Movies That Touched My Heart: My Sister's Keeper

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Do a Google search on cancer survivors; the results are numerous. Do we check for the tragic stories? I don’t think so. It’s not that we don’t care; it’s just that we rightfully seek hope. But hope may not always take shape of how we know it to be. My Sister's Keeper is a verdict to that.

It’s amazing how we force ourselves to stay positive, be supportive and not lose hope - to motivate and help a loved one fight terminal illness. We need to get them to believe that it’s not the end of the road. No disputes – we should. However, sometimes we are so focused on keeping someone dear, with us that we forget to see the bigger picture. We take it for granted that the afflicted shares the same dream as ours. After all, who doesn't want to stay alive?

My Sister’s Keeper, an adaptation of the book by the same name by Jodi Picoult, relates the story of the Fitzgerald family and their journey through one of the most toughest of times - helping a member fight cancer. Director Nick Cassavetes has carefully sewn a bunch of moments together and wound them around a reel. The highlight is he has done the job without being preachy. Nick strikes the balance of capturing sorrow camouflaged in smiles - a rather difficult feat. This family drama adds a new dimension to the phrase - 'respect life'. 

I watched the movie wearing the cap of a sibling and a friend – I understood where the strength came from. I watched it with the heart of a mother –I could feel the turmoil, I sensed questions rising, I welled up and searched for strength. Most importantly, I understood that no mother can ever be fully understood.

If somebody told me this story before I watched the movie, I’d never imagine Cameron Diaz having anything to do in it. But, she is in it and she’s done a fabulous job. Every member of the cast and crew deserves a special applause. – yes, every one of them!

Be prepared to smile and cry. It’s intense but it carries a lot of warmth. If you haven’t already, watch My Sister’s Keeper.

To the makers and the cast – speechless and sincerely grateful for this truly brave attempt!

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Erin Brockovich: Always Inspiring

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If you have had a bad day; if you belong to a clan who believe that there are just too many responsibilities to shoulder and nobody to help; if you think it’s best to just vanish into thin air – watch Erin Brockovich.

This feature film portrays the biography of an American legal clerk and environmental activist - Erin Brockovich. The movie captures her struggle with life. It is the story of a single mother of three with no great academic qualification and hence no job. The film takes us through her journey from the poor life she lived to the successful lady that she is now.

The ‘no-job-single-mother’ description probably gives you the image of a helpless domesticated woman who is uncertain of what to do. If that is the picture you have been sketching in your mind, then erase and start all over.

Erin is quite a unique character. She comes out bold. She dresses seductively and uses an array of foul language, which she is absolutely unapologetic about. However, she can more than surprise you too. She is the kind that grows on you. You realize that she is absolutely great with people, dedicated, hardworking, smart and zealous. Responsibilities don't choke her. In short, she is one hell of a woman! The movie is not just a tale portraying one’s battle with life. It portrays how a woman on a mission brings down a huge company to its knees.

On screen, Julia Roberts plays Erin Brockovich. There are no tight edges or loose ends. Take it from me – Roberts fits into the role perfectly. If it weren't a biopic, it would have been right to say that the character was chalked out for her. Erin Brockovich fetched Julia the Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors' Guild Award and BAFTA for Best Actress. Quite well deserved!

The direction and editing, I believe, is brilliant. I like the crisp methodology adopted to give you a glimpse into Erin’s background. No flashbacks and no sad stories. Instead, they chose to capture it through an interview. What a brilliant thought!

The story follows a good flow and is a perfect balance of both Erin’s work and personal life. Steven Soderberg has been successful in bringing the right amount of both elements on screen. Julia has given an ace performance. I couldn't help noticing the repeated costumes that Erin wears, portraying her not-too-rich lifestyle. Albert Finney is amazing as Ed Masry. There is great onscreen chemistry between the both of them. The cast in totality have truly given soul to their characters. I particularly love the dialogues. There is profanity. Nevertheless, they do make you laugh. Kudos to the editorial team!

Speaking about dialogues, how can I miss this conference room scene? Julia’s dialogue delivery and the expression on each of their faces – perfect! Erin never gave scope for negotiation, did she?

