Movie Review: Boyhood

For two months after I came to the Netherlands I hadn’t watched a movie.  And yet suddenly I have been watching them back-to-back at the theatre.  Thanks to recommendations of critics and a persistent friend I ended up watching ‘Boyhood’, the cinema that has been generating a lot of positive conversations. It has been winning rave reviews and awards at many film festivals.  People too have received the movie very warmly.

‘Boyhood’ – the USP of the movie is that it has been shot over a period of 11 years, capturing the natural growing process of a kid.  It tells us the coming-of-age story of Mason Jr (Ellar Coltrane) growing up in different parts of Texas from the age of 6 to 17. 

Mason Jr and his sister Sam – Samantha (Lorelai Linklater) – live with their single mother Olivia (Patricia Arquette).  Ethan Hawke (Mason Sr) is the absentee father – who’s all charm when present but is largely a vagabond, irresponsible and a lout of a father.  Young, struggling with motherhood too soon and wanting to do better, Olivia moves from a small town to Austin in pursuit of higher education and career.  She also finds her second husband in her professor Bill (who has two children from his earlier marriage). The children gel well but the marriage doesn’t last long as Bill becomes an alcoholic and an abusive husband/father.  Olivia moves town again much to the displeasure of her children.  While she’s teaching psychology she finds another husband in her student and ex-army guy.  Even this marriage doesn’t last long as he too turns out to be alcoholic. 

Even though living in the same house, the siblings do not become close and grow apart as they grow up.  Mason Jr discovers his love for photography, dabbles with hash, alcohol, experiments with piercings and nail polish, finds a girlfriend, breaks up, mouths bits and pieces of philosophy, bonds with his father (and his new wife and her parents), wins silver medal at the photography contest and ends up graduating from high school with a scholarship.   The movie ends with Mason going to college and moving out of the house (and discovering new friends, places, etc.).

The movie though shot over a long period of time doesn’t look old at all.  And, there’s subtle humour that warms up the audience.  The lead actors are extremely competent and a pleasure to watch.  Ellar grows up from an adorable moppet to a good looking, lanky teenager in front of one’s eyes and it’s almost unbelievable that it’s the same person (while Lorelai as Sam is recognizable throughout).  Patricia and Ethan are as dependable always. 

But, Boyhood is NOT a great movie as it is being made out to be.  I really wondered what the purpose was, of making THIS movie over a period of 10 years!  And, at almost 3 hours, it stretched my patience.  Especially because many threads are left untied.  One never is told why Bill becomes an alcoholic and turns abusive (when he’s shown the first time, one gets a different impression).  Ditto with the next husband.  Even though a lot of time is spent on characters, except for the two Masons the other characters are not well-flushed out.  Especially Olivia’s.  Despite being a resolute person, she comes across finally as someone who cannot ever take the right decisions in life.  Even the one scene that’s been incorporated – where a manager at the local restaurant tells her how her advice turned his life around and suggests to her children that they must listen to her -  to redeem her is too contrived.  It is only because of solid acting by Arquette the role doesn’t degenerate into one of a shrew.  

Ethan has the role of a lifetime where he most times walks away with the best lines and the sympathy/support of the audience despite being a troll of a husband and father.   Also, the movie - through its dialogues inadvertently - promotes and reinforce the same patriarchal and anti-women shit that is found in the society around us.  At the end, it feels like you are watching the growing up of someone around you and that there need not be any reason or purpose in telling a story.  You end up asking, “So?”  I do not recommend this movie.  

The Numbers that Matter!

Not mathematics.  It's time to talk about those magical numbers that get most men and several women heat up for different reasons! Item numbers!! Even the die-hard fans of off-beat cinema need a break and they too watch inane (yet highly entertaining) commercial movies!  And, what movie today in India is complete without an item number? These numbers were once the monopoly of the vamps - Helen, Bindu and Padma Khanna in Hindi and Jayamalini, Jyothilakshmi and Silk Smitha in the South  - the sirens who provided the much-needed-oomph.  A few heroines in the 70s (and early 80s) tried to bridge this and performed some sizzling numbers - Zeenat in Qurbani for example, rocked the entire country.  So did Parveen Babi in Namak Halaal.  But these were exceptions and not the rule.  Most heroines preferred to be Adarsh Bharatiya Naris (at least) on screen and weren't willing to experiment much.  

Today they're performed by the lead actors.  Either acting as heroine in the movie or appearing just for the song and vanishing soon after.  And special budgets are being created to mount such songs in absolute grandeur.  Even those who pooh-poohed this trend earlier came back only to shake their booties later.  Like Madhuri and Kareena!  A lot of hype is also created around such numbers in the media to attract audiences to the cinema.  Sunny Leone's number in Shootout at Wadala, anyone?

This post is inspired heavily by the one posted by Dame A (her humour and chutzpah aren't my forte though). And, hence dedicated to her and to Shraddha, my new friend here in The Hague.  I am randomly listing the top 10 numbers from Bollywood that have stayed fresh in memory. 
P.S. I have consciously avoided numbers performed by the leading ladies themselves in their own movies.

