Psycho (2020)

Director: Mysskin

Story: Mysskin

Cast: Udhayanidhi Stalin, Aditi Rao Hydari, Nithya Menen, Rajkumar Pitchumani

Music: Ilaiyaraaja

Time: 146 minutes

Bottom-line: A disappointment

Having seen four of Mysskin’s films till now, I became a fan of his moviemaking style, often experimenting with new techniques and stories. That was the case till I saw Super Deluxe (which he co-wrote), when he started to bring in the “more than what you see” film, i.e., merge philosophical messages, religion etc. with the main story. He should not have done that.

Psycho is the story of a serial killer, Angulimala (Pitchumani), whose modus operandi involves kidnapping females from different regions in Coimbatore, beheading them, and displaying their bodies the next day, stripped to their underwear. One of his victims is radio jockey Dahini (Hydari). However, as he is about to kill her, she challenges him that within a week, Gautham (Stalin) will stop him from committing any more murders. To prove her wrong, the killer keeps her prisoner for 7 more days. Gautham is a blind musician who is head-over-heels for Dahini. When the police – themselves clueless – refuse to help him, he seeks the help of a paralysed ex-cop, Kamala Das (Menen) to help him find Dahini. The events of the next one week form the remainder of the story.

Udhayanidhi Stalin as Gautham

Before I go further, I’d like to clarify that this film is by no means a remake of either Hitchcock’s Psycho or Andhadhun. If you haven’t guessed from the names of the characters already, Psycho is based on a particular chapter in Buddha’s life, where a serial killer tries to kill Buddha, but on meeting him, attains enlightenment. The film is far more violent than most other Indian films, and it also features nudity and conversations about sex, but that’s just Mysskin breaking barriers of the “typical” Indian film. The initial romance between Dahini and Gautham is annoying (except for the “Unna Nenachu” song) but after that, the tale seems to be a taut thriller. But Mysskin compromises on logic and tries to make this a poetic film, and that’s where the plot loses its grip.

 

Hydari as Dahini

You can either choose to just follow wherever Mysskin takes you, but the moment you pause and wonder what’s going on, you’re lost. The vivid re-enactment of Angulimala’s childhood can either be praised as a very imaginative portrayal of a disturbed mind, or can be thought of as a fancy gimmick with a lot of screaming. Apart from all these, Psycho has enough examples of Mysskin’s quintessential techniques – close-ups of feet, 75% of the film being shot in the dark and of course, the violence. There’s a lot of blood on screen but I must appreciate the edits and camerawork that still capture the brutality of a beheading without being entirely explicit.

 

Menen as Kamala

While Pitchumani’s character gets by with hardly any facial expressions - except in the climax, where he has done really well - Gautham could have been portrayed so much better by many other people; why Stalin?!. The standout performer is Nithya Menen – certainly one of the last people you would expect to portray a foul-mouthed, short-tempered paralysed cop. Hydari’s “innocent” face must have been pretty much the only criterion to choose her to play the role, which, in the end, does work out.

Psycho is certainly the result of a lot of experimentation, but I felt it was a bit too much of it. In many ways an unorthodox film, it does provide entertainment, but after a point, you just want to fast-forward to the end or walk away from the screen. I doubt Hitchcock would have approved of this.

My rating: 2/5

Kaithi (2019)

English translation: Prisoner

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Story: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Cast: Karthi, Narain

Music: Sam CS

Time: 144 minutes

Bottom-line: A brilliant thriller – taut and addicting

First Maanagaram and now Kaithi – I think it’s safe to say that Lokesh Kanagaraj is in top form and has a terrific career ahead of him. This action thriller film is, in many ways, similar to his earlier film – the thrill, the tension, multiple storylines and so on. The film stars Karthi and Narain in the lead roles, with Dheena, George Maryan, Arjun Das and several others in supporting roles.

