Maanagaram (2017)

English translation: Metropolis

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Story: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Cast: Shri, Sundeep Kishan, Regina Cassandra, Charle

Music: Javed Riaz

Time: 137 minutes

Bottom-line: Easily the most exhilarating Indian film in a long time

When Maanagaram first hit the screens, everyone who saw the film was raving about it. A new director, with a new cast, pulls off one of the most thrilling films of the decade, the best part being that it all happens here in Chennai, where I live. This is the story of four unnamed characters (hence I will refer to them using the actors’ names) in Chennai, whose lives change over a period of 48 hours, in a tale full of coincidences and mistaken identities.

A young man from Trichy (Shri) comes to Chennai in search of a job at an IT company. His boss (Cassandra) hires him, and asks him to bring his original certificates the next day. Another man (Kishan), who loves Regina, decides to apply to the same company just to be with her. Meanwhile, a third guy (Charle) takes on a job as a taxi driver for the same IT company. He rents a taxi from PKP – a notorious gangster in the area. Their tales clash when a gang of ruffians beat up Shri instead of Kishan, steal his certificates, and drop them in Charle’s car. The same ruffians also hatch a plan to kidnap a boy, but they end up with the wrong child: PKP’s son. With Shri on the hunt for his documents, the ruffians desperate to escape from PKP, and Kishan trying to make Regina fall for him, how each of their lives change over the next night is what Maanagaram is about.

 

Shri and Cassandra

The first thing that intrigued me about the film is the hyperlink narrative structure used, a device also employed in films like Neram, 21 Grams and Babel. The difference is that instead of creating one or two common points for the various tracks to intersect, in Maanagaram, the tales intersect again and again, at different instances. At one point, you think there are too many coincidences, but heck, it’s called a coincidence for a reason, isn’t it? What’s ingenious is the way the story is so masterfully written that all the links between the tracks – and the plot twists – are solid: no incident seems unrealistic, and the timing of the twists is impeccable – and of course, the way they are shown on screen: just when you know something is going to happen, the track shifts to another one, leaving you in suspense. The near real-time experience makes it more interesting.

Charle 

Maanagaram portrays the darker side of the Chennai metropolis, starting from the simple, innocent person coming to Chennai in search of employment, to the underworld. The conversation between Shri and Charle is a memorable moment in the film, when the former questions why the city is so great. Shri complains that no one even wants to bat an eye when a human is beat up in the middle of the road, and everyone wants their bit of satisfaction, even it is at the cost of others’ suffering, to which Charle replies that no matter how much we drone on about the negative aspects of the city, we never want to leave Chennai either (applause from Chennaites!!). The fact that none of the main characters have names – and the fact that most of the acting crew is new – could imply that these incidents can happen to anyone in the city, and indeed, everyday there are people in search of employment, innocent people getting beat up, people in search of love and what not. The only thing that is exaggerated is probably the violence – every five minutes there is someone getting beaten up, and while that certainly adds masala to the plot, it doesn’t seem realistic.

 

Kishan

Shri has done extremely well in the lead role; I was amazed by the way he portrayed innocence through his character. The others have done decently well too. The technical aspects were a delight: from the stylish opening sequence, to the funky, electric background score, to the cinematography – again, maybe a tad too violent for a Tamil film – everything was superb. Of course, I liked the way humour was also incorporated into the plot. The climax ties almost all the loose ends up, and considering that there were so many plot twists, giving such a clean climax is a commendable achievement. Maanagaram is a must watch, and even more so for the locals.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum (2013)

English translation: The Wolf and the Lamb

Director: Mysskin

Story: Mysskin

Cast: Sri, Mysskin, Shaji, Raj Bharath

Music: Ilayaraaja

Time: 143 minutes

Bottom-line: A pulse-racing thriller; highly recommended

Dimly lit settings, a chilling background score, dialogues kept to a minimum, and of course, a lot of violence…you know it’s a Mysskin film when all these elements are present. This 2013 crime thriller is unique in a number of ways; for starters, it has no heroine or songs, and that, for a Tamil movie, is a big thing! Mysskin himself stars in the lead role, with several other not-so-famous actors forming the rest of the cast.

