Bride and Prejudice
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Movie Reviews of Bride and Prejudice
Movie Review: Beautifully Colorful, Cheerful Hybrid of Bollywood and Hollywood
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is not really a true adaptation of the original "Pride and Prejudice" by Austen. The protagonists dont possess any of the qualities and personality traits exemplified in Austen's novel or seen in many good movie adaptations of the same. Martin Henderson, (Darcy's character), while handsome, felt more like a fixture in the room, detached from everything happening to him, reciting the worst, most insipid lines ever - which in turn did not make him very interesting and enticing like the original Darcy. He does the best he can with what he is given though. I read somewhere that Henderson was primarily chosen for his looks.
Aishwarya Rai's character, Lalita, was not very likable. While very beautiful of course, she seemed snide, arrogant, and rude, which in turn painted her in an unsympathetic light. The character she is based on in the original "Pride and Prejudice" is a charming, quick witted and intelligent young lady instead of conceited and snide. She also behaved as if everyone owed her and was totally beneath her and she was merely tolerating them. This makes it hard for Dacry and Lalita to establish any kind of worthwhile chemistry or believable affection. All this is compounded, of course, by the fact that there wasnt much dialog and interaction between the two. No passionate exchanges, no intelligent conversation, none of that. Most of their exchanges consist of passing longing looks at each other across the room or she being offended about everything he says - even before he opens his mouth. When he then does the whole obligatory falling in love with her, it is just not very believable and convincing. The same is true for all characters really: they all just fall in love with each other or do things that are somewhat unsupported by their actions and even words. It gnaws on the believability of a movie and its characters and then ultimately determines its quality when people spontaneously exhibit feelings without any prelude.
I also find Rai's "virgin Mary" routine annoying and tiresome. The fact that they never even exchange a kiss made this movie lack something - like the spice that is otherwise sprinkled all over. It could certainly have been done in a tasteful way so it is not offensive to Ms. Rai. I can understand that she doesnt want to film any steamy love scenes or even rumbling around in bed, but they could have kissed at least once and actually I have seen that happen in many Bollywood productions - even with her in it - so it is not like it is unheard of. The "Pride and Prejudice" movie with Keira Knightley has, in my opinion, one of the best on-screen kisses (in the end) ever: very tasteful and romantic. Too bad it is missing in this movie.
Finally, it is strange to look at how most of the female characters were cast. Lalita is gorgeous and stands out among her sisters who all seem kind of bland and not very attractive - at least not compared to Lalita. In fact, they are caricatures and stereotypes of sorts and Lalita clearly stands out as the most sophisticated, intelligent, beautiful ingénue among them. That makes for predictability because of course Darcy falls in love with her. What else would he do? She is the most gorgeous woman in that village, if not nation. Aishwarya Rai was/is clearly the mega star and it appears as if all the other female leads were cast deliberately so as to not compete with and thus undermine Rai's presence. This movie is almost like a homage to her more than anything else.
All that said, however, I must admit that I personally dont hold this movie to Austen's standards. It stands on its own merits and the "Pride and Prejudice" storyline seems to have been used in a very rudimentary way to make room for what the director really wanted to accomplish. This movie is a perfect mix between Bollywood and Hollywood. It is joyful, colorful and happy with a great ensemble and great photography. Despite some missing dialog and depth, Henderson and Rai have still chemistry which would have been sizzling if they actually did talk to each other more and she wasnt so reserved.
I like Gurinder Chadha's style of mixing the cheerful and colorful and traditional with the modern - with added social commentary and comedy, but without it looking like she was pushing for some political message and drama. Life's too short to try to be too serious and the story in a well made movie like this is secondary. As Roger Ebert once said, "a good movie is not what it's about, it's HOW it is about it." This movie hit the nail on the head in terms of the how.
Movie Review: Jane Austen done Bollywood style means fun, fun, fun!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Bride and Prejudice" is a lot of fun. I have never seen a "Bollywood" movie before, so this was a totally new experience for me. I liked the orgy of bright colors and was intrigued by the dancing, which certainly made the songs more memorable for their rhythms than their lyrics. But what is wrong with that? Dancing with a sense of grace seems beyond me, but I think I could do some of the dances in this movie and lose some weight. Especially if I am trying to do the extended versions of the four big dance numbers provided in the special features. They were, to repeat the initial sentiment expressed above, fun. It has been a while since I have seen a movie and just had fun watching it. After all, I know what is going to happen, so stressing style over substance is fine with me.