In an orphanage, a girl, Amutha, is told that someone important is going to visit her the next morning. Somewhere else, a bunch of cops led by Inspector Bejoy (Narain) seize nearly a tonne of cocaine. The cops have a party, but someone mixes a drug in the drinks and everyone except Bejoy is knocked out unconscious. Desperate to save all the cops, Bejoy blackmails a recently released prisoner, Dilli (Karthi) to drive a lorry to a hospital 80 kilometres away, carrying all the cops. The owner of the lorry, Kamatchi (Dheena) also goes with them. Meanwhile, a gang of thugs, who are also after the cocaine stash, follow and intercept the lorry. The drugs are actually in an underground chamber below a police station, where one newly-joined cop, Napoleon (Maryan), and five college students try their best to defend the building. There is also a police informant among the thugs and a mole among the cops. How do all these people and tales come together?

 

Karthi as Dilli

The layered story of Kaithi is one of the most impressive features. The above summary captures only a part of the complex narrative and intertwining of tales. Unlike Maanagaram, where the different storylines were connected by a series of coincidences, here, the various tracks are intended to be joined at different parts. The suspense is maintained at every step of the film, and a key factor is that you, as a viewer, know something is going to happen in the future but the characters don’t.

The father-daughter bond between Dilli and Amutha is another aspect that brings the film together. Various action sequences and tense moments are also interrupted by some sentimental bits involving Dilli and Amutha, and it all comes together in the climax. There is a variety of adrenaline-pumping action sequences, from fistfights, road chases (including my favourite, the bus-lorry-SUV chase) and a Terminator 2-esque shootout. Like Maanagaram, the background score and (especially) slow-motion have been put to good use to enhance the visuals.

 

Narain as Inspector Bejoy

It would seem that Kaithi is, in essence, about Karthi – it’s a one-man-show about a prisoner who has the guts and muscle power to do something none of us would normally even think of doing. Applying vibhuthi (in contrast to the other white powder involved: cocaine), tying his lungi, relishing a plate full of chicken biryani are just some of the scenes that show us his style, apart from the way he takes on the goons single-handedly (look out for the scene where, literally, a single hand of Dilli punches its way through the goons and towards the camera). Dilli beating up so many people is a bit exaggerated, but then again, you will find yourself cheering for him all the way. Moreover, Dilli himself says, “I was in prison for a reason.”

Kaithi is also about anyone who is willing to sacrifice a bit of their own comfort, time and even life, for someone else. We see the cops who flee the scene, shying away from responsibility, and in contrast, five college students who don’t have any business in the station, defend it and fight against murderous villains. Bejoy takes responsibility for an army of cops who partied carelessly in the first place. And of course, there’s Dilli, who puts his visit to the orphanage on hold to help out Bejoy, putting his own life on the line several times. A tale of characters from all walks of life, each with his own motivation and aspirations, each in a different form of danger… Kaithi brings all of them together over the events of one night, and it’s a tale you must witness.

My Rating: 4/5

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Director: James Mangold

Story: Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and Jason Keller

Cast: Christian Bale, Matt Damon

Music: Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders

Time: 152 minutes

Bottom-line: A script that moves as fast as the race cars involved

After being swept off my feet by Ron Howard’s Rush, I never thought another racing film could beat that experience, but Ford v Ferrari comes very close to doing so. The film is based on the true story of how Ford builds a race car to contest in the 24-hour Le Mans racing event, with the intention of beating Ferrari. Christian Bale and Matt Damon play the lead roles, with Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, Noah Jupe and Josh Lucas in the supporting cast.

There’s a point, 7000 RPM, where everything fades. The machine becomes weightless, it just disappears. And all that’s left is a body moving through space and time. 7000 RPM, that’s where you meet it. It creeps up near you, and it asks you a question. The only question that really matters. Who are you?

1963: Ford Motor Company VP, Lee Iacocca (Bernthal) proposes to Henry Ford II that Ford should enter racing. They plan to buy Ferrari but get turned down in a humiliating fashion. Enraged, Ford decides to make their own car and beat Ferrari at the Le Mans circuit. For this, Ford hires 1959 Le Mans winner Carroll Shelby (Damon), who, in turn, hires the hot-tempered, arrogant British mechanic/driver Ken Miles (Bale). While Miles is obviously talented, Ford Senior VP Leo Beebe (Lucas) thinks Miles is not a “Ford man” and does not want him on the team. How Ford goes on to make the GT-40 and what happens in the famous 1966 Le Mans form the rest of the story.

