Lisa Laman’s Mini-Reviews of A Nice Indian Boy and Grand Tour

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Instead of the usual custom, where reviews are separate for each film, here, Lisa Laman presents brief takes on two films – ‘A Nice Indian Boy‘ and ‘Grand Tour’, all in a single article. Read below to find her insights!

A Nice Indian Boy (dir. Roshan Sethi)

My initial encounter with director Roshan Sethi was through his 2021 movie titled “7 Days“, starring Karan Soni and Geraldine Viswanathan. This was one of the numerous indie comedies of 2021 that showcased a COVID-19 perspective. Given the challenging filming conditions, it had some inevitable flaws. Yet, there was clear talent evident, especially in Sethi’s skillful portrayal of enhancing Soni and Viswanathan’s acting abilities. Now, Sethi is back again with Soni as his partner for the delightfully charming romantic comedy “A Nice Indian Boy“. With a larger canvas and a heartwarming script, Sethi’s filmmaking skills are truly shining brightly now.

Naveen Gavaskar (played by Karan Soni) is a reserved medical professional who’s accustomed to suppressing his feelings. The idea of having a picture-perfect wedding, similar to his sister Arundhathi’s (Sunita Mani), seems more like a fantasy than reality. It’s easier to concentrate on work rather than dealing with the nagging emptiness within. However, Naveen crosses paths with an exuberant photographer named Jay Kurundkar (Jonathan Groff). As expected in a romantic comedy, screenwriters Eric Randall and Madhuri Shekar depict Jay as the polar opposite of Naveen. This man tends to break into spontaneous street performances instead of bottling up his emotions.

Despite Naveen and Jay developing feelings for each other, this situation puts a strain on Naveen’s home life. Interestingly, Randall and Shekar don’t disapprove of Naveen’s sexuality; instead, they are aware of it and attempt to support him awkwardly. Megha, played by Zarna Garg, humorously calls Naveen on weekday mornings to excitedly discuss the plot of Milk, while whenever Naveen visits his parents, shows about gay men on the Out Network are always playing loudly. The thought of openly discussing his romantic life with his parents makes Naveen feel the need to hide everything once more, even as his feelings for Jay become stronger.

In a refreshing twist, the plot of the film “A Nice Indian Boy” may leave viewers astonished. Unlike larger-budget romantic productions, this film offers an authenticity often lacking. While films such as “Heart Eyes” seem to constantly wink at the audience during lovey-dovey scenes, “A Nice Indian Boy” allows tender moments to unfold naturally without adding self-conscious, snarky dialogue. This approach makes it simpler for viewers to empathize with Naveen’s struggles. Furthermore, actors like Garg, Patel, and Sony shine without needing to conclude their vulnerable scenes with a humorous one-liner.

In the opening acts of “A Nice Indian Boy,” the charming vibe is effectively portrayed, however, the final stretch seems to falter slightly in maintaining the initial creative spark. The major conflict between Naveen and Jay gets resolved, but the ensuing family drama between Naveen and his parents lacks the same sense of urgency. Meanwhile, Arundhathi’s storyline about facing tougher parental treatment than Naveen fails to reach a truly satisfying conclusion. Fortunately, even this part of “A Nice Indian Boy” offers excellent understated acting from Harish Patel, along with some enjoyable crowd-pleasing scenes. “A Nice Indian Boy” may not revolutionize expectations, but it skillfully adds quirks and finesse to typical romantic comedy tropes.

Grand Tour (dir. Miguel Gomes)

Edward (Gonçalo Waddington) was engaged to marry Molly (Crista Alfaiate), a woman from Rangoon. However, he left her just hours before their wedding was set to take place. The story then follows Edward as he travels through various countries such as Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam. In the second part of the film ‘Grand Tour’ (written by Telmo Churro, Maureen Fazendeiro, Mariana Ricardo, and directed by Miguel Gomes), it is Molly who begins chasing after Edward. This lighthearted woman is persistent in finding her runaway fiancée.

In monochrome, the film “Grand Tour” employs a deliberate visual style reminiscent of slow cinema. This style involves prolonged camera fixation on seemingly insignificant details that don’t directly involve our main characters. While narrators share tales of Edward dashing through the woods or Molly and her friend Ngoc (Lang Khê Tran) embarking on a boat journey, the camera often neglects these individuals. Instead, it captures incidental scenes such as two strangers on a pier (with Molly and Ngoc’s boat in the background on the left side of the frame), or pandas frolicking in a tree, filling our visual field.

The film uses an interesting visual theme that reflects the untrustworthiness of secondhand stories. It’s like sharing tales from the past, a method of communication that may omit or distort vital details. This is similar to the classic game of “telephone”. In this movie, Gomes intentionally keeps the camera on seemingly irrelevant subjects while the narration takes center stage in the soundtrack. Since there are no visuals to verify their authenticity, we must trust these narrators blindly. The use of imagery without direct visual confirmation mirrors the theme of Grand Tour, which focuses on people who don’t truly know each other, as seen in Molly’s misguided belief that Edward is not a cowardly fiancé.

Edward harbors deep fear towards marrying an unfamiliar woman, whereas Molly may hold an overly positive view of Edward’s ethical nature. Both parties possess incomplete knowledge about each other, mirroring the situation where audiences are not privy to every intricate detail in the stories told by the narrator on Grand Tour.

The intricate and musical imagery used in Gomes’ “Grand Tour” implies that he may have executed his approach correctly. However, I found myself yearning for a more creatively organized visual language from the film. In contrast, the 2024 classic “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,” a masterpiece of slow cinema, pushed boundaries by withholding visual information while each scene felt like a mesmerizing painting. Unfortunately, “Grand Tour’s” cinematography didn’t leave me awestruck, and its blocking often lacked originality. The dialogue-heavy scenes, in particular, seemed to rely on more traditional framing techniques, which I found rather underwhelming.

Many people find slow-paced art films like those by Chantal Akerman, Edward Yang, or Béla Tarr equally captivating to watch as they are to analyze afterward. However, Grand Tour doesn’t quite reach the same level of intrigue. While its daring elements (such as combining loud music with slow visuals) are often impressive, they don’t always come together to create a fully satisfying experience. Although it may not be as exceptional as Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell, the boldness of Grand Tour is still praiseworthy. Moreover, any movie that sparks such deep reflection on its underlying themes can’t be considered a failure. While Grand Tour isn’t a must-see masterpiece, it still offers some noteworthy scenes for viewers to appreciate.

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2025-04-04 22:15