Manisha Sharma

Okay, so this movie was unbearably boring and flat. I wanted to stop watching it at so many moments but I kept hoping something better would come out of it in the end, but alas! First of the the central idea that was used is such a beautiful one, something that can be used to create something that is extremely painful and beautiful at the same time. The idea of present moment being the only certain thing you have, that is yours to live, it's so delicate and beautiful. But it was completly wasted. It evoked none of the emotions which it could have. Secondly, the questions of the themes and ideas explored and the feeling it leaves you with is like an aftertaste, something to remember it by. What you first experience is the only screen chemistry between the characters, their lives, their dreams etc. Sadly, there was none. Everything in the movie felt so surface level, so vague and lazy. The chemistry between James and Anna was non-existent. It felt so forced and offputing. It almost seemed like they were completely uninterested in each other and were literally just having fun, except I couldn't feel the fun either. Their dialogues feel so performative and fake and I couldn't feel one ounce of authenticity in anyone's emotions. The friends Anna makes who become her best friends are never shown to be genuinely there. They feel more like aquantainces. The understanding of time in the movie is non existent. Where and how did the 1 year pass? And not in a good way. Like it felt like we skipped a big amount of time and plot development opportunity which was completely missed. There are multiple archetypes which have been written/performed poorly. The dorky bicycle guy who falls for Anna's girl bsf literally has 0 personality. As do many others. There's too much wrong with this movie. A other massive thing which bugged me was that this girl comes with big dreams of studying in Oxford and has her life planned okay. This is also a common plot line but if performed well, it would do great. But here we never see her truly experiencing the city and falling in love with the city and people and ofc James which would make her want to stay. It's like she just wants to stay for James. Like what??? Again the ending scene wherew we come to a full circle with Anna being the professor and saying similar things as James after his passing, this could be established as a strong emotional moment, something very hoping to end the movie with. Another of the emotions which the central idea is meant to evoke, but the acting and the dialogues and the efforts in general feel so lazy, it completely fails to deliver. Just like the rest of the movie. A cliche isn't bad. But a cliche performed badly is very bad. And that's what this movie felt like. The emotional intensity and highs and lows it should've presented are nowhere to be found and in the end the whole movie feels like a bunch of abrupt things coming and going leaving one more confused than anything.