I found the idea of putting Jane Austen's novel in the context of a modern family in India totally charming at face value, especially knowing that director Gurinder Chadha ("Bend It Like Beckahm") was the one making the movie. My familiarity with the story of the Bennett family is such that I was instantly able to recognize who was now who in the new configuration and what the corresponding scene from the novel would be for most of what was happening. I liked a lot of what they did in this regard, such as transforming Mary's piano playing debacle into an equally overplayed example of traditional Indian dance by Maya (Meghna Kothari). None of the transformations were heavy handed, which can be dangerous in an attempt such as this, and the key thing was the delight of discovering each act of translation.
I even figured out that Mrs. Darcy (Marsha Mason) was going to be the Lady Catherine de Bourgh character and was somewhat surprised that the scene where she insists that Lalitha not marry her son ended up in the deleted scenes. That is the pivotal scene in the novel, the point at which it suddenly dawns on Elizabeth that marrying Mr. Darcy is not the worst thing in the world, but its omission in "Bride and Prejudice" makes sense because the script by Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges moves his first proposal to much latter in the narrative. I agree that what made sense for a story set amongst the landed gentry of Hanoverian England does not necessarily work for modern India, so the change was a smart move. Besides, Lalitha has a scene where she goes toe-to-toe with Mrs. Darcy, which is the other important aspect of the scene. Consequently, Chadha and Berges have shown the requisite fidelity to the essence and key details of the Austen novel even as they change locations and nationalities.
It is not like the universality of "Pride and Prejudice" was every lost on us in the first place, even as we have come to admire Austen's attention to period detail and socially attuned characterizations. The Bakshi family lives in a rural town in India where the mother (Nadira Babbar) is wholly committed to getting her four daughters married, while her husband (Anupam Khre) endures the trials and tribulations of her frantic efforts. When Jaya (Namrata Shirodkar) and Balraj Bingley (Naveen Andrews) spark when they meet at a wedding it looks like the dreams of Mrs. Bakshi will come true for one of her girls. But William Darcy (Martin Henderson) disapproves of Balraj's interest, which gives Lalitah (Aishwarya Rai), the oldest daughter and the one always being warned by her mother not to seem too intelligent, another reason not to like him.
Darcy is to some extent an Ugly American in this incarnation, which lets the second key word of the title resonate in a slightly different way in this version, but not too much, because a bigoted Mr. Darcy is not going to be accepted by anybody. That is also why the subplot involving Johnny Wickham (Daniel Gillies) and Lakhi (Peeya Rai Chowdhary) is a tad differently. Again, this all shows the screenwriters understood what they were doing in translating Austen's novel to the screen in this fashion, and reinforces the idea that the primary purpose here was to have fun. For all I know the musical numbers here are only second-rate Bollywood extravaganzas, in which case I cannot wait to see what else is out there. The bottom line here is simple: you have to know going in whether or not you buy the idea of turning Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" into a Bollywood number. If you think that is a great idea, then you will enjoy this 2004 film. If you think that sounds weird, then lighten up. You are missing out on the fun here.
Movie Review: Cultural Clash, Romantic Conundrum, Colorful Musical
Summary: 5 Stars
Gurinder Chadha produces a fantastic film with a new twist to the classical conundrum: how does an independent minded female connect with the opposite sex? Jane Austen could never in her wildest dreams imagine the outstanding Bollywood like dance and music numbers which make this film such a delightful viewing experience. Ashanti does a magical song and dance called "Take Me to Love." The Bakshi sisters sing and express appropriate sentiment in "No Life without Wife" which is a delightful song mocking the awkward attempts by Mr. Kholi, an accountant of Indian background who lives near Hollywood, who returned to Amritsar, India to find himself a wife. Despite his obvious material successes in the USA, which he keeps pointing out to the Bakshi family, he can not connect socially with the right kind of female who appreciates his hard work and who possesses the cultural traits which he is seeking in a wife ... Mrs Bakshi is over-joyed to present and introduce her daughters to him. She wishes to marry her daughters off, one after the other to socially prominent, wealthy successful men, with the goal of climbing to a higher social class. The humorous lyrics of the song and amusing delivery by the Bakshi sisters captures the mood and feeling of the film.