In the dead of the night, Chandru (Sri), a final year medical student, finds a man dying from a bullet wound on the road. With no one offering him help, he decides to take the man home and perform the operation himself. The next morning, he wakes up to find the man gone, with no evidence of last night’s events. Later, two cops arrest Chandru, accusing him of letting a criminal escape; we come to know that the dying man, code-named “Wolf” (Mysskin), is a criminal on the run for the past two years. Meanwhile, we also see another man, Thamba (Bharath), hatching a plan to capture the Wolf alive before the cops do. When the Wolf contacts Chandru and asks him to visit him one night, everyone is on their feet ready to kill the Wolf on sight... but then again, the Wolf has seen this coming too. The events taking place till dawn form the plot of the film.

Sri as Chandru

Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum has so many elements that you can find in Mysskin films. A mysterious beginning – seemingly unrelated to the plot – an almost real time story, complex characters, superb cinematography… I like the fact that he writes proper thriller stories without deviating from the crux with unnecessary comedy/romance tracks. The plot twists are really good, and all of them hit you with a bang. The action sequences are choreographed superbly. There are so many scenes to look out for: the sword/knife fight in the basement, the Wolf’s “countdown” of bullets being fired, to name a few. One reason why the story is much more exciting than an average thriller is because of the time frame; all the events happen over just one night so the viewers can feel seconds ticking away with every scene.

 

Mysskin as the Wolf

Ilayaraaja might be famous for several hit songs in his past, but in this film, he shows a whole new level of expertise with his background music composition. As such, the characters rarely talk; most of the time the music keeps playing in the background as we follow the action on screen, and having seen films like Jaws, Inception, and Psycho, I know how much an apt score can contribute the effectiveness of the thrill. The actors, despite being relatively new to Tamil cinema, have given amazing performances. Mysskin leads from the front, playing the perplexing character of the “Wolf”, and is aptly supported by Sri, who plays the Lamb. I like the way the tension is created, as the two of them play psychological games with each other. Just when you think Chandru has planned something, the Wolf has a counter-measure ready. In the end, it becomes a matter of human sympathy and conscience that brings about a change in both their characters. In the closing credits, we see how Mysskin considers the whole setting to be a forest, with different characters playing the role of different animals, with we the viewers, being the leaves, noticing everything silently.

Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum has only a few drawbacks in my view; I felt that the ending did not tie up all loose ends. Leaving things up to interpretation is one thing but in this case, some issues like the fate of Chandru’s family should have been sorted out. Another issue is, while I liked the use of violence in the film, I found the innumerable murders a bit overboard; Mysskin killing off characters like Tarantino made it a tad unrealistic. That aside, the remainder of the film is one hell of a roller-coaster ride, filled with all-round entertainment! Don’t miss it.

My Rating: 4/5

Anbe Sivam (2003)

English translation: God is love

Director: Sundar C

Story: Kamal Haasan, Madhan

Cast: Kamal Haasan, R Madhavan, Nassar

Music: Vidyasagar

Time: 153 minutes

Bottom-line: Superb acting adds to an engaging storyline

The story of the transformation of two men, Anbe Sivam is one of the lesser known films of Kamal Haasan, featuring one of the best performances of Madhavan. The comedy-drama also stars Nassar, Kiran Rathod, and Uma Riyaz Khan.

Bhubaneshwar airport: An advertisement film maker, Anbarasu (Madhavan) – who prefers to be called A. Aras – engages in conversation with a scarred, convivial man, Nallasivam (Haasan). Aras is going to get married in Chennai, and Sivam is also headed there to deliver a cheque worth 32 lakh rupees, earned after winning a court case for union workers. When the flights are cancelled due to floods, both men end up sharing a room in a hotel. Aras is annoyed by Sivam’s sarcasm, humour and light-heartedness, and repeatedly tries to get rid of him, but never succeeds. By the time Aras does reach Chennai, Sivam has transformed him altogether, but not before we get to know the change Sivam himself has undergone.

 

Kamal as Sivam (left), and Madhavan as Aras

From the start of the film, the aspect that is highlighted most is the contrasting characteristics of Aras and Sivam. The former is well-off, and expects anything to be obtainable using enough money. He is reluctant to stay in a 2-star hotel, in a situation where so many people have their houses washed away; he always grumbles about the backwardness of India (a land where you don’t get service even if you have money, he says), and he even shortens his name from Anbarasu to Aras, saying “Enaku anbu pudikaadhu” (I don’t like ‘love”). Sivam is a witty, sociable man, adjusting to everything and everyone. He has his own philosophies, often contradicting the ideologies of Aras. His character’s background also remains an enigma till he narrates his story.

