Got a chance to see English Vinglish over the weekend. The Telugu version was playing much closer to home than the Hindi one, so went ahead and watched it. Overall it is a very well made movie. Everybody acts well and the movie just flows through.
My thoughts - It is a very low range emotional movie. What I mean by low range is that situations which have the potential to become highly explosive are shown as minor irritants. For instance when Sridevi realizes that she needs to go to the US alone. She is shown bringing up this concern with each and every member of the family and her concern is brushed aside by a one line dialog by each of them. Her feelings, her fright is not delved into deeply, she is next shown boarding a flight and shedding silent tears and complying with her sisters wish. I expect a married woman with little kids to have lots more objections and heartache than what is displayed on the screen. The earlier incidents in the film indicate that she needs help to go to her daughter's school, but with little coaching she is shown to fly over to the other side of the world. I understand that spending lots of screen time on this is not worth it, but it does feel a little too shallow.
Another incident is when her husband says that she is born to make Laddoos, her rage at that is shown with only one angry expression, then when her niece brings up the topic- she just turns her face away.
When her French class mate Laurent expresses his love, she is not too perturbed by it. This attention is later converted by her (how she arrives to this conclusion is not shown) to love her own self and realize that her task is to make her family respect her and not go looking for solace outside of the marriage, which is a very mature thought, so I would agree with that part.
So in short the movie never reaches a crescendo and there are no surprises or wow element anywhere. I am not saying it is a bad thing, it is just that it made me realize I may be more of an action thriller kind of a person.
The sets are fabulous, the furnishings simple yet bright. Her sarees and the way she carries herself in it brilliant. The scenes and sets are a visual treat.
I should also mention that as nice as she looks in the trailer, when you actually see her emoting the various feelings, she comes across as an old gaunt person and not the glamorous person seen in the trailers. It is difficult not to focus on her pinched nose.
Overall a movie that one can go to on a lazy day. I wouldn't call it a feel good movie as it brings across the everyday oppression that most women suffer in India. The Sunday afternoon show was a houseful, so the movie may well turn out to be a sleeper hit.
My thoughts - It is a very low range emotional movie. What I mean by low range is that situations which have the potential to become highly explosive are shown as minor irritants. For instance when Sridevi realizes that she needs to go to the US alone. She is shown bringing up this concern with each and every member of the family and her concern is brushed aside by a one line dialog by each of them. Her feelings, her fright is not delved into deeply, she is next shown boarding a flight and shedding silent tears and complying with her sisters wish. I expect a married woman with little kids to have lots more objections and heartache than what is displayed on the screen. The earlier incidents in the film indicate that she needs help to go to her daughter's school, but with little coaching she is shown to fly over to the other side of the world. I understand that spending lots of screen time on this is not worth it, but it does feel a little too shallow.
Another incident is when her husband says that she is born to make Laddoos, her rage at that is shown with only one angry expression, then when her niece brings up the topic- she just turns her face away.
When her French class mate Laurent expresses his love, she is not too perturbed by it. This attention is later converted by her (how she arrives to this conclusion is not shown) to love her own self and realize that her task is to make her family respect her and not go looking for solace outside of the marriage, which is a very mature thought, so I would agree with that part.
So in short the movie never reaches a crescendo and there are no surprises or wow element anywhere. I am not saying it is a bad thing, it is just that it made me realize I may be more of an action thriller kind of a person.
The sets are fabulous, the furnishings simple yet bright. Her sarees and the way she carries herself in it brilliant. The scenes and sets are a visual treat.
I should also mention that as nice as she looks in the trailer, when you actually see her emoting the various feelings, she comes across as an old gaunt person and not the glamorous person seen in the trailers. It is difficult not to focus on her pinched nose.
Overall a movie that one can go to on a lazy day. I wouldn't call it a feel good movie as it brings across the everyday oppression that most women suffer in India. The Sunday afternoon show was a houseful, so the movie may well turn out to be a sleeper hit.
4 comments:
I went to see this on a weekday evening, and it was a full house, so, in spite of initially poor box office, I do hope this turns out to be a sleeper hit. I liked the film not so much as a Sridevi comeback vehicle but because it highlights the very common situation of a woman being given the thick end of the stick by the Indian family. I liked the film, perhaps more than you did. :)
Agreed Shubho. She did do a commendable job of carrying the film on her shoulders.
I liked the movie. a good come back definitely for Sridevi
Welcome here Remya - Will check out your blog too
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