Nor could Jane Austen envision the beautiful Lalita played by one of India's most gorgeous and popular actresses, Aishwarya Rai. Mrs Bakshi plays a well meaning but scheming mother whose main concern is marrying off each of her four daughters to wealthy but worthy gentlemen of suitable families. Mr. Bakshi is a devoted and doting father who worked hard to build his business into a success. It provides his family a comfortable middle class lifestyle, nonetheless it still leaves his wife trying to improve upon the social status of her daughters through suitable marriage matches ... Lalita is the most beautiful and outspoken of the four girls in the Bakshi family. She is pleased her older sister Jaya met a barrister from London, who is of Indian background, whose busy lifestyle prevented him from meeting eligible female companions. He obviously fell head over heels in love with the lovely and quiet Jaya, after returning to Amritsar for exactly the purpose of finding a wife. His sister came along on the trip as did a wealthy American friend whose family is in the hotel business. The American friend, Will Darcy is captivated by the beauty, quick mind and outspoken nature of Lalita. She assertively voices her opinions which is not a trait held in high esteem by most eligible handsome wealthy bachelors. Will discovers Lalita is intriguing and attractive yet is put off by her outspokenness. He occassionally finds himself on the defensive when conversing with her but in the end her ideas cause him to ponder and question his personal values ... and also the ethical motives behind business deals.
Lalita also discovers to her chagrin she is attracted to Will who is a handsome, worthy and intelligent opponent ... At social gatherings they manage to magnetize and repel each other with their heated debates about social and cultural values and differences. To Lalita's surprise, one of her best friends agrees to an arranged marriage to Mr. Kholi ... The Bakshi family is sent an invitaton to the wedding along with economy class airline tickets to attend the ceremony in America. The wedding takes place on the grounds of the magnificent hotel owned by Will Darcy's family. Will takes Lalita on a whirlwind tour of California and the Southwest. She sees a different side to Will Darcy, one she never knew existed. She falls in love with him but then overhears someone whisper how something Will had said to his Indian barrister friend caused the break up of his romance with her sister Jaya ... Lalita is broken hearted and devasted. She confronts Will. He admits the break-up was his fault. The reader must view the film to discover how these two people of such vastly different backgrounds make peace and rekindle their romance and love. In the end it burns brighter than ever. The film is filled with passion, energy, romance, class differences, cultural clashes and to the viewer's immense satisfaciton, a happy ending. It is a colorful pageantry of the sights, sounds, and music of India in the best Bollywood tradition. A most hightly recommended film. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]
Movie Review: Nothing short of exquisite - I loved every minute of it
Summary: 5 Stars
I wasn't sure I wanted to watch this film at first. Both the title and the DVD box image are rather cheesy - but then I saw the trailer, and it convinced me that this would indeed be something worth watching. Thank goodness for that trailer because I absolutely adored this movie. Bride and Prejudice introduced me to a whole new world of cinematic magic. It's an explosion of vibrant colors, exotic settings, incredible music and dancing, and genuine pleasure. The story itself, combining romance, drama, as well as comedy, was also a treat in its own right. If you haven't guessed by the title, this film was inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice - and I hope Austen enthusiasts will give this film a try, despite whatever misgivings they must surely have about it. I prefer to judge the film on its own merits, and I can't find anything not to like here. It's just exquisite.
The film is primarily set in India. Will Darcy (Martin Henderson) has come with his friend Balraj (Lost's Naveen Andrews) to attend a wedding - and what a wedding it is. The whole town is in full celebration mode, and the song and dance numbers that come spinning at you in kaleidoscope fashion entrance you with their beauty and grace. Darcy is immediately taken with a gorgeous young lady named Lalita Bakshi (Aishwarya Rai), who just happens to be the sister of Balraj's object of affection. She comes from a family full of girls and a mother working tirelessly to find husbands for her older daughters - hopefully rich ones. Darcy and Lalita, despite a lot of meaningful eye contact, don't exactly hit it off, but that's largely Darcy's fault. Henderson really isn't very charismatic in the role, and he's not all that eloquent either. Lalita finds him to be a rude, arrogant American who looks down on her and everyone else in India. Darcy's also a bit of a wimp, seemingly incapable of standing up to his domineering mother's influence. She would never approve of an India-born daughter-in-law, of course - but Mrs. Bakshi wouldn't necessarily leap for joy at an American son-in-law, either (no matter how rich he is - and Darcy is filthy rich). Darcy does get to spend a little time with Lalita (but not because she wants to), but then an acquaintance of his shows up in the form of Johnny Wickham (Daniel Gillies) - why the son of Darcy's nanny suddenly shows up there in India is a complete mystery to me, though. Wickham's no good, but the ever-ineffectual Darcy won't tell Lalita why. As for Lalita, she has to fend off a new suitor in the form of an incredibly annoying fellow who has come back from America seeking a bride. It looks like Darcy and Lalita just weren't meant to be, as he returns to London and Lalita finds herself having to fend off a new suitor in the form of an incredibly annoying fellow who has come back from America seeking a bride. The world's a small place, though, and fate brings Darcy and Lalita together again in Los Angeles (where the Bakshi family has come to attend another wedding).
