The Longest Yard | The Critique

Does it worth to stand for something you believe? The Longest Yard asks this question. And the reply is well explored in the movie itself… its yes. A remake of a ’74 movie by the same name, TLY is an interesting sports movie that has some good comic moments and some brilliant scenes. Adam Sandler’s home production has garnered much appreciation and is considered to be one of the best remakes made post ‘80s.

Paul Crewe is a disgraced rugby pro who is being convicted for stealing his girlfriend’s car. He is being convicted for three years. A sport enthusiast warden Hazen asks him to prepare a team of convicts to play against the guards to which Paul reluctantly agrees. He realises that the only way to survive in the jail is to agree to Hazen’s wish. So, there is a big task ahead… make convicts play. With an inmate-friend Caretaker, he makes a team that includes some talented players and few violent players who are playing just to get an opportunity to have a one-on-one with guards. Meanwhile, Caretaker is killed and Hazen says that he (Paul) will be framed if he doesn’t throw the match. Paul gives in…

Direction and performances deserve applause. Sandler, Chris Rock and Burt Reynolds were awesome in their roles as Paul, Caretaker and coach Scarborough. Interestingly, Burt played Paul Crewe in the original movie. Editing is one of the high of the movie and the effort is evident from perfect execution of few scenes like the one in which Sandler plays Basketball and the climax when Scarborough gets into the game.

Overall, the movie is a perfect blend of thrills, comedy and passion. Take my word for it…

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

An Adam Sandler Special... Whoa

Adam Sandler... the only word that I can say about him is Whoa! He is too good. His mannerisms and screen presence is simply awesome. I still remember the scenes in 50 First Dates in which he tries to woo Drew every day, falling in love with her every day and still trying afresh every day. The sense of comedy laden with emotional baggage and his innocent eyes... thats gross.

Adam is widely loved still quite underrated actor. People can associate with the characters he live and the simplicity he implies but somewhere the actor in him is not celebrated the way it should be. So, when we were thinking about bringing out an actor special, we zeroed upon him over likes of Anil Kapoor and Julia Roberts. Adam may be not better than these two but definitely deserves some good recognition...

Thanks for loving the Between Breaths Edition... we will love to have your views and criticism.

Regards...

Sujoy Ghosh

Adam Sandler | Statesmen

When you hear this name, a cute face flashes… yes he is the funny man who is more known for his comic sense than his apt portrayals of an average man. He was bashed for his performances innumerous times but rubbishing all critics, he exceled in his own right and the sizeable fan base would tell you, why they love his performances. Comedy is a big genre but not many actors have created a niche for themselves like him.

Grown in jewish household, Adam honed his skills at New York University in front of a supportive crowd. His first big start was in movie Going Overboard but first major acclaimed work was the role of Billy Madison in a movie by the same name. In this movie, his character was an uneducated adult who needs to study in school from scratch to inherit a multi-million fortune and more importantly the respect of his father. This was just a start. He followed up with successful comedies like Bulletproof, Happy Gilmore, Wedding Singer and Waterboy. He got love of his fans but the critical acclaim was still absent. Then came Punch Drunk Love.

PDL gave him all the acclaim he desired as an actor. With Spanglish, Anger Management, 50 First Dates and Reign Over Me, he shed the label of a comedian and got the recognition of actor, something he rightly deserved. I still remember my friend Sumit saying… I first saw 50 First Dates for Drew Barrymore, but now I catch it for Adam Sandler. The role of Henry Rothe and his mannerisms just take take your heart away.
Adam has been lucky in many ways but unlucky for missing movies like Inglourious Basterds. He was offered a role by Quentin Tarantino and Adam even confirmed but finally said no for his previous commitment Funny People. IB could have given a new direction to his career… but no regrets… everything happens for a reason.

