The Vow (2012)

Release Date: 02/10/2012
Rating: PG13
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Genre: Drama,Romance
Director: Michael Sucsy
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Sam Neill, Jessica Lange

Storyline
A car accident puts Paige (McAdams) in a coma, and when she wakes up with severe memory loss, her husband Leo (Tatum) works to win her heart again.


Review

The romantic drama The Vow is not adapted from a Nicholas Sparks novel, though I doubt its producers would be offended if you’d assumed otherwise. In fact, I suspect they’re banking on it. The film’s stars, Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum, are both recognized veterans of the Sparks subgenre – she gave us the indelible (for better or worse) Notebook, while he starred in the somewhat less successful Dear John. Moreover, its premise, pitting love against the insidious after-effects of brain trauma, may be inspired by a true story, but its one-two punch of tragedy and sentiment is straight out of Sparks’ tear-jerking playbook.

It’s all there in The Vow’s opening montage, which first introduces Leo (Tatum) and Paige (McAdams), two desperately smitten bohemian-artist types (she’s a sculptor; he’s a musician/studio owner), and then rudely separates them, all in one slick, heartbreaking sequence. There’s the meet-cute at the DMV, the whirlwind courtship, the quirky marriage proposal, the kitschy guerrilla wedding (replete with vows scrawled on restaurant menus), and, finally, the brutal car accident, glimpsed in agonizing slow-motion, that leaves poor Paige in a coma.

When Paige awakens in the hospital, Leo is aghast to discover his wife doesn’t recognize him. While her girl-next-door beauty emerged from the crash remarkably intact, it seems her brain did not fare so well, suffering injuries that effectively wiped out her memory of the preceding five years – a span comprising the entirety of her relationship with Leo. Her mind’s clock rewound a half-decade, Paige assumes the identity of Paige from five years prior, like a rebooted computer whose owner neglected to backup the hard drive in a timely manner.

It soon becomes achingly apparent that the Paige from five years prior was markedly different from the Paige we met in the opening credits: a superficial sorority girl, on track for a law degree, averse to city-dwelling, partial to blueberry mojitos, cowed by her domineering father (Sam Neill), and engaged to a corporate douche (Scott Speedman). Upon emerging from her slumber, she finds the remnants from her old life all-too-eager to re-assimilate their lost lamb into the Bourgeois Borg, even if she does have one of those icky tattoos.

In danger of losing the love of his life to her former one, a heartbroken Leo resolves to win back Paige, even if it means starting from scratch and wooing her all over again. Aligned against him are the grim realities of brain damage as well as Paige’s family and former fiancé, whose cult-like efforts at re-education seem ever-creepier the more I contemplate them. (There are unintentional echoes of Total Recall in Paige’s arc, which I suppose would make Leo her Kuato.)

Cultishness and Total Recall allusions notwithstanding, The Vow flirts with a more unsettling notion, one seemingly at odds with the romantic drama mission, implying that what we know as love is simply the product of our memories, tenuous and transient, and not the profound, transcendent bond that Hallmark promised.

Fear not: The Vow is by no means a dense metaphysical treatise. Director Michael Sucsy (Grey Gardens) and is far more concerned with heart-tugging than thought-provoking. To that end, he steers admirably clear of grand epiphanies and other moments of high melodrama, preferring instead to apportion the sap relatively evenly throughout the story. The strategy is less manipulative but also less impactful. The script, from Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein, and Jason Katims, can’t maintain the energy of its opening act, and apart from its brain damage twist, is a tediously familiar romantic-drama slog. I found myself secretly rooting for some old-fashioned emotional overkill, if only to alleviate the boredom.

The two leads, for their part, form a charming pair. McAdams is as endearing as ever, working well within her comfort zone, and equally likable Tatum bears his character’s anguish ably, even if he’ll never be credible as a bohemian-artist type. Their easy, appealing chemistry might be enough to satisfy the Sparks-philes, but it’s not enough to sustain the film.

