Reviews

Sports movies are pretty similar, and this one is no exception. It has a simple story with all the standard cliches. But it's well-filmed, SRK is pretty good, and so are several of the players, but there is nothing new here. It's a fun enough watch, but not 8.2 by a longshot.

I didn't even want to watch this. My wife made me. At first, "not as bad as I thought." Then I subscribed to PBS via Amazon, just to watch more. It defies sense. How can a show about an isolated summer resort in Denmark in the 1930's be so interesting? So darn good. It is a true ensemble effort and you will care about everyone. The lynchpin is Fie, but the show is stolen by Edward Weyse, portrayed by Jens Jacob Tychsen. The following is not a spoiler, but once you read it, you will not be able to get it out of your head. So, having been warned...I'm convinced that Jens Jacob prepared for his role by watching every episode of Frasier. He is Danish Frasier, without question, right down to the body movements and the expressions. And he's looking for love like Frasier. He even plays the piano and sings in English. And the comings and goings from the hotel rooms mirror Frasier, too. We're starting Season 6 tonight. There are eight in all but only seven on PBS. Do I have to go to Denmark? I will.

And Season One was pretty good. The family side of the story is more central this time. I thought it would detract, but it did not. Samantha Akkineni is hot as a match. The location shots are excellent, whether London or Chennai. And hey, guess what - Chennai ain't Mumbai and it ain't Delhi. Learning is good.

The acting was very good. The shooting locations and street scenes were the best. They took in four regions and all sorts of streets - with elephants and without! The plot was ok, except the behavior of Deepesh puzzled me. But the reason I only gave 7 stars was that the ending fizzled so badly. Worst ending in the history of cinema? You decide.

No college hijinks, no gangsters, no rom/com, no violent cops, no singing & dancing. This is an Indian movie? Damn right it is (at least there are politicians). I grew up watching "Andy's Gang" on tv. When Andy Devine wasn't chatting with Froggy about his "Magic Twanger" they serialized old Indian movies, with tiger hunts, beaters, etc. This is a modernized version, with an updated conservation message. I loved the rural/jungle settings and the local actors. The storyline was satisfactory to hold interest so that the message might be conveyed. There were two heartbreakers for me. Vidya has gained weight and lost her Bobby Jasoss charm, although the second part of my disappointment was understandable, as it was not meant to be part of her role. Be sure to watch the closing credits. It will almost make you cry. Humans! What are you going to do with them? Hint: Bill Gates.

Dated, big hair, blurry, bad writing & screenplay, poor acting, sophomoric messaging & stereotyping, probably an insult to Outback residents. A feminist message cures all film ills? I don't think so. A shame that this film was made and a shame it was rated so highly. A shame I wasted my time.

It started out well but became more preposterous with each episode. I could not wait for it to be over. What a waste of my time. By episode 8, I wanted to commit seppuku. A mere finger would not suffice.

If you like Indian wedding movies, this is for you. Lots of music and colorful visuals. Soap opera, schmaltzy story will pull at your heartstrings. Pretty people. Rich Indians in Mercedes. Everyone is kind-hearted. Even the "villain" has a heart of gold. No cops, no dirt, happy poor people. I don't regret watching.

I was torn between a 6 and a 7. I might have offered 6.5 if it were possible. It was a sweet movie with several loose ends, or missed opportunities. Yet I think it portrayed Indian life more better than the average cop, gangster or rom/com film. Lift boy in a self-service elevator? Snoozing security guard. All true. Some excellent supporting performances. Quite nice. Open question to Indian film buffs: why do you think Christianity shows up so often in Indian films? First, am I wrong about that? I'm amazed at how often the World Trade Center Twin Towers seem to show up in American films, yet the number is actually not all that large in a finite sense. Second, do you think it is just the "exotic" factor? Something else?

I have noticed that Indian films often score much higher ratings than they deserve. Has it spread to Ireland, too? This is a poorly written, bad dialogue, low budget film that was a complete waste of my time. There were only two positives: the sky diving scene, and the male protagonist, Bernard Deegan. Do I praise him for his acting? Absolutely not. There was no good acting by anyone. I simply admire the way he so perfectly melds the Kenau Reeves look and style with that of Our Gang's Alfalfa. Brilliant.