Adam is a multitalented personality. Besides being an actor, he is also a producer, musician and a script-writer. Like SRK, he prefers to work with friends and associated and most of his works are presented under his banner Happy Madison. He has a happy family and is enjoying a great career. God Bless Him.
Waiting for his forthcoming movie- Grown Ups…

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Mr. Deeds | The Critique

Rich and adventure enthusiast Preston Blake died while climbing Mt. Everest. He was a multi billionaire owning 49% stakes in Blake Media and had no children. So after his death, the search of nearest heir starts. While, attorney Cedar looks out for all the living relatives, media is going crazy over the idea that a common man can be rich by $40 billion overnight.

In Mandrake Falls there is a person who runs a café and is more interested in poems than dollars. He is Longfellow Deeds, a kind hearted small-town guy who wants his poems feature on greeting cards. He is nephew of Preston Blake. Cedar plans to buy his stakes for $40 billion and buy the stakes. But for the legalities, he should be present in New York.

Reporter Babe plans to get some scoop and poses as Pam Dawson, a school nurse. Deeds falls for her. She records everything that Deeds do and despite of her disagreement, the channel presents the scoop in such a way that Deeds appear as a fool and rogue. Eventually, Babe fell in love with her and decides to confess. On the other hand, Deeds decide to see and understand business before selling the stakes. This infuriates Cedar who decides to make him feel sick of big city and return to Mandrake Falls. While, Deeds is about to propose Pam(Babe), the truth is revealed. Heartbroken Deeds to sell his stakes and give all the money to some charity, and returns.

Babe come to Mandrake Falls to tell him how much she love and tells him that he will have to return as Cedar has decided to break down the company and fire all the employees. Now, what will happen…

The movie is hilarious in pieces and though not the best of Adam Sandler, is a beautiful and lovable movie. His character is similar to many roles he played. Happy going and kind-hearted. Mr. Deeds is a remake of a 1936 movie, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. Watch it, even if you are not a Sandler fan. You will love the simplicity of the character Longfellow Deeds.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Happy Gilmore | The Critique

What does a person want in his life? Success… money or just happiness? In a simple tale of ice-hockey player-turned-golfer Happy Gilmore, we explore that happiness counts far more than anything material. He is unorthodox in game by all means and in the world of golfers… almost a misfit but still he is lovable and adorable.

Happy played by Adam is an ice-hockey enthusiast who wants to make it big but lack skills. However he has great power in his hands. His powerful slapshot can throw the ball to large distances. He needs money to repay the debt of IRS. After several rejections at ice-hockey clubs, one day he tries his hand on golf to win a petty bet. That’s just a beginning. He decides to earn out of bets. At a club, he is seen by an ex-pro Chubbs who realises that Happy has great potential as a golfer.

After initial reluctance, Happy decides to give it a try. He wins a local tournament and gets a spot in PGA. Chubbs asks him to hone his skills before going for tours but the need of money forces Happy think otherwise. He participates. The current winner Shooter feels himself out of public focus as Happy’s antics on ground, violent outbursts, big shots and lame puts are garnering more media coverage. He asks the owner of tour to throw Happy out but considering his popularity and increased fan base of Happy, request is declined. However, a PR Virginia is assigned to Happy to keep him in control.

Raged Shooter decides to buy Happy’s home and throws a challenge to him… if Happy wins then he will have his house but if he loses, he will quit Golf. Now what will happen… obviously, Happy is the hero, he is going to win but how? The climax is the moment of the movie…

There are some brilliantly executed scenes. Like the scenes showing the romance between Virginia and Happy, the game at mini-golf where Chubbs help him to learn how to put the ball properly and the little fight between celebrity golfer, Bob Barker. If you have missed it... Watch it!

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Quite Sandleresque | Influences And Impressions In India | Under Lens

Adam Sandler represents a genre that presents humor in a very low tone and with a very positive undercurrent. The hero is unsung in many ways. He is inherently good and does no bad to win. He is shy but strong internally. This is the basic structure of many of his characters with minor deviations. Be it Spanglish, Mr. Deeds, Anger Management, 50 First Dates, Bedtime Stories or The Longest Yard…

If you remember movies like Naram Garam where Amol Palekar is a sweet clerk who want his lady love to have a shelter and tries whatever feasible for him or Chitchor where he shies away from marriage when he learns that his love’s future is more bright with his senior who likes her as well. In both the characters, Amol is a unsung hero. Though not connected by any way, I cannot resist the temptation to find similarities between two of my favorite actors.