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Gali Gali Chor Hai movie review

Gali Gali Chor Hai February 3, 2012 11:48:02 AM IST
updated February 4, 2012 01:52:30 PM IST
By Martin D'Souza, Glamsham Editorial
For a movie that slots itself as comedy/drama, GALI GALI CHOR HAI leaves a sobering impact. In fact, it has you tottering out of the auditorium after having driven home its point with such finesse that it makes you wonder how Rumi Jaffery managed this Houdini act!
'Houdini act' because it's a subject so real and so close to home that it has never been addressed with such intelligence. True, there have been movies on politics and politicians and the corrupt system; but the way the 'system' is looked into in a holistic way, through the life of just one common man, is indeed an eye-opener. I'm sure, R K Laxman would be proud of this achievement. After decades, some other artist has managed to portray the 'Common Man' that really excites, incites and has you thinking.

CHECK OUT: Mugdha- No bikini show in GALI GALI CHOR HAI
The story is simple. It could happen to you. Bharat (Akshaye Khanna) is a quintessential character, you would find in your neighbourhood. It could be you. He is married; works in a bank as a cashier and his only crime is that he refuses a room in his large house for a local politician to set up his temporary office during election time. The setting is in Madhya Pradesh. Bharat is part of a play where he longs to play Ram, but portrays Hanuman. The local politician's brother enacts Ram, thanks to his lineage, even though he is a bad actor. The genesis of Bharat's problem can be traced from here.
Before you know it, in front of your eyes, Bharat is implicated in a problem so trivial that it actually shocks you as to how he could be sucked into the vortex of the corrupt system so incredulously convincingly by a cop (Anu Kapoor, brilliant) who obviously has been let loose on the unsuspecting man.

It appears that the cops have caught a robber who has robbed a table fan from Bharat's home. Bharat is not aware of any such fan. But after a veiled threat from the cop he is convinced to go to the local police station where the game begins to retrieve his fan. How Rumi exploits the plot, weaving in the accompaniment that goes along with any case that lands in the small court is what frustrates you as a viewer. You feel for Bharat as he helplessly moves around not knowing what has hit him as he starts bribing his way through the system.
Then begins the quest to get rid of the 'unlucky' fan.
Akshaye is first rate in portraying the angst of someone who is perplexed as to the way the system functions. He transfers his anxiety to the viewer who is as helpless. That is the mark of a genius. Shriya Saran as his wife has a small but meaningful role. Murli Sharma who plays local MLA Manku Tripathi and the guy who plays his brother don't have much of a role. But just the minimum time they have on screen is enough to have a maximum impact. Who says you need several scenes and a meaty role to leave your mark as an actor?
CHECK OUT: Can GALI GALI CHOR HAI spring a surprise?
The final scene and the dialogue by Bharat, 'Yeh system ke gaal pe tamacha hai' is what really has you reeling. He does get to play Ram after all, using all the strength of a Hanuman!
The Bomb Blast angle notwithstanding (not convincing, it could have been interwoven more smartly or could have been done away with), GALLI GALLI CHOR HAIN is indeed an eye-opener. Positioned cleverly around election time, it should encourage those who never leave their homes to exercise their franchise.
Don't mistake the name Bharat for the main protagonist. India can have many more Anna Hazares who can stand up against the system.
The five star rating is for the concept and the intelligent way it has been executed, without going over-the-top. It is also for the director's chutzpah. Methinks it should be made tax free.
This movie is Timely, Topical and Terrific!
Rating - 5/5

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Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu

Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu  February 10, 2012 12:30:48 PM IST
updated February 10, 2012 03:11:11 PM IST
By Martin D'Souza, Glamsham Editorial
This clearly is an Imran Khan show. Sedate and subdued, he goes about bringing Rahul (his character) to life. Overburdened by the expectations from his parents (Boman Irani and Ratna Pathak-Shah) to excel in what they decide is best for him, Rahul loses his identity and lives to please them. He opens his mouth, but is never able to voice his opinion. He is an architect in a big firm in Las Vegas. Sin city obviously is going to lure you to do things you would never have imagined. So what if you never rebel. There is always that side wanting to explode at the slightest provocation.
That provocation comes in the form of Kareena Kapoor (Riana Braganza) a hair-stylist who is nursing another broken relationship. Their chance meeting at a Mall, followed by a visit to the shrink in the same vicinity puts them in an odd spot. Before you know it, both are 'punch drunk' and wake up as a married couple the next morning. Neither has any clue of what happened. Britney Spears did that too, a few years ago and got the marriage annulled.
CHECK OUT: Imran's wife Avantika does cameo in EK MAIN AUR EKK TU
Rahul and Riana too want this mistake annulled. How this 'drunken error' weaves into a larger plot is what EK MAIN AUR EKK TU is all about. Shakun Batra does not give one the impression that this is his maiden venture as a director. The editing is sharp, the plot pushy enough to drive the movie the full length and the screenplay appropriate. For most part, the movie gives one a Hollywood feel, since Las Vegas is the action spot. The smart narration before, between and at the end, enhances the entire movie. Actually, it's another character of the movie.
Of late, Imran has been typecast with roles he has been associated with. Take the case of MERE BROTHER KI DULHAN and his debut film JAANE TU... YA JAANE NA... The characters, body language, dialogue delivery are almost similar. In EMAET, he goes three steps further. He sheds his image and clothes himself in the character. As for me, I got a Hugh Grant feel from his performance.

The same cannot be said of Kareena Kapoor. She is a fine actor but somewhere she has failed to shake off the image of Geet from JAB WE MET. You encounter Geet even here. For an actor to excel, he or she has to start afresh with every role. Having said that, it can be argued in her favour, that Riana is indeed a happy-go-lucky character who only sees the brighter side of life. Her family too, embodies the spirit she exudes. But then, you expect more from a Kareena, na?!.
For all the talk of their age difference, Imran and Kareena do make a good couple. The script helps too with her being shown two years older. However, the film does tend to get monotonous with the focus being on just the two. Batra tries to rope in a few more characters as the plot moves to India with Riana's parents and her extended family. Here, Batra falters as he portrays her family more like Parsis than Catholics. The scene at St Xavier's School where Riana takes Rahul on a tour too is a mistake because we all know that only boys study here. Talking about her best friend Amu, too, trivializes the scene a bit. We all know who she is referring to.
CHECK OUT: Kareena is unaffected by her stardom
The Auntyji track is peppy and ups the tempo and the end is actually the beginning. Full marks to Batra for being different.
At least you go back thinking about what could have been.
EMAET had the potential of being an even better film. The three stars are for the excellent treatment and Imran's performance.
Rating : 3/5

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Ghost

Kumaar, A.M. Turaz and Sandeep Nath Shiney Ahuja, Sayali Bhagat, Tej Sapru, Deepraj Rana, Julia Bliss and Gulshan Rana January 13, 2012 03:37:37 PM IST
By Martin D'Souza, Glamsham Editorial
Do not mistake this for the remake of the Patick Swayze-Demi Moore starrer with the same name. This one is far removed from the brilliance of that 1990 flick.
This GHOST is a nuisance. The directors needs to learn the ABC of scripting before venturing into a horror story. What he does know is to keep the lighting low and make scary background sounds. Apart from that he just scratches the surface. Whoever coined the saying, 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing', must surely have had this director in mind.
Picture this: There's a lady who is rushed to the hospital with third degree burns. Her saree is intact! Get a load of this too: Just when the investigation into the killings in the City Hospital is reaching its peak with the investigating officer (Shiney) stumbling on some important facts, he answers a call from Dr Suhani (Sayali) to dance in a night club. There are many such flaws in this film that leaves the viewer enough time to catch a quick nap and wake up at the opportune time to hear another background score that tries hard to scare.

