London Paris New York

Rating: 7
Release Date: 2nd March, 2012
Time: 100 minutes
Director & Writer: Anu Menon; Music : Ali Zafar
Starring : Ali Zafar; Aditi Rao Hydari

This movie is conversational, engaging, fresh. Has passion, love, romance. And the concomitant heartbreak, drama, betrayal. Is inspired by several English films of its ilk, Before Sunrise, When Harry Met Sally, Blue Valentine, to name a few. But, if you notice the absence of inverted commas in the inspired, it sets its own firm clear path in that genre, which is fairly bold in the Hindi film scene. I mean, people here actually talk to each other before falling in love !

Aditi & Ali meet as they land at Heathrow. She is a Tam Brahm from Mumbai on her way to NY to study politics, wants to make a difference to the world, supports causes, works for NGOs, is full of trivia which borders from knowledgeable to flaky and comes across as serious yet vulnerable at the same time.

He’s a Punjabi, comes from a rich, dysfunctional, possessive family with his parents still not over the death of his elder brother many years ago, is in London to study film making, is cocky, spoilt, doesn’t think too much of money as he has shovelfuls, is a bit of a drama queen (not sure whether nautanki sounds better ?) and a charmer.

Sparks fly on their one day together in London and the story, with a gap of a few years, moves to Paris and then a few more years later to New York with the characters evolving, changing persona as they move over time and cities.

Critical for any romance is for us to connect with the lead actors. Ali, being naturally effusive, brings that element of zest and fun to his role, his sense of humour deserting him but briefly. Aditi, is a revelation, handling a complex character well, looking cute in London, hot in Paris and warm in NY.

Couple of songs stand out, the photography is excellent and the movie is crisp, short and sweet, not deviating from its main storyline for an instant. There is a certain languidness in the first half, moments when you wonder if the story is progressing. Or wish things moved faster. Am also not sure I agree completely with the end but its not a major issue.

This film is for those who prefer to cook on slow heat vs those desirous of the instant gratification of microwave cooking. Its designed more to make you smile than laugh out loud. I enjoyed it and look forward to more from the debutant director.

(In the interest of full disclosure, have to share that the makers are friends and I have read the script at inception stage. Plus have been told that if I don’t say good things certain body parts will go missing and am not sure they were joking when they said that)

Crazy Stupid Love

Rating : 8/10
Release Date : 29th July, 2011 (USA)
Time : 118 minutes
Director & Co-writer : Glen Ficarra, John Requa; Writer : Dan Fogelman; Music : Christophe Beck, Nick Urata
Starring : Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon, Analeigh Lipton, Jonah Bobo, Liza Lapira, Joey King, John Carroll Lynch, Josh Groban

“The war between the sexes is over. We won the second women started doing pole dancing for exercise”



What is amazing about this film are the surprises you get at every turn, every corner. Just when you think its getting predictable, you anticipate a certain move, ‘BAM’, it’ll surprise you. And in a very natural, realistic way, without seeming to be trying to do so, without it ever getting over the top.

“Demi Moore is 15 years older than Ashton Kutcher. They seem happy together.”


Right from Ryan Goslings first pick up attempt, the whole ‘it could’ve been cancer’ and subsequent applause for Steve in his office, the slaps & how surprisingly it does get evened out later, the jumping out of a car while its moving, the babysitter’s crush, the cologne gift, the entering of the room without knocking (by the babysitter) and what she witnesses, the ‘valium’ boyfriend, the googling of ‘moms crying in bed’, the raising of the chair by Robbie for the conversation in office, the unexpected meeting with the 8th grade teacher by the parents, the conversation with the hairdresser, the protectiveness of fathers towards their daughters & the need for them to be role models for their sons. The ending is possibly one of the best I’ve seen in recent times, totally unexpected like the rest of the film.

“I don't know whether to help you or euthanize you”

Steve Carell and Julianne Moore are married for 25 years. Have lovely kids. And now seem to have a crisis in their relationship. Steve meets someone at a bar (Ryan Gosling) who attempts to change his personality. The kids have issues of their own. Julianne Moore cant make up her mind. And it all comes beautifully together at the end.

“You're life is so PG-13”



Both situationally and dialogue-wise, this is a great script. To be able to constantly spring a surprise through the film, to do it without losing the thread of the story & different subplots or making the characters seem non-manipulated is impressive. The background music is fantastic, accentuating every mood and emotion effortlessly. The acting is uniformly brilliant, right from Marisa’s cameo, Jonah’s anguished thirteen year old, Liza Lapira as the best friend who knows whats wrong, Analeigh as the babysitter trapped between crushes, John as the henpecked husband & possessive father and the leads – each one of them just pefect. And the jokes aren’t bad too…

“The bags under your eyes looks like Hugh Hefner's ball sack”




As pointed out by my friend who saw it with me, the movie achieves a fantastic impact without having to try too hard in terms of fancy camera work, weird camera angles or too many locations (3 homes, 1 school and 1 bar is pretty much all we see).

“I'm going to help you rediscover your manhood. Do you have any idea where you could have lost it?”


