Amal

Sometimes the ratings force you to watch something, and then even more to write back. This movie is so average that it took several tries to finish it. With geniuses like Mr. Shah you would expect a movie of a lifetime. But this movie uses terrible acting, weak plot, and overambitious storytelling, leading to something akin to a drunk person's never ending tale. A short film of about 5 mins is stretched to feature film length. The acting by most characters was unbearable... and the movie in itself is definitely worth a miss. If you have the time, please make an effort to avoid this film.

A MUST SEE! This is one of the best all-time movies out there! There is a great song that is about a person with genuine feelings who has been misled and ended up in pointed in a direction he didn't want be in life. The movie goes into the philosophy of living and being happy without regard to monetary wealth. The ending truly solidifies the philosophy and brings forth the predicament of millions. This movie makes you think. The more I think about it, the rich person showed himself as poor to keep his rotten family and friends away so they wouldn't ask him for money. He does regret his sons are that way from the way he raised them and the circumstance they were born in.

"Amal" offers a sadly forgotten experience: catharsis. It fools the viewer who is nowadays way too much used to happy endings. This is not to say that the movie doesn't has a happy end, but it's probably not a spoiler to say that the end is very much different than one would expect. "Amal" has been criticized for being too didactic, too much centered on the moral of "poor people with rich heart" but I think there are enough greyshades to save the movie from being naive. It is balanced out by having crooks on the "poor" and (although just ultimately) fair characters on the "rich" side. Apart from that, the movie abounds of memorable scenes - there were at least three scenes where I had to stop and rewind the DVD to watch them again and again, especially those with Naseeruddin Shah in the beginning. Acting is superb here and the actors do their best to fill their sometimes - let's be honest - cardboard characters with life. It shouldn't be forgotten that this is an Indian film, and Indian film culture is not really famous for tragic, character-driven movies. After "Amal", we watched a recent Bollywood hit (wife LOVES them, yuck) and the difference was unspeakable. For me, it was sickening to watch the usual dance-and-love-and-marriage rubbish, and yet this is the style of movies that Indian film industry is famous for. Shame... and no wonder that in such a world, Amal's story ends the way it does.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=vt8n0VydHys I really liked this film too. Story was just so good, it leaves you saying, "But, wait...!" Rupinder Nagra was great. Very understated. And I liked the young girl in it as well. It has some really funny moments, too, but it doesn't try too hard and push for the laughs, they are just right. No wonder it was in the TOP 10 FILMS of 2007. I agree with that distinction. Apparently it made quite a splash at TIFF '07, although I missed it there, and am kicking myself. We should all be supporting Canadian movies like this to continue being made. Its being released in major cities this weekend on August 8th, like Toronto and Vancouver where they can count on me to be watching it.

There are three films called Amal. I am talking about the 2007 version. The 2004 version has the same plot and some of the same actors, but is much shorter. The 2005 version is completely unrelated, about Morocco. The movie catches you over and over. You think you see yet another Hollywood cliché coming, but like a bullfighter the film changes at the last second to surprise you. Even the end leaves you sitting on the ground going what the? What just happened? It is quite a bit more subtle that you would expect from the almost fairy-tale way the story unfolds. Amal himself is insipid and not very interesting. I had far more compassion for the villains and the desperate plights they had got themselves into. The scene where mama prays a vehicle to life with the help of Ganesh was not funny, just insulting. The moral of the movie is God decides if you have good or bad fortune, so it is pointless to try to influence it. I did not enjoy having this idiotic religious philosophy pushed in my face repeatedly as highest virtue and wisdom. I not just the characters thought this way, the director was trying to sell it to the audience as well. Amal does nothing but drive his motorised rickshaw and sleep. (You don't even see him eat, shop, bathe, change ...) He is scrupulously honest (refusing tips). He might as well be a robot for all the life and sophistication he has in him. Even though a number of terrible things happen to him, I was not particularly moved. You are supposed to be extremely impressed by his virtue. I just saw a guy with ADD.

I am a judge for the Indianapolis-based Heartland Film Festival. This feature film is a Crystal Heart Award Winner and is eligible to be the Grand Prize Winner in October of 2008. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit that honors Truly Moving Pictures. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Amal is a 30ish autorickshawdriver in New Delhi. He appears to be simple and quiet and even naïve. He dutifully lives with and supports his Mother, and works long hours to make ends meet. He is so out of place with the rest of the huge city of New Delhi. His fellow autorickshawdrivers seem to be hustlers and cheats. And his passengers and Delhi citizens are even worse. They include conniving lawyers, loan sharks, thieves, bribers, and spoiled adult children. One day Amal chases a little girl who has stolen a purse from a regular passenger. Amal accidentally causes her to be hit by a car and seriously hurt. Amal, out of the goodness of his heart, takes on the welfare of the child in a hospital. We begin to see Amal's incredibly generous and giving nature. Amal also has another chance, life-altering encounter when he picks up a surly old man who hates the world and tries to negotiate hard. Amal won't play his game, and cheerfully acquiesces to the old man's wishes. Unbeknownst to Amal, the man is rich and is so moved by their brief encounter that he leaves Amal in his will. There is a painful irony between Amal needing money to help the hospitalized girl and almost being wealthy by a kindness of a curmudgeon. This irony drives the story, and keeps your interest high. Amal is unaffected by worldly matters that consume everyone else. He is centered by his goodness and honesty and integrity. Sacrifice is all he knows – except for his rich life in the help of others. FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.