Till that point, Anbe Sivam is entirely a comedy – again, mainly thanks to the polar opposite natures of the lead characters. In Sivam’s flashback we see a tale involving love, altruism, religion and twists of fate, all of which have changed Sivam from the talented, innovative artist with a regular life, into the scarred “wiser and older man” we first see at the airport. These themes are explored till the end, with a recurring theme being “Who is God?” Is He the person who forgives all your sins when you make donations worth thousands? Is He the person who can empathise with a complete stranger?

Madhavan’s acting is a class apart here. He portrays through his character all the traits we associate with any well-off white collar Indian worker (till Sivam bitingly points out that a person like him is nothing but a “selfish coolie”!). The chemistry between the two is really good (unlike their collaboration much later in Manmadan Ambu), whether it is in the comic scenes in the hotel room, or on the way to Chennai, or whether it is during the more serious exchanges. Kamal Haasan’s acting is also wonderful. He puts in a lot of effort to maintain the appearance of a cripple, but still can control his expressions and voice to have that sense of humour. His skills are even more evident when we see his past life, so very different from the present one. Nassar plays a scheming villain: ultra-devotional on the outside, but corrupt on the inside. The scene that brings this out best would be the one in the hospital where he gives the “last message” to Sivam.

A must-watch for all Kamal and Madhavan fans, Anbe Sivam impresses with its amazing performances and unconventional themes, and a solid screenplay.

My Rating: 4/5

Udta Punjab (2016)

English translation: Rise, Punjab!

Director: Abhishek Chaubey

Story: Sudip Sharma, Abhishek Chaubey

Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh

Music: Amit Trivedi, Benedict Taylor, Naren Chandavarkar

Time: 148 minutes

Bottom-line: Realistic, dramatic and powerful

The Indian version of Trainspotting deals with the lives of four people in the state of Punjab, a place infamous for its drug trafficking (and pretty much anything and everything you can do with drugs!). The film has an ensemble cast featuring Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh (in his debut appearance).

 

Shahid Kapoor as Tommy

Tejinder “Tommy” Singh (Shahid) is a Punjabi musician, who is known for singing adrenaline-pumping songs written under the influence of – and about – drugs. He has affected the lives of many youngsters who have taken to drug consumption, but he couldn’t care less about them. This practise eventually lands him in jail, where he decides to reform, after seeing the plight of his followers. An unnamed Bihari farmworker (Alia) finds a packet containing three kilos of heroin, which she decides to sell for a fortune. The packet only fetches her trouble, as she is used as a prostitute by a drug mafia who capture her. Sartaj Singh (Diljit) is a policeman who also allows illegal drug trade, and turns a deaf ear to his duties as a cop…until his own brother becomes a victim of drug addiction. He joins forces with Preet Sahni (Kareena), the doctor who treats his brother, to bring down the cartel. The various tales intertwine in one story of violence, love, crime and revenge.

 

Alia Bhatt as the unnamed worker

One thing that gave Udta Punjab a lot of publicity is the involvement of the censor board; thanks to the film’s lewd content and language and portrayal of drug abuse, the film had over 80 cuts initially. However, all of that content just added to the drama; it made people aware of the extremities one could go to under the influence of drugs. I like the way the film cleverly portrays the state of all classes of people: a rich, spoilt star, a poor worker, a middle-class doctor, and a cop – all their lives woven into one story.

 

Kareena Kapoor as Dr. Preet Sahni

The pace is good, with rarely a boring moment. The ending is a bit abrupt, but when you realise the journey each character has taken to get there, it makes you think how much they have changed (the expression of Diljit as the screen cuts to black will be haunting you for a while). Udta Punjab will also be noted for what I consider the best performance till date, of Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. The romantic hero now plays the cocaine-addicted, expletive-spewing musician, and the heartthrob you saw in 2 States plays the innocent captive of the drug mafia (with instances of violence that will jolt you properly!). Look out for the scene where she meets Tommy for the first time, and pours out all her feelings; such emotion and body language was amazing. Diljit Dosanjh should have a good career ahead of him now, with this debut performance being surprisingly well-composed and executed.  

