Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Movie Review: Gold...all that glitters



Gold had a lot going for it. A glittering star cast, a director with solid credentials, the nationalistic theme coupled with a release on Independence Day. And yet..all that glitters...

Gold starts off with a bang - so much so - you'll be forgiven to thinking you are seeing the climax of the movie. However, the moment the gold medal embellished GOLD title credits begin, the downhill journey begins. There is a central premise but nothing on screen seems to build up to that. A team is formed but its characters are very sparsely explored. There is some exploration on team dynamics but that too is quickly lost. The movie trudges on till just before the intermission point which is perhaps the most poignant, moving and stirring sequence in the entire film. One of the darkest chapters of Indian history, is well portrayed and casts a strong shadow on the central premise and you begin to hope - maybe this is what the movie is about and it'll pick up post intermission.

Sadly, that's an empty hope and this supposedly biggest obstacle is also quickly overcome. That's perhaps the biggest challenge of GOLD. Its unsure which thread it wants to truly explore (if any) and ends up opening several of them. Within the two and a half hour long expanse you wait for a particular thread to gather steam. The protagonist faces a challenge and its quickly resolved within the next frame, leaving you to wonder why it was introduced in the first place. Even towards the climax, there are so many unnecessary supposed twists which build superficial tension and don't really hold your attention. The only thing, that is somewhat well done I suppose is the patriotic notion, that goes beyond national boundaries and spreads a message of benevolence and love.

Gold could have been really solid. With a better connect with its chief protagonist, the team he brings together, a concern for their fate as well as realizing their dream, Gold could've been so much more. As it stands though, while it tries to show its sheen, it ends up being empty and hollow instead. And then, there's Chak De India.

Had the world not seen Chak De India, they might have still sat through the rest, to see an endearing tale of a hockey team coming together. However, with Chak De having fully explored that theme and very successfully at that, whatever little hope Gold would have, is lost in recollections of better presented scenes and sequences from that masterpiece, that was clearly ahead of its times.

Akshay Kumar tries somewhat to still get Gold to shine. Though weaker in the first half, he himself shines in scenes of extreme emotion in the second half but that alone isn't enough to save the movie. Part of the problem is also his own character. Very little is known about why he is in the position he is and why he is able to pull it off apart from his passion and determination to realize his dream. Most of it doesn't add up. In fact, its the other characters who are far more interesting and deserving of more screen time. Mouni Roy who plays his better half has very few lines but still seems to hold her own quite well, Bengali accent intact. Kunal Kapoor is a bit wooden with his limited character. Sunny Kaushal is a standout performer and one to watch for.

At two and a half hours, Gold is stretched beyond imagination. The central premise of this movie doesn't merit much content and had the movie been snappier and better paced, it might have still worked. The songs don't help either and most of them are unnecessary additions to an already bloated script. There is very little that I can actually recommend about Gold. Independence Day deserves better celebrations - not the solid gold entry I'd have hoped for.

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Movie Review: Christopher Robin...does a bit of something



Christopher Robin seemingly does nothing. There's nothing new here - no complexity of characters, a highly predictable storyline - one that's been told many times earlier in different shapes and forms, the live action animation is there but nothing jaw dropping - and yet, as Pooh wisely says very early in the movie - sometimes doing nothing is what leads to the very best something. He may well be talking about Christopher Robin.

The movie's trailer gives away practically the whole storyline so avoid it if you can. The movie starts off with a wonderful storybook-like presentation, melding hand made drawings with actual scenes to set up the context in a quick few minutes. Post that though, the movie slows down but it doesn't feel off. Especially the scenes with Pooh and his friends are adorably cute. Pooh says some seemingly simple lines but they have a world of depth within. His simple life philosophy is a great reminder of what a mess we've made of our own lives - with something even as ordinary as a simple red balloon.

The second half is where things get a little awry - especially towards the climax. However, at no point does the movie drag or feel dull. Predictable, yes but not boring. The animals keep things interesting - while very stereotypical and one-dimensional as characters - their dialogues are what keep the interest going. That and the lines between Christopher and Pooh. The whole cast puts in a decent performance but frankly there isn't much focus on acting or histronics in a movie like this.

Disney has always been the one to bring that bit of magic back in our lives. The daily rigmarole can always get us to let go of our childhood - grow up, focus too much on work and less on play, less on imagination, less on dreams. Christopher Robin is yet another offering that serves as that reminder and reinforces what's important, what ought to matter most. There's one line towards the end that Pooh says which while Robin dismisses off as a line from a silly old bear - its anything but. Its for these gems and reclaiming your imagination that you must go and see Christopher Robin.
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