Jersey Movie Analysis: Doesn't work like the original did

A decent watch but poses no competition to the brilliance of the original version with the lack of emotions.

Directed by: Gowtam Tinnanuri

Imdb link -> Jersey (2022) - IMDb

"Noor na rukhtey, saah vi na mukkdey.. ke agg bann gaya hai lahu mera.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot Completely Resembles Original Jersey Version

The story is the same as the original version of Jersey (starring Nani). The only major difference here is that Arjun Talwar (Shahid Kapoor) lives in Chandigarh and plays for the Punjab team. Also, Arjun's son Karan 'Kittu' Talwar is played by Ronit Kamra, who was also in the same role in the original.

Another South Remake that fails to live up to the expectations

I had seen Mili without watching the original, and it worked really well for me. This begs the question: if I saw this version of Jersey first, would I have enjoyed it a lot more? Or maybe it's just a case of the original being too good that the remake feels less engaging. Remakes are something I enjoy very rarely, and when it’s a scene-to-scene, situation-to-situation, and at many places even dialogue-to-dialogue copy, you gotta ask, 'What's the point of such a movie?' What's even more frustrating is that the director didn’t care to at least work on the weak links of the original movie.

Shahid Kapoor couldn’t match Nani’s original performance

As much as I want to say Shahid Kapoor tries his best, two factors spoil his act. One is, of course, it was tough to match Nani's original performance, and the other is the shades of Kabir Singh you felt in his looks and nature at various places. The swag was missing, especially in the 1986 sequences. I did enjoy him in the father role a lot better. Also, the Punjabi dialogues coming from him didn’t feel natural at all.

Mrunal Thakur (Vidya Talwar), playing the wife of Arjun, is pretty good in a supporting role.

Enjoyable Performances by Ronit Kamra and Pankaj Kapur

Coming to the best parts of the movie, I loved Ronit Kamra. He is again excellent as Arjun’s son. The innocence, the proud smile when a friend tells him about his dad’s photo in the newspaper, the guilt he feels for the ongoing fight between his parents, or how without any thought he says he feels his dad looks like a hero when he bats.

Then, there's coach Baali Sir (Pankaj Kapur). This track works firstly because of how good Pankaj Kapur is and the fact that it's a real father-son duo of Pankaj-Shahid, giving a lot more chemistry to the narrative, especially that hug scene when Baali Sir says not to get hopes too high of getting selected. Why did they cut the scene where Arjun goes to Baali Sir's home to give the happy news of being selected?

Jersey's Music: Mehram and Jind Meriye standout tracks

Lastly, the music is really good. My personal favourite is 'Mehram,' which I would say is nicely used but could have been a lot better. I also loved 'Jind Meriye,' another great emotional track about unfulfilled dreams.

Final Verdict on Jersey

Overall, The Hindi remake of Jersey struggles to capture the emotional depth of the original. Still, it’s a decent watch and will most likely work a lot better if you haven’t seen the original.

Rating: 5.5/10

Also, Check Out Movie Analysis of Hit- The First Case

Mili Movie Analysis: Janhvi Shines in This Survival Drama

A gripping survival drama thriller with standout performances by Janhvi Kapoor, Sunny Kaushal, and Manoj Pahwa.


Directed by: Mathukutty Xavier
Imdb link -> Mili (2022) - IMDb

"thande aansun peena hoga, phir bhi tujhko jeena hoga..”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot of Mili: A True Story of Survival in Tough Conditions

Based on true events, the story is about Mili Naudiyal (Janhvi Kapoor), a 24-year-old girl who works at Doon's Kitchen in a Pacific Mall of Dehradun. One night, after the end of her shift, she accidentally gets locked in the freezer room with no one outside to rescue her. Knowing she has to survive at least 6-7 hours, if not more, before the kitchen opens in the morning, she must find a way to stay alive somehow in a temperature as low as minus 17 degrees.