I am sure everyone goes through moments when they disagree with their bosses. There would be instances in one's career when one thinks that the boss just didn't play it fair. 8 out of 10 people tend to take it out on everybody else except their boss. Therefore, we end up wishing we could be like Erin when we watch the scene where she yells at Ed. Also, I particularly like the way Erin handles the 'don't take it personal' advice, which again is a popular usage in the corporate world. Take a look!

Erin's dialogues in the scene when Ed and she hand over the signed documents to Mr. Potter is a personal favorite - it is totally wow and hilarious!

The climax scene has always succeeded in getting my eyes welled up. Julia does it so well. I am sure we don't even get to the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how happy and satisfied Erin, in real life, would have felt.

I am really fond of the subtle references that the movie makes - it's an advise to simply believe in yourself and your goodness to make it big. The confidence that builds when you love yourself is tremendous. I have lost count of how many times I have watched this movie. It continues to pep me up, soothe me down, impress and most importantly inspire me.

Mumbai Police: Superb Plot and Stunning Performances

It is appreciative when cinema has the capacity to keep you on the edge while you watch it. Mumbai Police exceeds this expectation. It has the ability to travel all the way back home with you. The feature film encourages debates and discussions. It keeps conversations alive in the car.

The story gave me company in solitude too. It's an  amazing feeling. I mentally rewind the movie and every piece of jigsaw puzzle fits in perfectly. You have answers to every comment and/or questions that may have cropped up while you were watching the movie. There were scenes, for instance, when I felt that Rahman was all stiffened up for no reason. There were times when I thought Prithvi was not actually up to the mark. There were scenes I believed should have been re shot. However, the climax waves a magical wand and all the suggestions and questions I had vanished. I am glad everything just fell in place perfectly. That’s a great creative stimulation and it calls for a golden star.

Bobby and Sanjay seem to have done a lot of writing and rewriting before arriving at the final version. The story evidently looks to be one which has had a lot of effort and thought poured in. I applaud them for their art of storytelling. Their willingness to venture into different genres also deserves special mention. Hats off to the duo!

Prithviraj has given a splendid performance in Mumbai Police. The script demanded ACP Antony Moses to shoulder two different characters and Prithviraj does both an ample lot of justice. While watching the movie, I mentally wrote a lot of corrections for Prithvi. But, like I mentioned earlier, the mental rewind erased all those corrections and gave the guy an A+. The grade is not just for the performance. This role is verdict for the fact that he chose to be an artist rather than a star.

Among the cast, another actor who deserves special mention is Rahman. Commissioner of Police, Farhan is absolutely safe in Rahman’s hands. I like the controlled acting technique he adopted for this role. He has definitely gotten into the character’s skin. The subtle expressions he displayed, at times, offer to make you wonder if he may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Personally, I would rank his expression in the climax scene as the best – it spoke a zillion words.

Exemplary performances, an engaging movie and good afterthoughts - all this translates to fabulous direction. Roshan Andrews gets it right with Mumbai Police. Hats off on this project!

Did I notice any flaws that I couldn't erase with all the mental rewind? There is this scene where ASI Sudhakaran (Kunjan) shares his sentiments about his profession and uniform. The scene, according to me, didn't seem necessary. Hima Davis (Rebecca) has just a few scenes which didn't deserve a huge amount of acting skills. Nevertheless, she fared poorly even for the little she had to deliver. I do see potential in Aparna Nair, but, she also has a long way to go. Aparna, in my opinion, needs to ease out a bit and be more at home in front of the camera.

It is a pleasure knowing that a movie is doing well. It gives the scope for a weekend outing. It is silly fun hoping that the movie won’t leave the theatre by the time I get to go watch it. There is a thrill in hushing friends and begging them not to reveal the story before you actually watch it. All this and if the movie is a well-crafted thriller – wow!

Many reviewed by word of mouth that Mumbai Police keeps the suspense but the climax lets you down. Some even asked me not to watch it. There were many others who claimed it to be a good movie. I decided to take the chance. I am so glad I did. Whether the climax is good or bad is but for you to decide. How would you know until you watch it? I’d say go for it!

I give the movie an 8/10.