uninspired, it left me a little bored.
(This review first aired on CNN-IBN)
April 29, 2011
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monoghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright
Director: Duncan Jones
When deciding whether to watch Source Code, it’s a good idea to ask yourself if you’re a fan of Inception; this is a similar kind of tense, intelligent film in the sci-fi space. Ask yourself also if you enjoyed Groundhog Day, in which the protagonist had to relive the same 24 hours over and over again till he learnt his lesson. If the answer to both questions is yes, chances are you’ll enjoy this complex but fast-paced science-fiction thriller that combines the best bits of both those brilliant films.
Jake Gyllenhaal is Army pilot Colter Stevens who, after blacking out in Afghanistan, awakes inside the body of another man – a schoolteacher named Sean Fentress – on a Chicago commuter train. Eight minutes later when a terrorist bomb blows up the train, he wakes up again to find himself in some sort of space capsule, communicating by monitor with a national security officer (played by Vera Farmiga). She explains to him that he’s part of a “time reassignment” program whereby his mind has been projected into the body of that commuter. This program will repeatedly send him back into the same train to relive the last eight minutes before the blast, so he can uncover the identity of the bomber and thus stop another possible terrorist attack later the same day.
It’s a far-fetched premise, but director Duncan Jones treats it as realistically as possible, especially the events on the train and the interactions between passengers. He gives us characters we can care about, like Christine (played by Michelle Monaghan), who’s sitting across from Gyllenhaal’s character in the train, and whom he comes to deeply care for. Vera Farmiga’s character too leaves an indelible impression, her initial bureaucratic abruptness slowly softening into compassion for the troubled hero.
The film keeps you completely engaged because it’s constructed around a fascinating concept, but more so because of its super-smart script that is always one step ahead of you. Held together by a fine performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, who combines vulnerability with strong determination, Source Code works despite its puzzling climax because it’s a film that keeps you on your toes, and urges you to think.
I’m going with three-and-a-half out of five for Source Code; it’s not perfect, but it’s very good fun while you’re in your seat!
(This review first aired on CNN-IBN)
April 29, 2011
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro
Director: Neil Burger
It’s an accepted scientific fact that humans use only 20 percent of their brain. That topper in your class who scored near perfect grades in every subject..? Yes, him too…he’s only using 20 per cent! Think how different life would be if one could utilize the other 80 percent too that’s known as the subconscious mind.
In Limitless, Bradley Cooper’s character, a downbeat, struggling novelist named Eddie Morra comes across an illegal, experimental drug that increases his brain power exponentially. He completes the novel successfully, becomes a hotshot Wall Street adviser, women find him irresistible, and he makes enough money to last him three lifetimes.
The flipside however is that the guy who gave him the pills is dead, Eddie’s got hooked on to the drug, and his stash is fast running out. Wait it gets worse: he’s got a Russian mobster on his trail, he gets embroiled in a murder investigation, and the drug is causing some ugly side-effects like blackouts and hallucinations.
Flawed but immensely enjoyable, this fast-paced thriller works as long as you don’t apply too much logic. It’s the kind of film that asks you to sit back and enjoy the nifty effects and the slick editing, and not ponder too hard on the implausibility of the premise.
Bradley Cooper makes a compelling leading man who’s charming even when he’s indulging in morally questionable behavior, and Robert De Niro shows up as an investment bigwig who’s trying to understand how Eddie can be such an overall genius. To be fair, the murder subplot is distracting, and the comic possibilities around this premise seem completely overlooked. But if you focus on the urgency of Eddie’s situation and submit yourself to the ride, chances are you’ll be suitably entertained.
I’m going with three out of five for Limitless; it catches you unaware and continues to surprise you. It’s well worth the price of a movie-ticket; just don’t expect anything more!
(This review first aired on CNN-IBN)
In this interview Vera Farmiga, the luminous star of such films as Up In The Air and The Departed, talks about her new film, the mind-bending sci-fi thriller Source Code.
(This interview first aired on CNN-IBN)
April 22, 2011
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Prateik Babbar, Rana Daggubati, Bipasha Basu, Aditya Pancholi
Director: Rohan Sippy
Dum Maaro Dum, directed by Rohan Sippy, is a heady cocktail of crime, deceit, love, sex and drama. And yet, somehow, it fails to come together as the slick action thriller that it set out to be.