For the record, a few killings at the City Hospital is baffling the authorities. All the victims have their heart pulled out and face disfigured. In walks Shiney, the investigating officer. Sayali is a doctor who has just joined this hospital and in her second meeting is singing songs with the investigating officer. It also appears that Shiney is suffering from retrograde amnesia, meaning he has forgotten a certain phase of his life. No prizes for guessing that it has some link to the happenings.
At least, the Ramsay brothers, whose name is synonymous with horror films, had a set formula which made sense. This one is comical in its approach.
Rating - 1/5






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Valentines Night

Valentine's Night Movie Review February 10, 2012 12:40:33 PM IST
updated February 10, 2012 03:22:08 PM IST
By Martin D'Souza, Glamsham Editorial
VALENTINE'S NIGHT is a story about three girls and two boys who have just broken up on Valentine's Day and meet up on the 'Lonely Hearts' page on Facebook. One of the girls plans a night out together. They call it Valentine's Night! As the night progresses, three more join the trip. These three (two girls and a boy) and partners of three from the five. Confusing? Not really. The idea was novel, but executing it into-a full-fledged movie is another story altogether.
Hence, I guess, there are two directors-Krishan and Badal. Both show promise in patches and that's about as far you can go with this plot, which is convoluted. After about 20 minutes of trying to keep pace with the action, you give up. The actors make a fine mess of whatever is given to them further complicating the goings-on.
The film is flawed right from the planning stage. There are plots within a plot and the directors do not know how to handle the back stories. Everything is just thrown in, like an inexperienced cook would do to a dish hoping it would taste good.

Payal Rohatgi is the only known name that drives this film, unfortunately she too is not convinced about what she is doing on screen. Apart from shedding copious tears and displaying legs (shoddy dress designing), she has nothing left to do.
I must say that this is a brave attempt but the makers could have done well to rope in a few experts to whet the script before taking the final plunge. After all, you are taking the product to the masses and a little sensibility is what is required.
The one star is for the belief the directors had in themselves. After all it is better to have tried and failed than not to have tried at all!
Mark Zuckerberg will certainly not be flattered with the reference to Facebook that this film constantly makes! 'Facebook ne humko bacha liya,' say the protagonists at the end.
But who will save this movie?
Ratings : 1/5

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Agneepath

January 26, 2012 01:08:11 PM IST
updated January 30, 2012 05:28:27 PM IST
By Martin D'Souza, Glamsham Editorial
Before the onset, I would like to make it known that AGNEEPATH, the original, remains one of my best Bollywood films to date. I have seen it umpteen times and every time I see it a new, I enjoy it even more. To me, that was Amitabh Bachchan's finest performance; he dared to experiment and set a benchmark with his dialogue style that ended with an eeh! Vijay Dinanath Chauhan was a complete character coming from Mandwa, a small town on the outskirts of Mumbai. He had 'Maut ke saath apintment.' Vijay Dinanath Chauhan (Hrithik Roshan) in the re-make too, has 'Maut ke saath apintment'. But this will not be known to the first-time viewers of AGNEEPATH.
Karan Johar in a note before the re-make rolls applauds the genius of Amit uncle (Amitabh Bachchan) and the vision of Mukul Anand, the director. Produced by his father, late Yash Johar, this is Karan's tribute to the vision of the three that produced one of the finest films to come out of Bollywood, which unfortunately failed to be coined as a commercial success.
CHECK OUT: AGNEEPATH finally gets its due!
Any comparison to the original now, is inevitable.
Assistant to Karan Johar, Karan Malhotra gets to hold the reins for the first time. He knocks off a few elements from the original, and adds new layers to the new. For instance, Mithun Chakraborty's character, which was central to the plot, has been done away with, while Vijay's mother's role has been cut down, only to be exploited towards the end. Even Vijay's sister's role has been modified while a layer in the form of the character of Rauf Lala (Rishi Kapoor) who trades in the flesh market and drugs has been added. Kanhcha Cheena (Sanjay Dutt) has a father who is the village headman, while Danny Denzongpa in the original was a one-man-show. No song stands out in the AGNEEPATH of old; it's just the brilliance of one man. Chikni Chameli (Katrina Kaif) leaves an indelible mark on this one. The track is not only catchy and peppy, but also sees the Kaif girl dancing like a 'Kat on a hot tin roof!' She sheds all inhibitions jumping into the song with gay abandon. A paisa vasool moment in the film.
The story: Master Dinanath Chauhan is a respected teacher in Mandwa. His popularity threatens the village headman who uses his son, Kancha Cheena to frame him in a crime and then eliminate him in a most brutal fashion. Vijay is just 10-years-old when he sees havoc wreaked in his life. He leaves Mandwa with his pregnant mother for Mumbai and begins his journey of hate, to one day reclaim Mandwa and eliminate Kancha. He uses the power of Rauf Lala, who is the Badshaah of Mumbai, to gain in strength to get closer to his target.