The romance is quite predictable, but it does take interesting twists and turns along the way. I found it pretty compelling, but in many ways the love story is just the excuse to put on an awe-inspiring spectacle of music, dance, and incredible entertainment. I can't adequately describe the lavish nature of this film, except to say that it is a visual and auditory treat. I haven't had this much fun watching a film in a long time. Singing and dancing can start at the drop of a hat, and as often as not it doesn't end until the entire village has joined the fun. Lalita and her sisters are just wonderful, adorable characters (even the one who does the rather unforgettable Cobra Dance) - and Aishwarya Rai, the true star of this film, shines like the heavens on a dark night. I'll eagerly watch any movie she appears in. You won't have to worry about nodding off in the middle of this one - as Bride and Prejudice has the contagious energy to revive even the weariest of souls. Hollywood just doesn't make films like this; until you see this Bride and Prejudice, you probably won't even know what you're missing.
Movie Review: Jane Austen meets Bollywood and it's a gem of a film!!
Summary: 5 Stars
What drew me to "Bride and Prejudice", first and foremost, was that this promised to be a modern day, Bollywood version of Jane Austen's beloved novel "Pride and Prejudice." As a fervent Austen fan, I knew I just couldn't pass this movie up. Secondly, it is directed by Gurinder Chadha whose previous film "Bend It Like Beckham" is one of my favorite feel-good movies ever.
I had never been exposed to Bollywood filmmaking before this movie. The closest thing I ever got to Indian culture is the food (which I love), Chadha's "Bend It..." film and an earlier viewing of "Monsoon Wedding." I had no idea what to expect. The lively and vibrant songs and dances, beautiful and colorful costumes, memorable and endearing characters, and faithful re-telling of Austen's novel that makes up "Bride and Prejudice" just caught me by surprise.
And what a ride it has been! Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges did an excellent job of following Jane Austen's storyline; that of a middle class family (the Bakshi = Bennets) in a relatively small town (Meryton, England = Amritsar, India) and the mother's struggle to marry off her daughters (the book had 5, the film has 4 as Mary and Kitty's characters are combined into the sitar-playing, cobra-dancing 3rd sister Maya). The film begins as the Bakshi (Bennet) family attends a wedding party and everyone is abuzz when the wealthy barrister Mr. Balraj ("Lost's" Naveen Andrews) shows up with his elegant and fashionable sister Kiran (Indira Varma) and American hotelier/best friend Will Darcy (the gorgeous Martin Henderson). Balraj falls instantly for beautiful eldest sister Jaya (Namrata Shirodkar). Will slights the outspoken and spirited 2nd sister Lalita (Aishwarya Rai) by his careless comments about her hometown ("Hicksville, India"?) and she immediately takes a dislike to his arrogant, close-minded ways. At the beach resort in Goa, Lalita meets the free-spirited Johnny Wickham (Daniel Gillies) and is immediately attracted to him. She slowly learns, however, that Wickham is not what he seems. It also becomes clear that youngest sister Lakhi (Peeya Rai Choudhary) also fancies the charming Wickham. In the meantime, a distant relative, Mr. Kohli (Nitin Ganatra) comes to visit the Bakshi family with the intent of finding a wife. Mrs. Bakshi immediately pairs him up to Lalita, much to her chagrin and displeasure. After all, Lalita means to marry for love and the cocky, goofy and self-absorbed Mr. Kohli (the scene- stealing role) is far from her idea of the 'ideal man'. Events take Lalita and her family to London and then Los Angeles where circumstances throw her and Will Darcy together. In LA, Lalita meets Will's mother, Catherine (Marsha Mason), and younger sister Georgina (Alexis Bledel). Lalita soon realizes that she may have misjudged Will and a romance blossoms between them. However, revelations come into the surface that threaten to tear the Will and Lalita apart. Those familiar with Jane Austen's book will know how it all ends, of course. Those who don't will have to see this film to find out!
After seeing B&P, I have come to develop a deeper interest and appreciation for Indian culture. The fantastic choreography in dance sequences like "Balle Balle" and "Dola Dola" are vibrant and mesmerizing. The costumes are nothing short of dazzling. I don't think I've ever seen as many beautiful women as I have in this film. Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson have a chemistry that makes their attraction entirely plausible. They are a pleasure to watch. I came out of the movie theater with a big smile on my face and found myself humming the songs for days. I admit that there are some scenes that border on silly or cheesy but this film never really does take itself seriously. At the end of the day, it is a film that is meant to be fun and entertaining. I have since seen "Bride and Prejudice" 3x and can't wait for the dvd!! "Bride and Prejudice" is a joyful and intoxicating movie experience and, as Mr. Kohli says, "I'd happily get drunk on it!!!!"