The chief culprit here is the haphazard way this story is told. Dum Maaro Dum is about the drug mafia in Goa, and about how one surly, daredevil cop ACP Vishnu Kamath (played by Abhishek Bachchan) is sent to clean up the paradise state. The film’s first half unfolds leisurely as we’re introduced to the main players one by one. Prateik Babbar is Lorry, a nervous student seduced into breaking the law despite his own misgivings. Bipasha Basu is Zoe, a naïve girl who puts ambition over her relationship. And Rana Daggubati is Joki, an idealistic musician who watches dear ones make bad decisions. The lives of each of these characters intersect when they become intentionally or accidentally involved in Goa’s drug trade, run by Aditya Pancholi’s character Lorsa Biscuta.
On paper, writer Sridhar Raghavan offers damaged characters that aren’t hard to sympathize with. But the moment you find yourself becoming involved with a character, the screenplay shuttles quickly onto the next, leaving you ultimately disconnected with their pain. Back-stories and motives in this film are so laughably silly it’s hard to take them seriously.
Early on in Dum Maaro Dum it becomes clear that the script’s playing second fiddle to the stylish technical treatment – from snazzy editing tricks and edgy cinematography to a pulsating background score. Like the director’s last film, Bluffmaster, this one too is gimmicky in the way it’s pieced together.
Post-intermission the film picks up pace, chiefly because you start investing in the character of the determined cop Kamath, played with bite by Abhishek Bachchan. Alas, this too starts weighing in on you with those unending twists and turns, giant loopholes in the plot, and a climax that is quite frankly, underwhelming.
You get the feeling the actors too were at sea here; except Abhishek Bachchan there isn’t any performance to take home. Prateik Babbar starts off convincingly, but succumbs to the film’s hammy tone, and Rana Daggubati’s towering physicality seems wasted in a thankless role. Meanwhile, Deepika Padukone’s defiant dancing to the track Mit jaaye gham does liven up the grim second half, but Bipasha Basu is missing her usual spunk, and even Vidya Balan’s shadowy presence as Kamath’s dead wife barely touches an emotional note.
There are some things, however, that this film does get right. As with the way Sippy mixed Mumbai into Bluffmaster’s genes, Goa too is almost a character in Dum Maaro Dum, and you get a strong sense of the place in most scenes. The action sequences add style to the story, with more than one smartly-filmed chase scene. The dialogues too pack quite a punch, before it all starts to feel too much.
In the end, it’s Abhishek Bachchan who throws you with his sheer presence. He plays Kamath with just the right amount of steely nerve and naked emotions. Unfortunately it isn’t enough to lift this film from an average drugs-drama to a smart and entertaining action thriller. It’s got its moments, but they’re few and far between.
I’m going with two out of five for director Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maaro Dum. It’s watchable, but it could easily have been so much more.
(This review first aired on CNN-IBN)
April 22, 2011
Cast: Darsheel Safary, Anupam Kher, Manjari Phadnis, Tinnu Anand
Director: Satyajit Bhatkal
In Zokkomon, Darsheel Safary, the pint-sized star of Taare Zameen Par plays Kunal, a Harry Potter-like orphan kid who’s packed off to a village to live with his uncle after his parents are killed in an accident. Anupam Kher is the evil chacha Deshraj, who runs the local school where young students are cruelly punished, and whose government funds he merrily siphons.
When Deshraj sets his sights on his nephew’s inheritance, he abandons the boy in a far-off city and pretends that he is dead. But the kid runs into a reclusive scientist, whom he names Magic Uncle (also played by Anupam Kher), who grooms him to become an avenging angel in a superhero costume.
Wrongly positioned as a superhero adventure, Zokkomon is in fact a simplistic tale of child empowerment. The message of the film is noble, but the script is predictable and silly, and seems to regard its potentially young audience as stupid. The special effects are embarrassingly tacky, and the songs simply drag the film on pointlessly.
Director Satyajit Bhatkal draws out an earnest performance from Darsheel Safary, but there is little in this film that children in the audience are likely to embrace. Missing any fun or visual inventiveness even, Zokkomon is a dull film that’s difficult to endure.
I’m going with one-and-a-half out of five for Zokkomon. Like most children’s films made in India, this one too is confused and disheartening.
(This review first aired on CNN-IBN)
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