Anyone who reads the Hindu will know that Sudhish Kamath is not one of their best writers. But the guy sure has a sense of humour. That’s why his reviews were more readable than that of Malathi Rangarajan or anyone else. But I think over time, his humour became quite repetitive and more bitter than funny.
For someone who writes such bitter reviews about movies, its only fair for any reader to expect him to make a sensible movie, whenever he makes one.
I sure was curious to watch his ‘That 4 letter word’ when it released. It still remains one of those few movies which I couldn’t finish. So when the Mumbai film festival was screening his new movie, I was half curious and half skeptical. But then, I sure did like the promos of his ‘Good Night | Good Morning’. Black & White cinematography, conversations, promising actors, and a movie title inspired from ‘Some like it hot’, I quite couldn’t not want to watch the movie.
So I convince my friend that this could be a promising movie (there were 4 other movies being parallely screened in the same slot) and we rush to the screen showing ‘Good Night | Good Morning’.
The movie fairly starts well. The conversations for a while, seemed as promised in the promos. Funny and realistic.
But very soon, the movie disintegrates to extremely random, boring conversations.
And no, jokes about breasts, sex and vagina aren’t funny anymore. It probably could work with early teen kids. But even those at their late teens wont bother to chuckle.
Mr. Raja Sen. What have you done? I mean, really? All the respect that you gathered over the years on Rediff and Mumbai Mirror, well, quite down the gutter. Everyone thinks atleast twice before taking a man with poor judgement seriously. I hope you understand what this movie has done to your columns. What made you act in this movie? And in such a bland, weird role? You could be offering free advice to producers, writers and directors. But seriously, it looks like you need some help too.
But I shouldn’t take away the better things from the movie too. The protagonists had done a very good job. The rest of the actors, other than Raja Sen, don’t have a significant role to deserve a mention. The camera work was good. For a small budget independent movie, the cinematography made the movie look really good, if one can excuse those few scenes in multicolour.
And yes, the movie is sure a brave attempt. The split screen concept coupled with a long telephone conversation is sure an interesting, innovative idea. Its also an intelligent idea, particularly because it enables the film maker to shoot the movie at a small budget, without making it look cheap.
I liked the music used too.
But then, but then, only if the writing was any good. Poor writing in a conversation movie only makes things worse. At the end of the movie, I felt quite let down. Kamath quite misses his second chance as well.
Maybe if he tried circulating his script in non-friends or non-early teens circle, for a more objective opinion.
And no, the movie doesn’t change anyone’s life overnight as the promos claim. Atleast not the film maker’s.
Ps: One feels a little furiated when the film maker loosely drops Richard Linklater’s works in connection to his own movie in interviews. Please Kamath, you could avoid that. You are only inviting more wrath by saying that.
