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Avsar (Hindi) [Opportunity]

By Golu
This Hindi movie is a pretty straightforward slice-of-life story that tries to give a modern look at what it's like to be a single, professional gay man. It dives into how he understands who he is, the chances he missed out on, and the personal choices he’s made along the way. The director used three parallel timelines to tell the story, which honestly didn't make much sense to me. While the core idea was actually pretty interesting, I really feel like this would have worked way better as a short film considering the point it was trying to make. Still, it wasn't a bad watch. The plot centers on Rachit, a city professional, and his friend Shikhar as they hang out for an evening. Rachit is a polished, urban guy, while Shikhar has more of a "small-town" rustic vibe, and you can really see the contrast between them when they talk. As the night goes on, Rachit starts thinking back to some old memories from a long time ago. He remembers being an intern after college in ...
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Any Day Now

By Golu
My movie watching has slowed down soooo much. Work is getting busier. Anyway, I am so glad that I saw this movie after a long break because I know I would have been really disappointed had a I ended up watching a really bad gay film (the chances of which are really high) but I am glad that I did not have to deal with the situation. This film thankfully does not deal with gay stereotype stories and movie that we have all gotten used to Instead, it touches on a very important subject of adoption and deals it with sensitivity.

Apparently based on a true story, the film is set in 1970s. Rudy Donatello is a struggling musician and drag performer in a gay nightclub in 1979 West Hollywood, where he meets Paul, a closeted district attorney. Returning home to his apartment, Rudy finds Marco, a 14-year-old with Down syndrome, left alone after his mother, Marianna, had been arrested. Rudy takes in the abandoned boy, but Family Services intervenes and takes Marco to foster care. On Rudy's insistence, Paul agrees to help him get custody of the child. All this while, quite quickly, Rudy and Paul have become close lovers. The two visit Marianna in prison to coax her into signing the temporary guardianship papers, which she does. After a rigorous court case, they are finally allowed to get the custody of the child and everyone is quite happy. Until one fine day, Paul's boss gets a hang of the fact that Rudy is not Paul's cousin but hi solver. Paul ends up losing his job and his boss files a case on him regarding the custody after coercing Marco's mother to take back her consent. The two men are devastated after constant battles in the court and the court not allowing them the guardianship. The film ends on a shocking note which leaves audiences devastated and stunned.

I did not see the ending coming. I expected it to have a happy ending but I am glad that it was more realistic. Sure, it seems that Rudy's and Paul's affair happened all too quickly which is even mentioned during the court case but I guess sometimes love just happens and you do not question it. The tender moments they both share as a couple taking care of Marco are so hear-warming. All the court scenes are done very very well and are very realistic. Coming to performances, Alan Cumming does a splendid job as Rudy. His performance needs to be applauded and the film needs to be seen because of him. Paul also acts well. The film i snot dragged unnecessarily and comes straight to the point very quick and keeps the focus in tact.

Overall a very entertaining and touching movie. I would not regret watching the movie twice. (7.5/10)
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Comments

Eternal Sonata said…
Alan Cumming is a great actor indeed! I can tell this is a great film based on your review and already the premise and storyline is already the kind of drama I like to see. I'm glad you didn't spoil the ending and that leaves me wanting to see just what it is. I have to keep in mind this was taken place in the late 70s where gays weren't seen as normal just yet.
August 12, 2013 at 10:36 AM
Golu said…
I would be quite curious to know what u thought of this. Do post your comments after you have seen this one.
August 12, 2013 at 4:05 PM
Pitbullshark said…
I am wondering why I haven't read you in a long time--something made me drift away and I've been missing out! I thought this was a great film, and one of the pleasures and privileges of being able to see screenings of films like this in a huge film festival in Los Angeles is that sometimes the principles of the films are there for a Q&A session afterwards. For this film, we had Alan Cumming, whom I got to speak with at the reception, and the actor who played the little boy, who was quite remarkable. Alan Cumming is totally a sweetheart as a person and he was a perfect actor to play this role in this film. Fortunately the law has become more enlightened since this horrible experience in the late 70s, although in some areas it is still hard. However, even straight people sometimes get embroiled in horrendous legal issues regarding custody, and the ones who are hurt the most are the children the courts say they want to help the most.
October 24, 2013 at 5:35 AM
Golu said…
I so envy you for meeting actors in festivals. If i had my way, i would go to film festivals around the world throughout the year. But what to do!! a man has got to make a living too.
Legal battles for child custody is always a tricky subject to deal with. I hope yu continue to visit my blog and even tell your friends about it
November 1, 2013 at 11:41 AM
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