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A career-best performance from Sai Pallavi in one of the most significant Tamil movies in recent memory, according to the Gargi review

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A career-best performance from Sai Pallavi in one of the most significant Tamil movies in recent memory, according to the Gargi review

Sai Pallavi gives one of the most moving performances by a mainstream heroine in recent memory in Gautham Ramachandran’s Gargi. It is a sobering story about a daughter’s struggle for justice. The movie, which is unquestionably the best Tamil film of the year so far, focuses on a very delicate subject and handles it with an uncommon level of empathy that is hard to find these days. Gargi is a breath of fresh air in a time when star power and overt machismo are the only things that matter in popular cinema. It has a lasting impression.

Gargi, a teacher who is from a lower middle class household, is portrayed by Sai Pallavi. Her mother produces and sells idli batter from her home while her father works as a security guard in a local housing society. She has a younger sister who attends school. Gargi has no significant life goals and her family is her priority in life. When her 60-year-old father is listed as an accused party in a gang-rape case involving a young girl, her life is suddenly flipped upside down. The remainder of the narrative is on Gargi’s pursuit of justice and the difficulties she encounters along the road.

Gargi examines the effects on a family when one of its members is the main accused in a rape case from a social perspective. The movie depicts what it means to be affiliated with someone accused in something as delicate as a rape case, even if they are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This includes media sensationalism and risking ostracism. The movie challenges us as a culture to think carefully before drawing conclusions based on frequently misinformation spread by the media. It is extremely uncommon for mainstream Tamil cinema, which is known for catering to the public by going the commercial path, to approach such a subject so carefully, and the script deserves special appreciation for handling it so sensitively.

The writing, namely the dialogue, is what gives Gargi its power. Gautham Ramachandran’s handling of the material, the haunting and beautiful imagery, and the overall approach to the rape portion of the story serve as evidence of his sensibilities as a director. He pulls the emphasis away from the incident’s tragedy and onto the drama that ensues, which is what makes the proceedings so engrossing and immersive.

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Sai Pallavi is the star of this show throughout. She shows that she still has a lot of untapped potential in what is undoubtedly her best performance of her career. It’s a performance that will affect you profoundly. What deserves more appreciation is the conviction to choose this role and to play it with such care and compassion (of the character’s suffering). There probably won’t be a Tamil movie heroine performance this year that can top this one. The casting of the movie is another noteworthy aspect. It was a stroke of genius to cast Kaali Venkat, who typically plays comedic roles, in a crucial lawyer position. The rest of the casting is also excellent. The soundtrack by Govind Vasantha brings the picture to life.

Film: Gargi

Director: Gautham Ramachandran

Cast: Sai Pallavi, Kaali Venkat

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Movie Review: ‘Am I OK?’ is a charming comedy about friendship that features Dakota Johnson’s endearing genuineness.

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Movie Review: ‘Am I OK?’ is a charming comedy about friendship that features Dakota Johnson’s endearing genuineness.

Naturally, we begin with a veggie burger.

The 30-year-old best friends Lucy and Jane can easily recite Lucy’s usual order at the diner—a veggie burger and sweet potato fries—when they meet again.

Therefore, Jane’s expression shows a hint of hurt when Lucy goes rogue and requests a tomato and spinach omelette late in “Am I Ok?” Even though it was simply a veggie burger, it seems absurd, but to Jane, it represents a comforting, known object that is no longer in her life.

This is Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne’s directorial debut, and it’s filled with such lovely, subtle touches that work much better than the sporadic attempts at broad humour that come across as forced or, at the very least, as something else entirely.

Of course, Johnson is the main subject of the lingering camera the entire time, and with good reason—her unwavering genuineness consistently comes through in her roles, even when the material surrounding her occasionally falters.

This is a heartfelt, straightforward story. This is a story about a coming-out, but unlike most coming-out stories we encounter, the protagonist is 32 years old.

The writer of the movie, Lauren Pomerantz, came out when she was 34. This particular narrative is hers. A few strikingly moving scenes reveal how intimately involved she is in the proceedings; one such instance is when Lucy experiences anguish while a straight woman plays with her feelings. It’s among the movie’s most poignant scenes.

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We start at the aforementioned diner after an opening montage that sets up the female friendship at the centre of the film. Jane tells Lucy that she really should meet up with a certain cute male friend who clearly likes her: “Just do it,” she urges. Lucy is unable to give a reason for her refusal.

Jane, the more experienced of the two in terms of her career, is about to undergo a significant upheaval in her life. Her manager gives her the opportunity to go to London and open an office in Los Angeles. Her extremely nice partner is also starting to come around. However, Lucy is devastated by this news, as evidenced by the insincere manner she continues responding, “Wonderful!” when Jane breaks the news to her one evening over drinks.

The two friends end up crying together after drinking a lot of tequila, just like close friends do when they urinate in the bathroom and then later during a sleepover. Lucy admits to Jane that she likes girls there.

Jane is an unwavering source of support. Ever the aspirant, she actually tells Lucy that she will become “the star of the lesbian community.” And she decides to assist her in finding a woman, going so far as to take her out to a gay bar. On the dance floor, though, it’s Jane who ends up kissing a woman. Lucy, ashamed, runs away.

However, Lucy works as a receptionist at a spa where there’s this sensual massage. Lucy is finally brave enough to respond to Brittany’s intense flirtation. She helps Lucy come out of her shell, but the outcome is ultimately depressing. Moreover, Lucy is no longer seeing Jane, who was typically the first person she would call in a heartbreak.

Though this film centres on two friends, you will find yourself most invested in Lucy’s life as you watch the incredibly likeable Johnson manage grief and uncertainty. A last-minute setback to Jane’s carefully thought-out plans for her trip to London seems a little improbable, or perhaps it just feels forced in as if to imply that, well, both ladies have problems.

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Whatever the case, this month has been fantastic for female buddy comedy. While Pamela Adlon’s comedy “Babies” focused heavily on the chaos that comes with childbirth, “Am I OK?” aims for a more tender, poignant tone. It’s satisfying to be back where we started, discussing issues at that restaurant table. The moral of the story is straightforward but reassuring: friendships can endure and grow despite change.

even if an omelette triumphs against a vegetarian burger.

The Motion Picture Association has rated Warner Bros.’ “Am I OK?” R “for language, sexual references, and some drug use.” 86 minutes of running time. An overall rating of 2.5 stars out of 4.

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