How many Indian cop movies have I watched? 100? Probably. This one picks out the all-too-common threads and turns them into good, preposterous, cliche-ridden fun. And it's a lot funnier than some of the other reviewers would lead you to believe. And of those 100 I mentioned, I have often left thinking that I have wasted my time, again. Not this time. A good laugh.

Maybe I'm quibbling over the definition of a word, but I thought this excellent film was a drama and a human interest story told with some humor and societal observations. I didn't think of it as satire at all. You want satire? Try Arjun Patiala, which spoofs almost every Indian cop movie ever made. Sorry to disagree with the other reviewers, mostly Indian and who must know better than I.

My wife and I are Americans who are very keen on Israeli movies and tv series. You might even accuse us of having a positive bias. We watched with subtitles, so please consider. This one was a dog. It consisted of two essentially parallel or even separate stories that came together only at the end, and mechanically at that. The film was compromised by loose ends, cliches, very weak writing and weak dialogue. Of all the characters/actors, one was interesting, but not likeable. A minor plus - you will get to see actors who later had larger, better roles in Shtisel and Fauda. But you'd better not blink for one of them!

Some things you will never know with 100% certainty, even if the preponderance of evidence leans one way or another. In film, liberties are allowed. I'm an American with only a tiny bit of knowledge about Indian Independence, the INA and associated matters. Those are important things, but it is not necessary to be an historian to recognize that as a film, Gumnaami is very, very good, especially in its b&w portions. I recommend it to all audiences of any nationality (but it would help to read up a little about the INA first).

A Tamil movie set mostly in Seattle! Audacious!! And some slight of hand in the first scene. I kept waiting for the Indian shoe to drop in the USA but it didn't. The Indian actors were fine. Even some humorous dialogue (How do you like the USA? It is ok but it is too quiet here."). The two reasons I didn't give this movie a higher rating were 1) the American actors were very amateurish, especially in delivering their lines, 2) the film had some of the A-Team "this is how it was done" explanation of the crime, which I do not care for.

I expected a rom-com about a garbageman who marries above his station but everything is happy. Kinda like Roz and one of her boyfriends on Frasier. Not quite so, as it turns out. Oddly, parts of this drama are 100% soap opera, including the sets and the characters. Yuk on the pretty boy. Other parts are 100% grit and realism. I'm forgiving the soap and giving the film the 7 for the rest. The male protagonist is just so damn decent. Very heartwarming. You will be glad you watched.

Likeable characters, along with some dislikeable ones. You kinda think you know how it will end, but you want to go for the ride anyway. Guess what, the ending is not what you thought it would be! It's worth the wait!!

I watch a lot of Indian movies, often crime movies. In the last one I watched, the cops poked out the eyes of two suspects and then poured battery acid in the holes. And if not that, a lot of political intrigue and confusion. So this was a simple, light straightforward story with a couple of good song/dance numbers, and another one during the closing credits. And the star was absolutely delightful. It really was all about her.

No special effects. No sex. No beautiful scenery. Nothing gets blowed up. Amitabh Bachchan is mentioned incessantly. Yet with all those obstacles, this is an excellent series that manages to keep you on the edge of your seat as Harshad makes one miraculous escape after another. I had a bit of trouble keeping up with all the acronyms and with Indian banking regulations and procedures, but you can power through it. The cast is excellent, especially Pratik Gandhi. He is a better Harshad Metha than the real Harshad Meta, who is featured. I really wanted Harshad to triumph and thought I was there watching it all unfold. Very worthy of your time.

My heritage is Irish, so I wanted to see this film. The historical aspects and the scenery were worth it, but bleak. The story was one-dimensional. Kind of an 1847 action film, I guess. Very cardboard. Interesting side: look for scenes with both the Corporal and Conolee. It looks like very young Bob Dylan acting alongside old Bob Dylan. Kind of a laugh, the producers didn't notice? Worth a watch, but don't crawl over broken glass to see it.