 

Diljit Dosanjh as Sartaj

Udta Punjab is not for those looking for a light-hearted film; the grave issue that’s ruining Punjab right now is picturised quite convincingly, in terms of story and more importantly, the acting. All four lead actors are superb, and that itself should be a reason to watch the film.

My Rating: 3.5/5

28 Days Later (2002)

Director: Danny Boyle

Story: Alex Garland

Cast: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Megan Burns

Music: John Murphy

Time: 113 minutes

Bottom-line: Scary for sure; but that’s pretty much all there is to it

Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic horror film gives a new avatar to the vampire genre. Starring Cillian Murphy and Naomi Harris in the lead roles, the film yet again proves Boyle’s ability to make good low-budget films. The supporting cast includes Noah Huntley and Brendan Gleeson.

Cambridge: Three animal activists break into a research laboratory and plan to release the captive chimpanzees. The doctor informs them that the animals are infected with a rage-inducing virus, but they ignore his pleas. One chimp infects an activist, who then infects everyone else in the lab. 28 days later, Jim (Murphy) regains consciousness in a hospital, and finds it deserted. As he roams about the streets, he attracts the attention of some infected people, but is saved by Mark (Huntley) and Selena (Harris). Jim learns that almost the entire population of London has been infected. Selena and Jim meet a father-daughter couple who are also uninfected: Frank (Gleeson) and Hannah (Burns). One day, they receive news over the radio that “the cure has arrived”. Calculating their odds of survival, they decide to follow the message. Is it a trap? Or does the cure really exist?

 

Murphy as Jim

Once again, a Danny Boyle film is about survival (along with Trainspotting, which dealt with survival against drug addiction, and his later film, 127 Hours). The cinematography, graphic violence and gore are all the usual Boyle trademarks. While the story is scary – both visually, and in concept – I felt there could have been a little more depth: some suspense or science fiction and not just gore. The last half hour or so seems hurried, but the ending was neat. There are other alternate versions of the climax, but the one that was actually used seems to be the best.

 

Harris as Selena

Cillian Murphy playing the good guy was new to me, after having seen him portray the villain, Scarecrow, in Batman Begins, and a neutral character in Inception. He doesn’t have that look of a body-builder, even less so of a hero. I felt that same with Naomie Harris; something about the lead actors didn’t quite suit the characters they portrayed. Nevertheless, Harris portraying the powerful and determined heroine was exciting to watch, and earned her several “breakthrough performance” awards. Megan Burns as Hannah also did a terrific job.

 

Burns as Hannah

There’s not much science, but a lot of violence and blood, so it’s not a comfortable watch (then again, which Boyle film is?). The concept of an entire city being wiped out seems interesting, but leaves little scope for developing a story, but Garland’s story with Boyle’s direction, overall, have given us a decent film.

My Rating: 3/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 87%

The Town (2010)

Director: Ben Affleck

Screenplay: Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, Aaron Stockard (based on the book by Chuck Hogan)

Cast: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall

Music: David Buckley, Harry Gregson-Williams

Time: 124 minutes

Bottom-line: Renner’s performance stands out, in an otherwise average crime film

Welcome to the bank robbery capital of America.

Ben Affleck’s second directorial debut makes one thing quite clear: he is far better behind the camera than in front of it! This action drama has an ensemble cast, starring Jeremy Renner and Rebecca Hall in the lead, with Jon Hamm, Titus Welliver and Pete Postlethwaite (in his second last screen appearance before his death) in the supporting roles.

But I know I’ll see you again…this side or the other.

Hall as Claire, and Affleck as Doug

Charlestown: Four friends, Doug MacRay (Affleck), Jem Coughlin (Renner), Albert MacGloan (Slaine) and Desmond Elden (Owen Burke) rob a bank, and take the manager, Claire Keesey (Hall) hostage, and release her unharmed. It comes to Doug’s notice that Claire also lives in the neighbourhood, so he starts to follow her to ensure she hasn’t told much to the authorities, and in the process, gets emotionally attached to her. This is spotted by Jem, who is enraged at their relationship. Doug plans to start a new life, but is pressurised by Jem and his boss, Fergie (Postlethwaite), to rob Fenway Park. With his relationship with Claire going awry, and with his own life in danger, only a successful heist can save Doug now.

 

Renner as Jem

One blue-collar Boston neighbourhood has produced more bank robbers and armoured car thieves than anywhere in the world.

