Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Sherlock for cynics??

Simple my dear Watson - it didn't work for me!Downey Jr. looked old and haggard. Like Al Pacino after several nights on the town. As for Jude Law, an impossibly good looking fellow, he was packaged like a total, and I'm sorry to have to say this, wimp. Guy Ritchie has made a guy-film. Perhaps that was his intention. It is such a buddy movie, I felt totally excluded and promptly fell asleep. I swear I did! When I woke up, it was as if I hadn't missed a thing. The dark forces of evil were still doing their bad stuff. The black crow was still cawing ominously, and these two studs were still making eyes at each other and not at the luscious wenches lusting after them. 'Sherlock Holmes' is an unambiguously gay love story and a really whacked out take on the original - from that point of view alone, I found it rather refreshing. The Brit humour and dry, throwaway lines make up for the dumb action and over dramatic sets. As for the background score, come on, it is just so loud and 'seventies!! That too, Bollywood 'seventies ...when the Ramsay Brothers ruled with their horror films. Had it not been Guy Ritchie and those BIG names involved in this super production, I doubt Sherlock Holmes would have been such a huge hit! Frankly, I vastly prefer the ancient version. And I am hoping Downey Jr. will go back to edgy, contemporary roles and save his passion for a worthier love interest than Jude Law!
Oh, the movie I watched the previous night was 'Pyaar Impossible' and you are going to hate me for saying this, but I enjoyed it a whole lot more than this over hyped blockbuster. For one, I like Priyanka Chopra - she is by far the most versatile and intelligent actress in Bollywood. Compare her role as Alisha in 'Pyaar' to the maharashtrian character she played opposite Shahid Kapoor recently. Is it the same person ?? Well... it doesn't matter a damn to me that 'Pyaar...' is a super flop. Or that 'Sherlock ...' is a super hit. Personal opinions should be separated from box office returns or even other people's reviews. At the end of the day, a movie is about an emotional experience - if that experience is satisfactory, even on an illogical level, well then, who can contradict or challenge it?? The pundits?? And who are these pundits anyway? People like you and me , whose jobs it is to assess and critique movies for a living. Alas, not all pundits are independent thinkers. There are various considerations at play when reviews get written, at least that's how it is in India. 'Pyaar Impossible' had an appealing premise - geeks\losers can win the girl of their dreams after all, in the face of stiff competition ( if Dino Morea can be considered competition!). It was pretty brave of Uday Chopra to write such a role for himself. He is a star son, and the way it works in Bollywood is to prop up a beta even if that beta is a dead horse that can't be flogged any further. Sensibly, Uday came up with a script that didn't require any 'herogiri' of the cliche kind. The songs were well picturised... and as for Priyanka - I thought she looked like a million bucks and delivered her lines with finesse. Yes, the story is ludicrous and completely annoying in parts ( hello! do ladies in Singapore go half -naked to work?). There are holes as gigantic as Mumbai manholes in the story line, and it is obvious nobody in that set- up has ever experienced modern corporate life. It gets from absurd to pathetic... but you know what?? It hardly matters. This is Bollywood, folks! Sab chalta hai..... even something as impossible as this dud.

12 comments:

Weirdo guy said...

actually most people i know,me included, too liked pyaar impossible despite the flaws..

SEPO said...

i havn seen either..bt i do agree that priyanka is versatile and lik so consistant..!!
nd yeah she luks fab in the movie though i m nt a great fan of her personal style..!

obssesor said...

I completely disagree. sherlock Holmes was amazing!

supriya said...

haven't seen any of the 2 movies still..but i guess im gonna have the same opinion...!!! lets c..

hamaarethoughts.com said...

..me too have seen the movie.. but priyanka chopra.. is a good actress no doubts abt that!!!

Sneha said...

True. Sab chalta hai! Wonder how!? Pyaar Impossible? Impossible!

no signal said...

In matter of films box-office does all the talking. It's number 2 across territories. And most people seem to like it.

Mukesh Bhatia said...

Great take De maamji!! The review shud cum frm within, like urs for Pyaar Impossible & Sherlock. With respect to ur take, I wud definitely watch Pyaar to adore & Sherlock for a nice noon naap.

Neeraj Naidu said...

I think its impossible for PI bcos of the hero cast.I know Uday is brilliant but who knows abt ppl they all r diff like u & me.

a hindu seeker said...

no surprise u old woman.
u have always liked woman-oriented movies and intentionally disliked man-oriented movie to propose your feminist agenda. you dont like james bond movies and u always find some nonsensical bolly movies pretty appealing. thank god, u r not a movie critic on th tv

guy ritchie is infinitely more intelligent u.

Sidhusaaheb said...

I've read the entire collection (stories and novels) and have found nothing at all that alludes to Holmes' sexual orientation and am, therefore, disgusted by all this talk about whether Holmes was heterosexual or homosexual.

saikat said...

Sherlock Holmes is definitely not the best work of Guy Ritchie but in no way its a lack luster one since he has portrayed the character in his own witty style which any given day is much better than general bolly or hollywood movie.......