Manoj Pahwa and Janhvi Kapoor Delight to Watch

Having not seen the original 'Helen,' I won't make any comparisons. The initial portions of the movie are fun to watch because of the great father-daughter bonding between Mili and her father, Niranjan Naudiyal (Manoj Pahwa). The use of 'Aap' and 'Hum' while talking to each other is something I really like. Some might find it old-fashioned or criticize that no one talks like that, but I personally enjoy it since the 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' days.

Amazing Build-Up: Mili’s Emotional Low Point

Before the scary incident happens, I like how the emotional drama is built up, leaving no stone unturned, making everyone affected by what is to happen really angry at themselves for behaving like that. We see Mili's father not talking to her ever since he learned about her affair with a different caste guy, Sameer Kumar (Sunny Kaushal), and some embarrassment faced while getting her home from the police station. Mili isn't willing to talk to Sameer anymore because of his irresponsible attitude that landed them in the police station the previous night when he drove without a helmet and had consumed some alcohol. On the day Mili gets trapped in the freezer room, she gets scolded by the manager and later taunted by him again for eating food, which she then throws away, not knowing that energy would have come in handy later on.

All of this is very good writing and makes you feel more for Mili and her well-wishers when they are all trying to find her. The entire freezer scenes are beautifully handled. I won't question a single thing that Mili tries to free herself because, honestly, if I got stuck in there, I would lose my mind even in 5 degrees cold. It was very tough to watch the part where she injures her foot and tries to use her nursing experience to help herself. I also enjoyed the little bonding she has with the rat, trying to keep it alive for as long as she could.

Issues in Mili: Irritating Inspector and Forced Conflicts

Some unwanted hiccups spoil the movie. There seem to be a few hallucination scenes because clearly staying even one hour in over -10 degrees would lead to the mind going blank and insane thoughts arriving. The inspector part was overdone; it felt unnecessary to see him not send the location just to show how corrupt some policemen can be or to let a certain cameo of Jackie Shroff come in, which felt so out of place.

Conflicts are necessary in survival-based movies, but there are too many here. If the bad cop wasn't enough, we see Sameer, who knows where Mili is stuck, go through an accident to delay saving Mili further. Also, when they all find Mili in the freezer room, it was poorly written to show none of them had the sense to quickly take her out of the room before checking if she was alive, as she was fighting the cold and needed to be out of it ASAP.

Janhvi Kapoor with Another Impressive Performance

Performance-wise, Janhvi Kapoor delivers another good performance, even though it's not at the level I felt in Gunjan Saxena. It's a very challenging role, and I like that she is taking up such movies. In fact, she hasn't yet done a routine masala genre movie, which many new actresses love to be part of.

Sunny Kaushal is also very good in the supporting role. I have seen him in just 'Gold' before this. It's good to see Vikram Kochhar in a slightly different role; he still gets some comic moments. Sanjay Suri is efficient in the final act of the film.

AR Rahman Music: Not Great, But Works with Narrative

The music of AR Rahman, even though not as special as we are used to, still fits well with the narrative, especially the 'Jeena Hoga' track that shows Mili fighting until her last possible breath. I also like how the 'Hum Bhi Raahi' song is used in the opening credits, where we see an ant freely moving until it accidentally falls into the ice-cube tray, a metaphor for what Mili is soon going to face. The background theme that runs when Mili is locked inside the freezer room is pretty good too, though not 'Trapped' level good.

Verdict on Mili

Overall, 'Mili' is a very good survival thriller movie with performances from Janhvi Kapoor, Manoj Pahwa, and Sunny Kaushal lifting the narrative even more. Some flaws aside, I quite enjoyed it.

Rating: 7.5/10

Also, Check Out Movie Analysis of Nope

Nope Movie Analysis: Jordan Peele’s Alien Story Attempt

Jordan Peele's decent attempt at an unconventional alien invasion story, but weakened by a lackluster third act.

Directed by: Jordan Peele

Imdb link -> Nope (2022) - IMDb

" What's a bad miracle? ”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot: Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer Discover a UFO Ship

The Haywood siblings—OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer)—discover a UFO encounter over their ranch in Agua Dulce Valley, California. Eager to capture the 'Oprah shot' and earn fame and fortune, they have little idea of the alien ship's true intentions.

