Raveena Savadi

Bro 😭 I legitimately do not understand why people dislike this movie. It was so good- and this is coming from someone who doesn’t like most Bollywood movies released recently. I loved almost everything except I wish the characterisation of Satya was a little better and more nuanced. Otherwise the score, music, plot lines, most performances, emotions in the screenplay were genuinely gorgeous. I cannot believe that people consider some of the mass commercial movies that released last year to be of better quality than this. If this is not unnecessarily u riding on the hate train, I don’t know what is.

I think calling myself a writer would be a generous euphemism for what I am is a twenty-something law student dreaming of escaping my stressful reality filled with toxic personalities caving into my sanity. From the onset, I feel like Laura Dern's Katherine is nothing like me. She is a middle-aged and extremely accomplished author facing a writer's block on her eighth novel. However, the parallels between her and I is why I found this movie so captivating. Katherine decides to go for a writer's retreat to find peace and escape into her work hoping to feel less stuck in its pursuit. There, she meets finance bro, Owen played by my teenage crush Liam Hemsworth who is stuck in a completely different way. Together, they exhibit the value of nuanced writing in a screenplay that considers and really contemplates people outside of a few notable character anecdotes. The way that two people can connect in spite of being so different or rather because of it was displayed so beautifully to me. While, both actors (especially Dern) do a good job, I found their chemistry to be fairly consistent only lagging in a few parts that felt slightly unnatural, but nothing major. (SPOILER) While the movie is clear in stating that connections can be found but also lost because of the inherent transient nature of relationships, it takes a more fairytale-esque rom-com ending that my sixteen year old self would have loved. My present self is a tad bit more cynical then that. I think that this movie requires a level of attention and retrospection to truly find something worthy in its premise. Lucky for me, I was in such a state of mind as I watched it over the past two days. I really hope that you, my dearest reader, enjoy it as much as I did.

I found this really soulless. Anne Hathaway can do way better than scripts like these, which literally read like fan fiction. I actually enjoyed Nicholas here; he even sings in the film, which was also excellent. Everyone else gave average to below average. My main issue with this film is that it is not even trying to pretend that it is not a 'Harry-Styles-fanfiction.' I am not getting into the debate of whether real people should be subjects of fanfiction, but if you are making these fanfictions into movies, there must be more care, consideration and effort involved. I think that this, at best, is an average attempt at that

Before starting my review, I want to mention the narrative principle of 'Checkov's gun', which states that if a gun is introduced in a film's first or second act, it has to be used to shoot in the third act. While many films do an excellent job fulfilling this principle, never in my life have I seen a better utilisation and fulfilment of Checkov's gun than in this film. So many elements take part in this screenplay, and all of them reach a natural conclusion that feels epically brilliant. Sriram Raghavan has done it again, and it is a damn shame that more people have not ventured out to experience the tense yet phenomenal experience of this film. Katrina and Vijay are excellent in this film. At first, I was distracted by the vast difference in their accents, and then I felt like it was an allegory for the big melting pot that big cities, like Bombay, where the movie is set, are for people to migrate to and experience a new life. The supporting cast is spectacular as well. This music album is also fantastic. The utilisation of the background score is excellent as well. Never in my life had I been so stressed while also having the best time. So do watch this film in the theatre and support it, if possible. If not, please check it out when it comes to streaming. Thanks for reading. I hope this was helpful <3

Before I get into my review, I wanted to share something. I finally understand the subjective nature of art. I always knew that art affects different people in different ways, but today, I truly felt that knowledge getting lodged in me. It is okay for me to like or dislike something that the rest of the world did, my voice is equally valid, and so is yours. Let us all agree to disagree and have a holistic conversation on everything we love. Now, coming to my review: The bad: 1) The runtime- a shorter edit would have benefited the film greatly. 2) The accent work- a few actors in this film could have mastered the accent work in a much more solid way. It is noticeable, but eventually, one does get used to it. 3) Depiction of Anglo-Indian community- there could have been a better effort at this depiction. 4) Niche film- this is not a criticism per se, but an educated guess as to why a lot of people have been hating on this film. It is a coming-of-age film rooted in seemingly frivolous emotions (to 'grown-ups') like teenage love and heartbreak and the need to present social responsibility. It is not made for a majority of Indian audiences, but that is fine! Niche films should be made because people are different, and so are their tastes. There cannot exist 'a one size fits all' in films. The good: Aesthetic and costume design: Absolutely loved it, and this coming from a fan of the Comic book. Song and dance: They completely add to the film. I loved the music and choreography. Performances: I thought everyone was great and merged into their comic book counterpart. Obviously, there is a long road to improvement. No one arrives in the scene fully formed. Core emotions and messaging: I felt heard and understood through this film. Granted, I am no longer a teenager, but I felt transported back to being one. The emotions of nostalgia, wanting drama, and the feeling of first love all returned to me. Look, this film is in no way a masterpiece, but it is a delightful story of friendship, youth and the freedom that it brings along with it. Watch it with the knowledge that it is made for a younger audience, and you will like it! That is it for my review, I hope this is helpful.