Moving a step ahead… In movie Choti Si Baat and Anger Management, there are many similarities between Amol and Adam’s characters. Both are reluctant in public display of affection and are in some way insecure about lady love. Both undergoes a course of personality development, reluctantly or willingly and emerge as a better person. Interesting…

In most of the movies, it is the simplicity that impresses most. You can relate to the character in some or other way. This is something common between Sandler’s movies and many Indian movies. While, people rent DVDs of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s movies, we feel similar vibes from most of Sandler flicks. Think of it next time you watch 50 First Dates…

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh 

Punch Drunk Love Movie Review | Critique

Rating – 3/5 stars

If you feel all of Sanlder’s movies are formulaic and his performance the same you have to see Punch Drunk Love, solely for the way Sandler acts in the film.

Sandler stars as Barry who has seven elder sisters under whose influence he has become repressed after constant ridicule. Pressure of which shows in his occasional outbursts of anger.

The character is pretty out of Sandler’s comfort zone, though it may remind you of “The Waterboy”. It is not a rom-com. It is about his character achieving love of his life through challenges that he faces because of his own personality.

In words of Roger Ebert, “Most of Sandler's plots are based on predictable, production-line formulas, and after "Punch-Drunk Love" I may begin seeing them as traps containing a resentful captive.” And “I feel liberated in films where I have absolutely no idea what will happen next. Lena and Barry are odd enough that anything could happen in their relationship. A face-to-face meeting with the Utah porn king (Anderson regular Philip Seymour Hoffman) and another meeting with the four blond brothers are equally unpredictable. And always there is Barry's quick, terrifying anger, a time bomb ticking away beneath every scene.”

Incidentally it is his best critically received film of his career. Watch it for Adam Sandler, for his different performance

Written by Ali Naqvi

Click Movie Review | Critique

Rating- 3 stars


Basic Premise: A remote that controls time. I know, I know it is cheesy. That’s what I thought when I saw trailer of click. I assumed it to be pretty predictable and thought it would go the way of Bruce Almighty.

I was wrong. The film is as innovative as it can get with a remote control that controls time. Adam Sandler plays Michael Newman who has a miserable life at office. One day he finds one day the above mentioned remote at a store. After some fooling around with the remote, Michael starts to run away from life’s tough situations by forwarding time.

Soon he starts to skip important occasions in his life, many times years at a stretch. Many forwards later his life is a mess.

Trailer might indicate that it is fun movie but no, it is not it has a message deep down that is to be there with friends and family however busy we might become. It tells us to face the challenges life throws because running from them will only lead to more problems.

It makes you think despite its shallow premise. In this lies Click’s victory. Performances are serviceable but that is because it is a plot driven movie not character driven. I love it for what it accomplishes despite its handicaps. Watch it and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Written By Ali Naqvi.

50 First Dates Movie Review | Critique

Rating-3.5/5 stars


If you are into feel good rom-coms and have not seen 50 first dates then you are missing something. It is one of the cutest and most romantic films that I personally have come across.
It is the story of how our hero Henry (Adam Sandler) finds love. Henry is a big-time womanizer until he sees Lucy (Drew Barrymore) at a local restaurant. She is cute and something about her instantly attracts Henry. But her acquaintances at restaurant tell Henry to stay away from her as after an accident she wakes up each day forgetting the previous day.

Rest of the story constitutes how Henry makes Lucy fall in love with him, how he convinces her family and friends that he loves her. Thereafter, comes a roadblock in their love story, when Lucy decides that she should not continue the relationship. It is supremely special what happens after that point.

If you are not a Adam Sandler and/or Drew Barrymore fan watch this movie, because I suspect you will become one after watching this movie. Sandler is his usual charming self as is Drew Barrymore. All comic and romantic punches hit the right notes. Trust me you have to see this one.


Written By Ali Naqvi.