Like his previous directorial film – Gone Baby Gone – Affleck again focuses on the lives of the working class (and the fact that a lot of robbers actually live in Charlestown makes it all the more authentic); their relationships, family, work, and most importantly, friendships. Jem’s friendship with Doug is enough for him to consider the latter a brother, and this is one underlying concept that throttles the plot. The relationship between Claire and Doug is what jeopardises the gang of four, when Doug seems to have made up his mind to start afresh. Other minor themes like Doug’s family history, his past with the FBI all contribute to the story, with is interspersed with car chases and gun violence regularly to add to the action.

Postlethwaite as Fergie

Bank robbery became like a trade in Charlestown, passed down from father to son.

I, for one, felt the chases and gun violence a bit boring, in the sense that there was nothing new to it. What makes The Town a good movie is the drama that comes into play because of the characters and the location. The encounters between Doug, Jem and Claire over lunch is chillingly suspenseful. The talk between the cop Dino (Welliver), FBI Agent Frawley (Hamm) and Doug, the exchange between Jem and Doug when the latter calls it quits, and the climax when Claire reads out Doug’s letter are few scenes to highlight.

Affleck’s acting is, to some extent, bad. His lines are interesting (and throughout the film, there are a lot of catchy quotes), but I felt someone else could have portrayed the lead character better. Rebecca Hall’s acting was average as well. The star of the film is Jeremy Renner – the violent, belligerent member of the gang, who has zero tolerance for treason or betrayal. His character spent nine years in prison for a murder he committed for Doug’s sake. Renner was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Christian Bale in The Fighter. It is this acting that is the main reason I would recommend this film, unless of course, the regular dose of car chases and violence are what you are particularly looking for, in which case, The Town has loads of it.

My Rating: 3/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%

Zootopia (2016)

Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore

Story: Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jennifer Lee, Jared Bush, Josie Trinidad, Phil Johnston, Jim Reardon

Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate

Music: Michael Giacchino

Time: 108 minutes

Bottom-line: Scintillating and wonderfully made!

In terms of creativity, Zootopia is one of the best films I have come across. Set in a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, Zootopia, this is a story that tries to inspire the viewers to try everything and become what they choose to be. The cast includes Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, J.K Simmons and Shakira.

Judy Hopps (Goodwin), a bunny from the rural town, Bunnyburrow, travels to Zootopia, hoping to become the first bunny police officer. She becomes the valedictorian of the police academy, but she is assigned to parking duty on her first day. She encounters a fox, Nick Wilde (Bateman), who turns out to be a con artist, illegally selling popsicles. Judy requests the Chief to assign her the duty of a “real cop”, but her zeal is not appreciated at all. Her chance arrives when an otter raises a complaint regarding her missing husband, and Judy makes a deal with the Chief that she’ll solve the case in 48 hours, else resign. Judy links the disappearance to the fox, and forces him to assist her on the case. What she learns along the way is that the “missing animal” case proves to be a scandal far larger and scarier than her expectations…

 

Judy, Nick, along with Lionheart, Chief Bogo, Officer Clawhauser,
and Yax

The highlight of the film is that portrayal of animals. All of them are shown to behave and act like humans, but more importantly, they also live up to the stereotypes we associate with those animals. The bunny is agile and active, but considered by everyone else as too weak to become a cop; the fox is sly and cunning; the sheep is being taken advantage of by everyone; the lion is the ruler of the city; the sloths are ultra-slow in everything they do… and the best part is that all these fit in beautifully with the story. These add to the humour, with loads of contributions from the smartly written dialogues.

My favourite scene from the film

There are also references to The Godfather and even to other Disney films along the way. The scene where Judy and Nick meet the sloth is the best part of Zootopia, and their encounter with Mr. Big, the Arctic shrew, is a close second best, as well as the investigation they conduct at the yoga class! The message, as I said, is summarised by Shakira’s song Try Everything – no one can tell you what to become or do; it is all about what we put our hearts and minds to.

The animation is also superb. The characters are adorable, and the expressions – and the way the stereotypes are portrayed – vocal work are near-perfect. There is no way you cannot love the film; it has everything to entertain people of all ages, and it’s visually dazzling. This is certainly one of the best (if not the best) pictures of 2016.