Drawbacks:
- While the late Mukul Anand took pains to etch out Master's character, here Karan Malhotra quickly runs through the process without dwelling into how important Master's existence is to the whole plot. He expects his newer audience to have seen the old film.
- As someone who is into the 'flesh trade' and drug mafia, Rishi Kapoor is a poor choice. Simply because he fails to characterize evil in a way it was meant to be. Pawan Malhotra could have been a good choice.
- The film is 20 minutes too long. A couple of songs could have been done away with. The birthday song for Vijay's sister and the wedding song for Rauf's son.
- Madhavi's role (that of a nurse) though small, left a lasting impression. Priyanka Chopra's role has been very poorly defined leaving no room for the actress to improvise or act.
- Finally, even 15 years later, Kancha is still the same fit old villain. Nothing changes for him, not even his style of dressing. Danny has aged considerably in the original. Dutt's make-over has not been looked into properly. His style of dialogue delivery and his bald pate gives one a 'comical feel'. For a character that is supposed to have you shuddering, it's very weakly scripted. However, he makes up towards the end.
CHECK OUT: AGNEEPATH - A new phase of acting begins for Rishi Kapoor
Highpoints:
- The dinner table scene this time is powerful where Vijay is shown grabbing his thali and devouring his mother's food after 15 years. Touching.
- The entire sequence where Vijay rescues his sister from being sold by Rauf Lala is gripping till the time Shiksha learns who Vijay really is. For 15 years, she never knew she had a brother. And, it is only here, that Rishi manages to go top gear in the evil department.
- The climax more than makes up for the weak beginning. Even though there are a few cinematic liberties that the director takes, you as a viewer want to root out the evil.
- The Chikni Chameli item song which I have already mentioned.
- Hrithik double crossing Rauf Lala is smartly executed. He moves in for his own selfish motives, but is smart enough not to leave a trail. Malhotra handles these moments with the ease of a seasoned pro.
Hrithik conforms himself to the mould set by Amitabh. He sticks to the plot working with vengeance as his crutch. If you blank out Amitabh's performance in the original, Hrithik stands out. He is cool, calculative and not afraid of death. Remember he has Maut ke saath apintment!
Kanika Tiwari who plays Hrithik's sister towers in her brief role. A youngster pitied against seasoned stars like Priyanka and Hrithik, she holds her own in pivot scenes to steal the show.
The entire production is first rate. The songs, especially the Ganapati immersion and the wedding of Rauf Lala's son, are picturised beautifully with well-choreographed dances.
Although it will not have a recall value like the old AGNEEPATH, this surely is a 'must one-time-watch'.
Rating : 4/5

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Sadda Adda

Shamir Tandon, Band of Boys, Ramji Gulati Prashant Pandey, Sandeep Nath, Ramji Gulati, Shamir Tandon, Karan Oberio Karanvir Sharma, Bhaumik Sampat, Rohin Robert, Rohit Arora, Kunal Pant, Parimal Aloke, Shaurya Chauhan and Kahkkashan Aryan January 13, 2012 11:16:52 AM IST
updated January 14, 2012 08:26:57 PM IST
By Martin D'Souza, Glamsham Editorial
SADDA ADDA is a movie with the right intention. You could call it a poor cousin of 3 IDIOTS. That itself should be a big boost to the makers for working on a theme which is positive in its approach to send out an optimistic message of hope. It also has shades of similarity with the 2007 film directed by Manoj Tyagi, MUMBAI SALSA.
The movie is urban in its approach, with roots going back to small towns from where the central characters come from.
It's a story about six bachelors coming together to live in a rented 2BHK apartment. They call their home 'Sadda Adda'. All come from diverse backgrounds with dreams to make it big. While one wants to make it in acting, the others in engineering, and sales and design. There's another who is struggling to find a suitable job.
Their home, as expected, is in a mess, with a detailed daily chart of who will do what during the day. However, there's just one guy, Jogi, who ends up doing most of the work as the others bully him around.