 

Bale as Miles and Balfe as Mollie

7000+. Go like hell.

Just a bit of history here: Ferrari was the winner of Le Mans from 1960 to ‘65. Ford does win the 1966 Le Mans (as you can guess already), and also the 1967, ‘68 and ‘69 races. Ford became the only American manufacturer to win the race. Miles was posthumously inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2001. The film also gives a glimpse of the 1964 Le Mans and the 1966 “24 Hours of Daytona” races, and a significant amount of time is given to portraying instances from Ken’s personal life (Balfe plays his wife, Mollie, and Jupe plays his son, Peter). The script is quite crisp because it focuses only on the essence of all the major incidents but still gives a coherent story.

 

Damon as Shelby

This isn’t the first time Ford Motor’s gone to war with Europe. We know how to do more than push paper.

Christian Bale – the man known for his incredible weight losses and gains for his roles on screen – now puts on a British accent as a new challenge. The chemistry between Bale and Damon is so good that you’d wonder why they haven’t done more films together in the past. The scenes where Miles throws a wrench at Shelby, and the one where they fight outside Miles’s house are hilarious moments to look out for. My favourite scene is when Shelby directs Miles to race above 7000 RPM during the Daytona race. Among the others, Josh Lucas is my pick. I’m not sure if there was a real-life counterpart for the role of Beebe, but Lucas does so well to portray a character so selfish and manipulative that you’ll definitely feel like slapping him (both cheeks too!).

 

Ken Miles (left) and Carroll Shelby in real life

The film is also excellent on the technical front, with the race sequences shot to perfection, with the sound level being just right (not too loud but not too soft that you don’t feel the thrill). With a dash of dry humour – thanks to Miles’ character in particular – a lot of action, and sublime acting by the Bale-Damon duo, Ford v Ferrari is certainly a racing film that will stand out from the rest, as well as being a memorable throwback to the legacy of Ford.   

My Rating: 4/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%

Kannathil Muthamittal (2002)

English translation: A kiss on the cheek

Director: Mani Ratnam

Story: Mani Ratnam

Cast: R. Madhavan, Simran, P.S. Keerthana

Music: A.R. Rahman

Time: 137 minutes

Bottom-line: One of the best family dramas ever made

Mani Ratnam’s drama Kannathil Muthamittal is one of a kind. While it may not be a classic like Ratnam’s Roja, Nayakan or even Iruvar, it is arguably the most moving film he has made. The film stars R. Madhavan (in probably his first film as a non-romantic hero), Simran and P.S. Keerthana in the lead roles, with Delhi Kumar, Nandita Das and Prakash Raj in the supporting roles. It went on to win 6 National Awards, the most for any Tamil film (equalled later in 2011 by Aadukalam).

Mankulam, Sri Lanka: Shyama (Das) and Dileepan (J.D Chakravarthy) are newly-weds, part of the Tamil Tiger rebel association. Dileepan suggests that they not have a baby till peace settles over Sri Lanka, a land troubled by conflict during the civil war. Shyama realises she is already pregnant and goes along with other refugees to Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, where she gives birth. The scene shifts to Chennai, where Amudha (Keerthana) is celebrating her 9^th birthday. On that day, her (new) parents: Thiruchelvan (Madhavan) and Indira (Simran) break the news that she was adopted. A shocked Amudha runs away in search of her biological mother, Shyama. Worried about her safety, Thiruchelvan and Indira decide to go to Sri Lanka, to look for Shyama.

 

Madhavan as Thiruchelvan, Keerthana as Amudha, and
Simran as Indira

This is a story where Ratnam plays around with your feelings... a lot! From the melodious song Vellai Pookal played during the title sequence, that talks about bringing peace to the troubled land (with beautiful, heart-warming lyrics by Vairamuthu), to the last scene of the film, one gets a myriad of emotions flowing through them. This is one of the best films to show the value of a family. How does a child react when she realises she isn’t part of the family? How do the siblings react? How does the mother feel when her adopted daughter starts distancing her and even runs away in search of her true mother?

The backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war sets the basis of the plot, in the sense that it is the whole reason Amudha was left by Shyama in an orphanage, the reason Thiruchelvan and Indira got married… and of course, to add to the drama. The theme of sacrifice is also explored: the sacrifices a mother, father and a friend (Prakash Raj’s role) made just to give Amudha her one wish. Simran’s acting is superb. In several scenes, her expressions are so complex yet elegant, especially where Amudha starts to disobey and distance her, the scene in the station when they find Amudha after she runs away, as Indira debates internally whether to admonish or pamper her daughter, and towards the end, when they do meet Shyama.

P.S. Keerthana won the National Award for Best Child Actor, and it is well deserved too. Again, there are numerous scenes where she excels and displays a maturity in acting far beyond her age. Seeing her acting in the climax will melt your heart. If there is one reason why you should watch the film, it would be to see Keerthana’s performance. Prakash Raj and Nandita Das play effective cameo roles as well. That said, the background score, songs, acting, and the heart-warming story make Kannathil Muthamittal a movie that will have an impact on you and keep playing in your mind for a long time.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Knives Out (2019)

Director: Rian Johnson

Story: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Christopher Plummer

Music: Nathan Johnson

Time: 130 minutes

Bottom-line: An intriguing whodunit powered by Craig and de Armas

Daniel Craig plays a (sort of) detective, Christopher Plummer plays an old man who’s the head of a huge mansion, his family is a bunch of eccentric people, and one girl makes all the difference… no it’s not The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it’s Rian Johnson’s whodunit drama, Knives Out. Featuring an ensemble cast led by Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Plummer, this film is an entertaining murder mystery right up there with the likes of Christie.

 

Stanfield as Elliot (left), Segan as Wagner (middle) and
Craig as Blanc

I suspect foul play, and I have eliminated no suspects.

Harlan Thrombey (Plummer) invites his family for his 85^th birthday party in his mansion. He is found dead the next morning with his throat slit – apparently a case of suicide. Detective Lt. Elliot (Lakeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) are hired to investigate, along with renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Craig). The viewers get to know that a lot of Harlan’s relatives had a grudge against him for varying reasons, including his grandson, Hugh “Ransom” Drysdale (Evans), whom Harlan had recently cut off from his will. Through Harlan’s nurse, Marta (de Armas), we get to know what truly happened on that fateful night. Harlan’s unusual will makes things all the more complicated. But is there more to the seemingly “solved” murder/suicide?

 

de Armas as Marta

Look around. The guy basically lives in a “Clue” board.

Indeed, the first thing that strikes you about Knives Out is the elaborate setting: from the fancy house to the quirky and colourful characters. Johnson does well to save needless action stunts (barring one “dumbest car chase of all time”) and fight sequences and focuses more on making the story like an actual Poirot mystery – filled with clues, hints and flashbacks leading us to the criminal – in a contemporary setting. Of course, it might not be as “neat” as a Christie novel – I’m sure if you ponder over the solution for an hour, you’ll find a couple of loopholes – but by then you’re entertained and satisfied enough with a tight enough script. I think that as a viewer, you should pause the movie (if possible) at the time when Blanc calls Hugh and Marta together, and guess the solution to the mystery.

 

Evans as Ransom

In for a penny, in for a pound.

I like how the characters are created – it makes it possible to add a lot of dry humour and sarcasm into a murder mystery. Craig’s annoying – and needless – accent apart, his role as the stylish detective is a welcome change from seeing him as 007. De Armas and Chris Evans have given sublime performances – especially the former with her naïveté and the hilarious (or pitiable) trait of vomiting every time she lies. The supporting cast includes Toni Colette, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Katherine Langford and Don Johnson, all of whom have played their bit well. Their expressions during the last scene of the film summarise the entire tale brilliantly.

  

Plummer as Harlan (middle), Jamie Lee Curtis (left) and
Don Johnson (right) play his daughter, Linda,
 and son-in-law, Richard, respectively 

My house. My rules. My coffee.

Thoroughly engaging from start to finish, Knives Out blends mystery, humour and suspense in the right amounts. It’s a must-watch for any fan of detective tales.

My Rating: 4/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 97%