Review : New York

Rating : Average (3/5)
Genre : Drama
Year : 2009
Running time : 2 hours 10 minutes
Director : Kabir Khan
Cast : Katrina Kaif, John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Irfan Khan
Kid rating : PG-13

NEW YORK : GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT DOESN’T STAND IT’S GROUND

After the recent months of the film strike and the sudden paucity of desi films, one would think we would be flooded with Movies of high caliber. Well, it appears that I am dreaming of Utopia, where we would be treated to one smashing, Vishal Bharadwaj-directed film a week. The Real World is not remotely like it; hence films like “New York”. Now don’t get me wrong – it’s not all bad. Actually it’s much better than bad, although reading the Rediff review, I was expecting a Grade A disaster (which it is not).

Samir (John), Omar (Neil) and Maya (Katrina) are college friends in the US. While Samir and Maya are Americans , Omar has come from India to study in the States. The three although different in temperament become “best buddies”. After college, and unrequited love, Omar drifts apart from the duo. Years later when he meets Samir and Maya under false pretenses, Omar must decide whether to betray his friends or save innocent lives . . .

“New York” is peopled with pretty folk. There’s well-muscled John Abraham, beautiful Katrina Kaif and that innocent cherub of a bad actor, Neil Nitin mukesh. And that’s one of my grouses with it – it’s too pretty to be taken seriously. The “theme” so to speak, is “serious” and “weighty” – that of terrorism and the innocent people who were tortured because of it, post-9/11. A good theme and a potentially interesting film. However, if you were really serious about your craft and product would you cast Abraham, Kaif and Mukesh, all non-actors, in the lead roles ?

I must admit here that I don’t particularly dislike seeing Abraham on screen – quite the contrary in fact. And Kaif and Mukesh are easy on the eyes as well. Oh, but to watch them eke out an emotion is sheer torture. Neil Nitin Mukesh who’s first film “Johnny Gaddar” was a tremendous (and very fortunate) debut, is actually forced to emote here, and while he passed muster in his first film, he doesn’t quite cut it here. Probably because some scenes actually require a certain amount of skill; for example the scene where he finds out that the woman of his dreams loves someone else. And John, although he improves from film to film, doesn’t have the acting chops to do this role. Ah, and Kaif – the less said about her acting the better. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; the woman is stunning to look at, but an actress she’s not.

Irrfan Khan, probably the most versatile actor in the film, plays a policeman (yet again!) this time of the FBI, seeking to defend the outrages committed by his adopted country. He is the lynch-pin, the connection between the desi Omar and the American FBI agent, and it his character that must be true to his convictions. Unfortunately, as much as I’d like to believe him, his conviction appears shaky, and he does not stand his ground.

Which is sort of the problem with the film; good intentions, but whither that conviction ?

Direction is intermittently good; there are scenes which are handled oh-so-delicately and then there are times, when the shot is so rough around the edges, it makes you cringe. I am undecided on this director’s skill as of now – is what he got right a fluke, or is he really a “good” director who strayed ? You gather then that directorial skill doesn’t exactly shine through here.

Story-wise, this film does come up as unusual, but it has some very gaping plot-holes. There is Maya, an educated woman who believes that her man will go the straight and narrow path, just because he hasn’t (yet) told her about his (nefarious) activities. Really ? Spin a good yarn someone ! Then there is the abrupt career jump that Omar makes – one day he’s a 9-to-5 office person, the next he’s oh-so-excited to be starting in on Sam’s building cleaning business. Whoa ! It is (scripted ?) stuff like this which makes me regard the film with just that much less credulity.

The film is to quite a degree saved by it’s melodious music. While the “Hai Junoon” song is passable, “Mere saath chal zara” and “Tune jo na kaha” are outstanding.

Kidwise : This film contains violence and scenes depicting torture. Younger children might find it hard to grasp some concepts.

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– Yun hota to kya hota ?