There is a lesson in this film for our industry. On how to be original without fear. I don’t think we’ve got the talent or the balls to be able to do something similar right now

Friends With Benefits

Rating : 6/10
Release Date : 22nd July, 2011 (USA)
Time : 109 minutes
Director & Co-writer : Will Gluck; Writer : Keith Merryman, David A Newman; Music : Halli Cauthery
Starring : Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Nolan Gould, Richard Jenkins, Woody Harrelson, Shaun White

“You know, why don't they ever a make a movie about what happens after they kiss?”
”They do. It's called porn.”
There is a 25-30 minute period when the movie doesn’t really make sense, gets sentimental, uses clichés and becomes boringly predictable. This period includes the end, which is definitely not a high point. For most of the rest of it, its got great dialogues, funny one liners, some good character sketches (Sam, the magician & Woody Harrelson stood out) and Mila Kunis is so hot ! (God, I’m such a sucker for good eye candy !)

“I could put up a video of me mixing cake batter with my boobs. And it will get eight million hits.”
Pretty much along the lines of No Strings Attached and Love & Other Drugs (to name two recent similar films), this follows a couple mating, and trying to do so without adding the status of a relationship to it. Its just about sex. But then, as cinematic and most people’s relationship history will testify, its unlikely to remain that way.

“Why do women think the only way to get a man to do what they want, is to manipulate them?”
”History. Personal experience. Romantic comedies.”
So much of a romantic comedy relies on the looks, charm and chemistry between the lead pair. I thought Justin played his part well, within his limitations, slightly stiff, in line with his character. Its Mila Kunis though, after her star turn in Black Swan, who shatters the thermometer here again. Hot, feisty, vulnerable, lovely eyes, fits the character extremely naturally and with aplomb.

“Why can it not be like that? It's a physical act. Like playing tennis. Two people should be able to have sex like they're playing tennis.”

I thought the whole thing about Alzheimers was unnecessary. And I didn’t see the point of Woody’s character while enjoying the way he plays it. The music is nothing to write home about.


“Do you know how hard it is to pee with a hard on?”
”No, actually.”
”It's like two lines of traffic merging into one. It takes time.”


The sad part about watching it in an Indian theatre is that you lose out on the sex and nudity. The fact that I still enjoyed the film shows that the dialogue is good and that the lead pair really work. A predictable chick flick but good fun…

“But you said I was your soulmate”
“I did ? When ?”
“When we were at the bed & breakfast having sex”
“But that doesn’t really….”
“Count ?” (hits him)


“So, no?”
”No! Not having sex with you.”
”Is it your special time? They have an App for that. No, wait!
[he moves his cell phone close to her waving it over her body]
Nope. You're good to go.”

No Strings Attached

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 21st January, 2011
Time : 108 minutes
Director : Ivan Reitman; Writer : Elizabeth Meriwether; Music : John Debney
Starring : Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Kline, Greta Gerwig, Lake Bell, Ludacris, Jake M Johnson, Mindy Kaling, Ophelia Lovibond, Ben Lawson, Olivia Thirlby

“Ten years from now you’re going to be having sex with your wife. And its gonna be in the missionary position. And one of you will be asleep”

This film is not about the storyline, which is quite routine, but about the sparkling screenplay, loveable & easily identifiable characters and excellent acting, none more so than the lead pair.


“Remember that when she’s at the hospital, I’ll be right next to her, using big English words and saving lives”

Natalie Portman doesn’t want any relationships. She has no time (is a doctor), doesn’t want complications and doesn’t want to get hurt. There is a guy (Ashton Kutcher) she keeps bumping into. Nice looking, cool, though he seems to be living off and in his famous dad’s (Kevin Kline) shadow. She enjoys having sex with him, decides to proposition him to become her ‘sex friend’, the condition being that they must not fall in love or behave like a couple. Sub plots include her medical roommates, all a bit kooky. His friends, who alternate in giving unwanted advice and attempting to hook themselves up. And his dad, who’s decided to hook up with his ex-girlfriend…


“Are you the guy who had sex with a woman and gave her a balloon?”

I wouldn’t have thought of Natalie and Ashton as a likely couple but they definitely make a good looking pair, a pair you enjoy watching having sex (many times), a pair that seems comfortable together. While having a crush on Natalie since her Star Wars days, for me she really comes into her own here, a romantic leading lady role (am yet to see Black Swan though, a film she’s likely to win an Oscar for). She was really good here. And after this, I will no longer think of Ashton as Demi’s toyboy husband. He’s managed to carve a niche of his own and is beginning to justify having over 5mn Twitter followers.


“But he’s so tall ! Everytime I stand next to him, it looks like a case of kidnapping !”

There are quite a few genuine laugh out loud moments (the period mix, the dinner with Kevin, Ashton & Natalie, even the end of the movie stills), jokes fly thick and fast, the various characters are all crazy yet real enough, the mood light and easy throughout, the dialogue appropriately fizzy and enough unexpected plot twists (including the time Ashton wakes up naked amidst a group of people and cant remember who he had sex with) to keep us amused.



“I think Monogamy goes against our basic biology”

This was the perfect antidote to the weepy manipulative melodrama I was tortured with yesterday. A perfect Valentine’s Day release. One that I’m going to enjoy watching again as I’m not sure I got all the jokes. And I cant say that about many chick flicks…