This is a comedy about a guy who is naked in the middle of nowhere in a desert along some railroad tracks with nothing but a boom-box who is struggling, like so many of us do, with the failed promises of religion. All he wants ... is his remote back.
I am a huge Aamir Khan fan and I loved 3 Idiots. In fact, I have the love song Zoobie Doobie as my ring tone. So - as soon as they announced this movie - I knew I wanted to see it. The marketing campaign only peaked my interest more. Why is Aamir naked in the middle of the desert with a boom-box? This is the question even my son was asking. Why? Who is his character. Then - they put out the posters - and - who the heck is this PK character.
Well - let me just say - I had no idea that this was going to be the plot. Wow. Let's start with the disclaimer - we don't intend to offend anyone's religion. I'm thinking - OK - I wonder what that's all about. Well, that disclaimer has to go down in history as one of the biggest understatements in all of film history.
Then the opening sequence. And, I'm thinking - wow - this is REALLY a) mind blowing and b) humanistic. Being a Humanist, I loved it - but it seemed a bit extreme for an Indian movie given that India is such a religious country. Having such a science based opening with the philosophy that goes with it - was a bit shocking. I loved it, but it was totally unexpected because it was so expansive.
The foundation of this film is the struggle of someone to come to terms with the failed promises of religion. And it's REALLY funny. I saw it in a nearly sold out theater in America and people were applauding some of the most pointed critiques of religious practice - not because they were anti-religious - but because it was pro-human.
There are some really funny moments in this movie, like Aamir trying to bring wine into a mosque had the entire audience laughing. Again, not because it was making fun of Muslims, but because of how clueless the character PK is. It's also heartbreaking - stunningly so. And as I've been digesting this movie over the past day or so - I realize that the artistic choices to break our hearts in the way this movie does - was incredibly well done. It's so sudden and unexpected that it's perfect for the story line and the social point they are making.
Even the ending is really astonishing. Aamir is just staring at a shoe in his hand, and yet, what is happening around him is creating so much tension. And you know how it's going to end, but that doesn't make you any less tense hoping that it will end how you want it to. They built the tension up and released it perfectly and Aamir's performance, as understated as it was - because he was just looking at a shoe, was amazing.
I was shocked by this film, but in a really good way. If you are a Humanist, you really need to see this film. If you are religious, but frustrated with the con men speaking on behalf of your faith - see this film. You won't be disappointed. As someone said as I passed by - it's about time someone said what we have all been thinking.
I am a huge Aamir Khan fan and I loved 3 Idiots. In fact, I have the love song Zoobie Doobie as my ring tone. So - as soon as they announced this movie - I knew I wanted to see it. The marketing campaign only peaked my interest more. Why is Aamir naked in the middle of the desert with a boom-box? This is the question even my son was asking. Why? Who is his character. Then - they put out the posters - and - who the heck is this PK character.
Well - let me just say - I had no idea that this was going to be the plot. Wow. Let's start with the disclaimer - we don't intend to offend anyone's religion. I'm thinking - OK - I wonder what that's all about. Well, that disclaimer has to go down in history as one of the biggest understatements in all of film history.
Then the opening sequence. And, I'm thinking - wow - this is REALLY a) mind blowing and b) humanistic. Being a Humanist, I loved it - but it seemed a bit extreme for an Indian movie given that India is such a religious country. Having such a science based opening with the philosophy that goes with it - was a bit shocking. I loved it, but it was totally unexpected because it was so expansive.
The foundation of this film is the struggle of someone to come to terms with the failed promises of religion. And it's REALLY funny. I saw it in a nearly sold out theater in America and people were applauding some of the most pointed critiques of religious practice - not because they were anti-religious - but because it was pro-human.
There are some really funny moments in this movie, like Aamir trying to bring wine into a mosque had the entire audience laughing. Again, not because it was making fun of Muslims, but because of how clueless the character PK is. It's also heartbreaking - stunningly so. And as I've been digesting this movie over the past day or so - I realize that the artistic choices to break our hearts in the way this movie does - was incredibly well done. It's so sudden and unexpected that it's perfect for the story line and the social point they are making.
Even the ending is really astonishing. Aamir is just staring at a shoe in his hand, and yet, what is happening around him is creating so much tension. And you know how it's going to end, but that doesn't make you any less tense hoping that it will end how you want it to. They built the tension up and released it perfectly and Aamir's performance, as understated as it was - because he was just looking at a shoe, was amazing.
I was shocked by this film, but in a really good way. If you are a Humanist, you really need to see this film. If you are religious, but frustrated with the con men speaking on behalf of your faith - see this film. You won't be disappointed. As someone said as I passed by - it's about time someone said what we have all been thinking.