From here, the story takes a predictable turn as to how one of the boys loses his focus, despite being talented. He finally realizes his act of arrogance and corrects it with all humility to regain lost ground.
Another, unable to cope with failure, decides that suicide is the best option.
First time director Muazzam Beg has a completely raw cast at hand and does a decent job extracting some good performances, especially from Karanvir Sharma and the boy who plays Safal, a Bihari. Both these actors should be able to make a mark like Omi Vaidya did in 3 IDIOTS.

CHECK OUT: Shaurya Chauhan- SADDA ADDA is a youngster's film!
The movie should strike the right chord with audience from within the college community and those who have just begun their professional career.
Like I said, it does end with a message of hope. In these stressful, competitive times, it is indeed heartening to be rejuvenated with a message to live your dreams, and not give up. It also subtly tells us that picking yourself up and fighting on is a better bet than suicide.
Rating : 2/5

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Staying Alive movie review

February 1, 2012 01:14:39 PM IST
updated February 2, 2012 06:28:23 PM IST
By Martin D'Souza, Glamsham Editorial

This film may not have many takers (read audience) but whoever watches it will come out enlightened. It falls in the off-beat cinema mold, an area which many producers and directors do not venture into because of the economic factor. However, deep within, most passionate about cinema do want to dabble with topics that will not make the box-office 'jingle all the way', but will certainly satisfy their creative urge. This has been openly voiced by Subhash Ghai when he launched the music album of JOGGER'S PARK in 2003. He said then that he always wanted to do something like this but was afraid of the economics. And now that he had managed the economics, he was game for exploring. Not verbatim, but something to this effect.

STAYING ALIVE is one such film that brings you to the reality of what life really is. Director Anant Mahadevan does not hammer home his point, but very subtly, using mild humour as a backdrop, manages to impress with what he wants to express. You don't always have to shout to make your point; the same impact can be had by speaking out calmly, what you would have otherwise said harshly and rashly. Mahadevan manages exactly that.

This film is based on a true story, that of celebrated Bollywood writer Sujit Sen's experience in a hospital. Sen had suffered a third heart attack and was admitted to a hospital. Next to him was a gangster who had suffered his first. The movie is about how both look at life, from next to death; the bonding of both the wives in the hospital corridor, and the sacrifices they make to keep their marriage alive.

Anant Mahadevan is a journalist who has suffered his third heart attack. As he is being rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, he explains to his wife (Ranjana Sasa) where he has kept all the important financial documents. In the corridor, she meets with another distraught lady (Navni Parihar) whose gangster husband (Saurabh Shukla) has been wheeled into the ICU after his first major heart attack.

From here, the movie moves from the corridor to the ICU to important flashbacks to round off a complete soul-searching journey. While the corridor scenes portray the anxiety the two women go through and their gradual bonding, the scenes in the ICU oscillate from serious to subtle fun, to bonding of another kind.

What works for the movie, considering its theme, is the lighting and the low camera angles that capture the mood of the patients. This I feel is what aids the total product for its absolute appeal. Both Mahadevan and Shukla are first rate in their performances, ably supported by both the ladies, Ranjana and Navni.

Anant Mahadevan has gone slow on histrionics. He just unravels the mystery of a criminal's mind and how it undergoes a sea change wanting to turn a new leaf in his life. But then being a gangster is a 'one way street', the famous dialogue mouthed by Paresh Rawal to Sanjay Dutt in Naam.

Does Saurabh Shukla who plays Shaukat Ali really have a choice? Go watch it.

Rating - 4/5

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