This sci-fi horror mystery explores themes of exploitation and human greed throughout the narrative. The Gordy 'Chimp' story is particularly effective. The movie begins with a birthday TV show event that turns chilling with background noises suggesting an attack on everyone present. It's creepy, with most details wisely left unseen.

It's ironic to see Ricky "Jupe" Park (Steven Yeun), a survivor of the Gordy incident, now exploiting his own tragedy for money. During his live show 'The Starlight Lasso Experience,' he faces another beast—an alien—feeding it horses he bought from OJ. Jupe believes he's protected by God again, unaware he just got lucky the first time.

Expectedly, there's a character, Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott), who gets greedy for the fame shot, resulting in his demise. Meanwhile, Angel Torres (Brandon Perea) plays a supportive role, intelligently taking precautions to avoid the hungry alien (or extraterrestrial creature).

Issue in Nope: Oprah Shot Subplot is Too Long

The alien plot is a mixed bag. Initially, it maintains a mysterious feel, but once revealed, the entire ship as a single alien behind a stationary cloud, the following scenes lack the expected intensity. The 'Oprah shot' subplot drags too long. A more thrilling final act, focusing on escaping the alien's havoc, would have been better.

The movie's social commentary on human carelessness and greed, reminiscent of 'Don't Look Up,' highlights the tendency to exploit dire situations for personal gain rather than ensuring safety.

Verdict on Nope

Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer complement each other perfectly in contrasting roles—Kaluuya as reserved and observant, Palmer as talkative and sometimes silly. Despite their differences, they support each other when it matters most.

Overall, 'Nope' is a likable movie with some trademark Peele-style horrific moments. However, the third act could have been executed differently. I prefer 'Us' and 'Get Out' over this one. Still, I appreciate Peele's unconventional ideas and enjoyed this unique take on aliens, even if the execution wasn't fully satisfying.

Rating: 6/10

Also, Check Out Movie Analysis of Murder Mystery 2

Hit-The First Case Movie Analysis: Pacy but Flawed 2nd Act

A decent watch thanks to Rajkummar Rao and a pacy narrative, but a weak 2nd act and final reveal lets the movie down.

Directed by: Sailesh Kolanu

Imdb link -> Hit: The First Case (2022) - IMDb

" Tujhse sach kabhi chup hi nahi sakta.."

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot: Rajkummar Rao as an Investigator Cop

Vikram Jai Singh (Rajkummar Rao), who is suffering from PTSD, on advice from his doctor and girlfriend Neha Mehta (Sanya Malhotra), goes on a few months break from his police duty. A few weeks later, he’s informed about Neha going missing, and soon Vikram realizes that the case is connected with another girl, Preeti Mathur (Rose Khan), who was kidnapped a few months earlier.

Pacy Whodunnit with Rajkummar Rao as Lead

A fast, really fast-paced whodunnit crime drama is always great to watch. There are very few distractions; the romantic angle is actually underdone, while the songs never feel unnecessary, plus they are used in small portions only. Rajkummar Rao, as the lead, plays this character with a past we are never fully told about, making him a cop that is all the time risking his mental health while trying to solve cases. He does a great job in each and every frame.

Weak Writing and Climax in Hit: The First Case

It’s the small choices that the writing team makes that spoil the movie, and I am not yet talking about the big reveal in the end. For instance, why would a neighbor divorcee, Sheela (Shilpa Shukla), who’s been friendly with Preeti, suddenly decide to get attention by sending a handwritten note about the body? Are some people so out of order that they would risk police torture just to get some limelight?

Then, there was that unnecessary death of Ibrahim (Milind Gunaji), who’s been one of the main suspects all along, which I felt was brilliantly done in the screenplay (even the trailer cut suggests that he may be involved). Yet, in that night rain scene, we see him for no reason go missing only to come back and get hit by a bullet. If that wasn’t enough, we see this other cop, who has always been boring you with the rivalry, suddenly appear out of nowhere to save Vikram’s life.

