AS- The Review!!

Vivek Kumar | Movies | May 4, 2007 at 9:48 am

Hi Folks – Last One on Shelley from my side – THE REVIEW,

Film is about communicating with the masses. Or so it was meant to
be. Every so often comes a film, which reminds us that humans are
inherently alike. A film which appeals due to it’s very simplicity,
yet if the layers are removed it reveals a lot of depth. A film,
which is your “common every person’s film.” A film, which is light,
humorous, yet not bereft of an inherent understanding of human
interaction and emotions.

Americanizing Shelley is one such film.

The film is about hope, the film is a story of two individuals,
Shelley and Rob, both on different sides of the universe, but both
inherently very similar people. Shelley from the Himalayas and Rob
from Georgia, USA. Then their paths meet. Hollywood and the
celluloid beckon. But while the plunge is reluctant, the
determination to succeed in these two clean hearted, yet simple
people, is inherent and a part of their persona. This light hearted
comedy takes us to the transformation of Shalini Singh to Shelley
and the part which Rob plays in that.

However, this is not your traditional girl meets boy fare.
The “others” give a fine performance and will perhaps be remembered
as much, when the dust has settled. RonReaco Lee, who plays Rob’s
buddy, Blaine, Shaheen Khan and Ajay Mehta as Shelley’s parents,
Tony Yalda as the “unhappy,” looking Happy Singh are names that will
resonate Hollywood in the years to come.

The newcomers, like Phillip Rhyes, who plays the antagonist, Neil
Brar, blend well, with the veterans like Beau Bridges.

The film is about comic timing without being excessive. Namrata
Singh Gujral,with two portrayals as the simple Shalini and then
the “street smart Hollywood player” Shelley, gives a classical
performance as both, with a fine flair for comedy.
As “Shelley/Shalini,” Namrata, often referred to as “America’s
spiciest sweetheart”, shows that uncanny ability to carry a film
almost entirely on her shoulders. Having seen Namrata do dramatic
and serious roles earlier, the fact that she moves so seamlessly
into comedy, reveals an actor who can fit into multiple kinds of
characters and ethnicities. Her ability to emote is effortless and
she appears to be made for the canvass.

Brad Raider as “your average American,” is a talent to watch out for
and then there is my favorite, RonReaco. Watch him enact the role of
the Sikh!! This film talks about the reality of the American
culture, the ability to be what one wants to be, the ability to
reach out and help, the desire to welcome all who have the heart to
go for it and finally as the land of HOPE. Yet the film is not
preachy, far from it. It enacts a natural sequence of events, which
reveal the message.

The songs, which range from Country Western to Bhangra to Fusion,
enhance the flow and the frolic. This film is a universal story, yet
a simple story, but a story which achieves it’s objective of “feel
good comedy.” Lorraine, the director, rises to the challenge of
telling a cross cultural story and the other highlight of this film,
is it’s crisp editing.

In my world cinema is about entertainment, there is enough dark and
stark reality in the world outside the cinema hall, for me to look
for the truth inside the movie theater. For pure entertainment and
for being true to what it claims to be, it succeeds for the pure
comic relief and sense of joy and hope it brings to the viewer, both
from the Western Earth and Eastern Earth regions.

Sincerely,

Vivek “yes I expect my mood to be better after the movie than before
I went in and so what?” Kumar

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