My rating: 5/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98%   

Steve Jobs (2015)

Director: Danny Boyle

Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin (based on the book by Walter Isaacson)

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Jeff Daniels, Seth Rogen

Music: Daniel Pemberton

Time: 122 minutes

Bottom-line: The best screenplay you could possibly have, and the best acting

The two most significant events of the 20th century: the Allies win the war, and this (Jobs introduces the Mac).

The moment I knew Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay, I made up my mind to watch this film. Danny Boyle’s biopic stars Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet (each receiving an Oscar nomination) in the lead roles, with Jeff Daniels, Seth Rogen and Katherine Waterson in the supporting roles.

 

Fassbednder as Jobs

You play the instrument. I play the orchestra.

1984: Apple Macintosh 128K’s voice demo fails at the last minute, and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs (Fassbender) demands it to be fixed, and in the end the crew ends up faking the demo. Jobs complains to his managing executive Joanna Hoffman (Winslet) about Time magazine exposing his family issues. He denies being the father of his daughter, Lisa, and this strained relationship persists throughout the movie.

Rogen as Wozniak

1988: Jobs is fired from Apple, and he starts his own company, NeXT. The remainder of the film covers incidents till 1998 – touching on Jobs’ friendship and relationship with Steve Wozniak and John Sculley – where Apple renames Jobs as its CEO, who launches the iMac.

You had three weeks to fix it. The universe was created in a third of that time.

Winslet as Joanna

Lines like these, and exchanges: each one more biting than the other, is what made me love Sorkin’s screenplay in this film, as well as his previous success, The Social Network. The dialogues are humorous, catchy and often quite intense: for example, the talk between Jobs and Sculley before and after Jobs is fired (shown in non-linear fashion with quick cuts between the two timelines), the exchange between Jobs and Steve Wozniak before the launch of the NeXT computer are engaging on a whole new level.

Daniels as Sculley

This was quite different from the other five Danny Boyle films I have seen, in terms of cinematography and themes. The story was a bit different: I was expecting more of the pre-Apple struggle to be shown, which people would not know about, but instead Steve Jobs emphasises more on the financial and commercial successes and personal failures. The relation with his daughter and wife (Waterson) is a recurring theme. So it’s not really an informative insight into the life of Jobs, if you’re looking for the development and growth of Apple; most of that are shown as news clippings.

Fassbender is outstanding in the film. He doesn’t quite have the physical resemblance, but I liked the way he was able to portray the business-like, egotistic, yet pioneering, character of Jobs. Kate Winslet – whenever she’s not calling after Jobs reminding him it’s time to go up on stage – has few notable instances on screen, the best one being the scene where she convinces Jobs to patch things up with Lisa. Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels have also done remarkably well; again, even if the appearance doesn’t quite match, the execution was perfect.

 

Wozniak (left) and Jobs, in real life

So, how much you like the film boils down to what you expect from it. Don’t go looking for a great story, although the script is probably the best you can write for the biopic, and the wonderful acting makes it all the more entertaining.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 86%  

Lion (2016)

Director: Garth Davis

Screenplay: Luke Davies (based on the book by Saroo Brierley)

Cast: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Roone Mara, David Wenham

Music: Hauschka, Dustin O’ Halloran

Time: 118 minutes

Bottom-line: Brilliantly made! The climax will melt your heart

Nominated for six Oscars at the 89^th Academy Awards, Garth Davis’ debut feature film could be the most heart-warming one of 2016. The film is based on Saroo Brierley’s non-fiction book A Long Way Home, where he narrates his adventure of being “lost” from home for over 25 years.

 

Patel as the adult Saroo

Based on a true story.

Khandwa, India, 1986: Saroo (Sunny Pawar), his brother, Guddu (Abhishek Barathe), and mother (Priyanka Bose) work as labourers. One night, Saroo follows his brother to a train station, where he waits while his brother looks for employment. In search of Guddu, Saroo boards an empty train – and dozes off – which takes him to Calcutta, 1600 kilometres away. Without knowing a word of Bengali, a panic-stricken Saroo eventually finds himself in an orphanage. Months later, an Australian couple in Tasmania: John (Wenham) and Sue (Kidman) Brierley adopt Saroo. Twenty years, Saroo (Patel) returns to Melbourne to study hotel management. He starts a relationship with Lucy (Mara). When talking to other Indians, Saroo suddenly realises he is not from Calcutta, and decides to start a search for his true home. The rest of the film is how he uses Google Earth to help him with his search, and how that affects his life in Australia.