Coming to the climax, I felt the reason for the murder and the murderer both were good, and even the motive was understandable. For me, she didn’t appear silly; people can be obsessive, and in love, that obsession can lead anywhere. She even kills her accidentally. Where it misfires is that the character in question is seen so little in the narrative, which feels like cheating. Most of the best whodunnits feature the character who commits the crime present at least 70% of the time on screen, so you can’t guess it right.

Sanya Malhotra also gets very little screen time, and her character is mostly used to confuse the narrative rather than to do anything else. Dalip Tahil and Akhil Iyer are good in their supporting roles.

Verdict on Hit: The First Case

Overall, Hit: The First Case is decent because of its pace and the strong lead acting of Rajkummar Rao, but the writing issues are apparent throughout the narrative, especially in the second act, with the final reveal only making it worse.

Rating: 5.5/10

 

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of Dasvi

English Songs Discovered in Unique Ways: Part 2

This week, it’s time to remember two more gems of songs.

Hurt by Johnny Cash 

First Heard in Logan Trailer

Logan Trailer

Full Version Link

Hurt by Johnny Cash - YouTube

Thoughts on Hurt 

A brilliantly cut trailer with this song that told a story of its own about Logan and how well it portrays Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) character. It wasn't a surprise to see so many fan-made edits based on 'Wolverine-Hurt.' And when I heard the whole track, its impact is even deeper. The lines 'What have I become, my sweetest friend? Everyone I know goes away in the end' hit you so hard. A very emotional and depressing track with lyrics that I relate to very easily for the most part.

I wear this crown of thorns upon my liar's chair

full of broken thoughts, I cannot repair...

Familiar by Agnes Obel 

First Heard in Dark Season 1 Episode 3

Dark Season1 Episode 3 Familiar Scene

Original Version Link

Familiar by Agnes Obel - YouTube

Thoughts on Familiar 

Since Dark is my all-time favorite series, it will feature a lot in these posts. 'Familiar' was a track that's used at a point in the 1st season when things were getting very complicated, so this song comes as a relief to help know who is who, but at the same time it also captures the situation of every character at that point brilliantly. Also, it is sort of when I got that feeling that how madly I am going to love this series. The starting tune of the song itself draws you in, and then the vocals of Agnes Obel (including the chorus that sounds like a male voice but is actually Agnes with pitched-down vocals to make it feel like a ghost) talk about unconditional love wanting to go to a place where only you and your lover can be.

And our love is a ghost that the others can't see

It's a danger

Check Out My Previously Posted Songs, Spiraling and Separate Ways

Dasvi Movie Analysis: A lighthearted Abhishek Bacchan movie

A lovely lighthearted movie that tells a story about how important education is even for a minister.

Directed by: Tushar Jalota

Imdb link -> Dasvi (2022) - IMDb

" Yo kitaab badi gazab ki cheez hai madamji, bilkul neend ki davaayi jaise.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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A Comedy Drama Starring Abhishek Bachchan Telling the Importance of Education

Chief Minister Ganga Ram Chaudhary (Abhishek Bachchan) of Harit Pradesh gets arrested in a school-related money scam and is under the supervision of strict lady cop Jyoti Deswal (Yami Gautam) in jail. Meanwhile, he asks his wife Bimla Devi (Nimrat Kaur) to be the new CM in his absence. Ganga Ram develops a keen interest to pass the 10th and starts to study hard for it, while on the other side Bimla Devi gets addicted to power and does not want Ganga Ram back again.

There are many hiccups in the narrative. For instance, the whole Bimla Devi act of becoming evil wasn't fully convincing. Or how much support Ganga Ram gets in jail from even the cop Jyoti felt a little too much. Some songs also loosen out the story, which could have been done away with. Yet, I mostly found myself smiling and enjoying the movie, which also delivers a message about how important education is, even if you are a minister.

Innovative Education Learning Methods in Dasvi

The tutorial ways were my favorite bits, especially how Ganga Ram learns probability, chemistry, and active-passive voice (everyone loves Deepika was hilarious), with references to Taare Zameen Par in Hindi teaching and much more. The history lesson could have avoided making Ganga Ram be part of the past events; that felt unnecessary and silly.