1.  Chamma Chamma (China Gate)

This possibly should be called the song that started the trend of item numbers by heroines in movies.  The movie by the usually decent RajKumar Santoshi was otherwise absolutely forgettable was brought to life only because of the sensuous Urmila's gyrations and the foot-tapping music!  Wonder where Anu Mallik copied this tune from!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFQNne6EG2g

2.  Dekh Le (Munnabhai MBBS)

This number by the lissome and lithe Mumait Khan certainly heated up the proceedings - and not just for Zaheer!  Suneedhi Chauhan's vocals can't be forgotten either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YDmUhZ_mO0

3.  Saaki Saaki (Musafir)

Koena Mitra oozed all her sensuality in her song such that nothing much else could she do later! Sukhvinder Singh adds further zest with his sultry voice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY2Rd5cxGos

4.  Kajra Re (Bunty Aur Bubbly)

The song that made the nation sit up and take note that there was life (and warmth) in the icy beauty Icewarya Rai.  Never did she look this seductive before nor after.  Gulzar's playful lyrics and Alisha's (surprise surprise) honeyed crooning raise the bar further!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DovUEruZ2q4

5.  UP-Bihar Lootne (Shool)

List of item songs and no Shilpa?  I guess that's not possible :)  So, here's that sizzling one that continues to be played in UP and Bihar to this day (wish I could find a better quality video though)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBoZjGbYG0U

6.  Maiya Maiya (Guru)

Mallika for once made news for all the right steps - and it wasn't just hype like most times!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j7TAqhDwJo

7.  Chikni Chameli (Agneepath)

I couldn't believe when I saw the thanda Katrina burning the screen with this scalding laavni-inspired number.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7zqLiZ1GOo

8.  Baby Doll (Ragini MMS 2)

This is the exception in the list - where the lead actress features in the item number.  And, there's nothing subtle about Sunny and everythings in your face - what you see is what you get!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UDOzOTssyE

9.  Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo (Dum)

Yana's scene-stealing screen-scorching turn was the only saving grace of this dud of a movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCvFxPRL_5g

10.  Munni Badnaam Hui (Dabangg)

Each time Malaika features in a song it's certain to be smoking hot and ultra-foot-tapping.  But, I tried not to have more than one song for any actor.  And, boy, was it difficult to choose!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn5hsfbhWx4

Ideally the list should have featured 'Beedi Jalaile' of Bipasha and 'Aisa Jadoo Dala Re' of  Lara Dutta.  And, Kareena's 'Mere Photo Ko'.  Even Aamir Khan's 'Dole Dole' from Baazi should make it.  Also, this list - sadly - has only songs from Bollywood.  There are umpteen - equally if not better - item numbers from the South that I know of.  May be I should make a compilation sans languages and invite all my friends to some drinks.  And, dance like there's no tomorrow!

Storm Before the Calm II

So far my writing has been soppy.  Time to change tack and see what positivity can do!  For starters, I want to end this travails part quickly and move on to the better bit of the travel.

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Okay! Parents weren’t too happy I was moving to Europe for a year.  Old age and (intermittent) ill-health can certainly do this to anyone.  Even though I was concerned about their state of health I was determined not to lose this opportunity.  However, I hadn’t planned for prolonged illness of mom.  Her arthritis flared up and turned rheumatic.  She became immobile.  For many years Kumi (Kusuma, my sis, for those who don’t know; a doctor and lives in the UK) had been insisting that mom should undergo knee replacement.  But mom hadn’t relented. 

This time – with pain unbearable and relegated to the bed, completely immobile – mom agreed.  But, it took several weeks to even bring her to a condition where surgery could be made possible.  Thanks largely to the efforts of Kanaka aunt, Prakashanna and Sarasa aunt, hospitalization of mom was possible by the first week of August.  This was race against time for me though.  I wondered if I would be able to go at all at times or if I need to revise the plans of departure.  I had my tickets booked to fly on the 30^th of August. 

Surgery wasn’t immediately possible due to infections that mom still had.  Treatments continued at the hospital.  I stayed with her.  She was pretty scared of the surgery.  Her experience with hospitals has never been pleasant and this time too she was certain things would go wrong.  There were enough ‘know-alls’ back home who had advised mom against this – her half-informed friends, quacks, superstitious relatives.   I am glad we didn’t let her succumb to those ‘well-intentioned’ concerns.   I really must be thankful to my boss and colleagues for their understanding in the hour of crisis.  They allowed me to put in fewer hours at the office or even carry work to the hospital and complete from there (for the entire month I lived there).  And, there were many relatives that were amazing in their support.  Sarasa aunt was always there like me at the hospital on most days until she had to return to her work.  Her arrival had immediately perked up mom and readied her for surgery.  And, her conversations kept the atmosphere in the hospital room alive.  Rameshanna and attige brought us dinner every day.  Kanakamma – a relative hitherto unknown – was there every morning and evening with her big smile and big booming voice and loads of goodies to eat to boot.  We had made the entire hospital our extended home.

Despite troubles – severe pain after the first surgery resulting in postponing the second replacement, delusions and depression after the second possibly due to morphine overdoses – mom underwent replacements successfully in both knees, started taking baby steps towards recovery.  I postponed my tickets to the 3^rd of September.  Mom stayed in Bangalore until the 1^st and then returned to Kolar.  Gayathri aunt from Mysore came down to stay with her at the hospital.  She also wanted mom in Mysore so she could take care of her further – she’s an amazing care-giver; excellent with the patient, speaking exactly what she needs to hear, very timely with providing multiple, nutrition-packed and tasty meals.  In Kolar, it is chikkamma who’s by her side most times and days – as always. 

I liked my own reaction to the crisis.  I behaved with surprising maturity, dealt with even dad’s silence without extreme reactions, and exhibited utmost patience at all times.  No reactions of impatience or anger at anyone.  Mom wanted only me to touch her legs while in pain and even after surgery.  She didn’t like anyone else’s touch as she felt I alone knew how to reduce the pain.  I gave vent to my negative emotions by running.  Every other day I ran over 6km while at the hospital.  I couldn’t participate in the 10k run I had registered for as mom’s second surgery happened on that day.  But, that didn’t dampen my spirit.  I continued to believe I would be able to travel.  Of course, I possibly prayed to every God and saint silently for mom’s recovery.   The good news is she’s making slow and steady progress to recovery.   And, I could travel!