 

Pawar as the young Saroo

There is not a single dull moment in the film. The first one hour deals with Saroo’s life in India; till then it is pretty much like a Bollywood film in every aspect. The second half deals with his life with his new parents, his girlfriend, and his search for home. This is not the first film that has been made about someone searching for his home and family, but Davis’ film stands out because of its faithfulness to the true story – no unnecessary exaggerations and melodrama – and the way it portrays themes like a mother-son bond, and the love between brothers. The scenes from Saroo’s childhood keep flashing by on the screen, often comparing his actions in Australia to those of his childhood, emphasising on the nostalgia.

 

Kidman as Sue Brierley 

Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman are both nominated in the Supporting Actor/Actress categories. The former puts on an Australian accent, but his Indian appearance makes him perfect for the role. The way he is able to show his feelings of missing home and family is superb, and towards the end it gets even better; if the climax of Lion isn’t the most heart-warming scene of all the films in 2016 then I don’t know what is! Nicole Kidman has excelled in her role as the “mother” of Saroo. Her happiness on seeing the little boy she’s going to adopt, her sadness on seeing him distinguish between his adopted and biological brothers, and her support for his search will pull some strings in your heart as well. Priyanka Bose and the debutant, Sunny Pawar, have performed wonderfully too.

 

Mara as Lucy

The film closes by saying that over 18000 children disappear in India every year, and that the film crew have setup an option for donation towards this purpose, in the film’s official website. The best part of Lion is that it is a film catering to the taste of Indian audience, but without the clichés or drama of a usual Bollywood film. Emotionally powerful and visually uplifting, this film is one to cherish.

My Rating: 4/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 86%

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Director: Kenneth Lonergan

Story: Kenneth Lonergan

Cast: Casey Affleck, Lucas Hedges

Music: Lesley Barber

Time: 136 minutes

Bottom-line: An emotional ride, with Affleck and Hedges at their best

Earning six Academy Award nominations this year, Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea brings out one of the best performances of both its lead actors: Casey Affleck and Lucas Hedges (each receiving an Oscar nomination). The story revolves around Lee Chandler (Affleck), a quiet, introverted janitor in Quincy. Despite his reliability, he is often rude to his customers, leading to tension between him and his boss. Lee receives news that his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler), has died of a heart attack. When Lee reaches his hometown, Manchester-by-the-Sea, to break the news to Joe’s son, Patrick (Hedges), he comes to know that Joe has named Lee as Patrick’s guardian. Lee is shocked, for this would require him to shift to his hometown: the place where his past haunts him. The relationship between Lee and Patrick – before and after Joe’s death – is what the film is about.

 

Affleck as Lee (left) and Hedges as Patrick

One thing about Casey Affleck’s acting: he can never express emotions. However, when the role doesn’t require one to do so, this guy is one of the best-suited people. Lee’s character is a reserved one: taciturn, minding his own business. He has a traumatic past: memories of his accident causing the death of his kids, his divorce (Michelle Williams plays his ex-wife, Randi) all come flooding back when he arrives at his hometown. The other mentally disturbed character is Patrick: a boy with a deceased father, an alcoholic mother, two girlfriends and an uncle whose cooperation he never seems to get. The film emphasises on the mental tension that exists between these two characters. Both of them suffer in different ways, each with his own problems, but they try to find solace in each other.

Affleck, with Williams as Randi 

That is what brings out the best in acting from Affleck and Hedges. The former’s authoritative attitude, his angry outbursts, and the latter’s myriad of emotions – as a teenager would normally have – are so naturally delivered. Michelle Williams has barely 10 minutes of screen time, with one heartfelt conversation with Lee, but giving her an Oscar nod seems a bit exaggerated! I also felt there were a lot “awkward silences” throughout the film; scenes where the camera would be at a fixed location, and the characters performing mute actions, probably intended for the viewers to reflect on what’s going on.

The story has several flashes to the past, as Lee scans through his memories of Manchester by the Sea; the relationship between Patrick and himself gradually turns from two people forcibly made to stay in each other’s company, to people who accept each other with all their flaws. The ending seems apt, leaving you with a touch of happiness after almost two hours of melancholic content.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%