Also, seeing him earn 57% in the results was good. Most writing teams in such scenarios would go overboard as if a miracle would happen and the person would get 80% or more. The scenes involving Jyoti and other junior cop Satpal Tomar (Manu Rishi Chadha's comic timing is top level as always) were fun, especially the 'Woh loomad hai' replied with 'Aur aap sherni'.

Dasvi is Among Abhishek Bachchan’s Career-Best Performances

I also enjoyed Abhishek Bachchan sort of doing 'Joker happy dance' at one moment; I think it was when he told Jyoti that he would do the Dasvi exams. His Haryanvi dialect is up to the mark too, which is actually the case with the entire cast. Definitely can add this among his good performances of his career, more of an entertaining role that he did pretty well.

Yami Gautam is Impressive in Supporting Role

Yami Gautam does a great job; it is very enjoyable how she treats Ganga Ram as not above the law and then helps in his transformation, which as I mentioned before goes slightly too far.

Final Verdict on Dasvi

Overall, Dasvi entertains despite some issues in the narrative. The final end result is still good and a lovely lighthearted movie to watch.

Rating: 7/10

Also, check out my Movie Analysis of Gaslight

Murder Mystery 2 Movie Analysis: Very Few Enjoyable Moments

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston chemistry aside, not even worthy of being a guilty pleasure.

Directed by: Jeremy Garelick

Imdb link -> Murder Mystery (2023) - IMDb

" You've done hostage negotiation ?

I'm married to this lady. Everything's a negotiation. I got it.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot of Murder Mystery 2: Another Whodunnit

Nick Spitz (Adam Sandler) and Audrey Spitz (Jennifer Aniston) have been struggling to make money out of new cases and their failed detective agency after getting famous in their previous chance detective case at their 15th-anniversary vacation. They couldn't have asked for a break at a better time when Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar) invites them to his wedding. We already know what happens when the Spitzes attend an invite; in this case, Maharajah gets kidnapped, and we have another whodunnit.

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston at an Indian Wedding

It was adorable to watch Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston try to dance to Indian wedding songs, with some good music choices like the 'Ghungroo' track from War or some Punjabi ones. Audrey tries to fill her plate full of food and then feels guilty later. Nick and Audrey remember how they gifted flip-flops at their wedding while they are getting new iPhones here. I wish this film had stayed based on the Indian wedding setting and didn't shift to the Paris locales, Eiffel Tower, etc., which it sadly does after 10 or so minutes.

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston are once again great to watch for their amazing chemistry and comic timing, yet they are offered poor dialogues and situations. The laugh-out moment for me was when Audrey is worried that Colonel (John Kani) is going to have no arm left the way he keeps trying to save people, and when she mimics that weird laughter of one of the characters.

Few Likeable Characters in Murder Mystery 2

If I felt the other characters were not interesting enough in the last film 'Murder Mystery', then this one is even worse in that regard, with not a single likeable character except for Francisco (Enrique Arce), who plays a lusty guy and keeps coming onto Audrey, giving some awkward yet fun moments. Just a reminder, Enrique is our very own Arturo from Money Heist. What's worse this time around is that the case is sillier, and it won't take long before you can deduce the possible killers.

Some fun moments I found were Nick using whale noises as his alarm tune. I even liked the ringtone he had set, 'an Indian Punjabi track,' for Maharajah, who probably must have helped him with that. The puzzle way of suggesting to pick the damn gun and shoot in the van from Nick was another funny sequence. Also, how last time around Nick missed driving a Ferrari, and it's a Lamborghini this time.

Verdict on Murder Mystery 2

Overall, Murder Mystery 2, I would mainly remember for the Indian wedding scenes. It is way below average and not the kind I would even want to watch again for guilty pleasures. I would prefer a better lighthearted whodunnit movie than this.

Rating: 4/10

Also, Check Out Movie Analysis of Murder Mystery