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Bachelor Movie Review : Bachelor is a fascinating, indulgent anti-romance involving a flawed character

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Pradeesh Sivakumar 47 286 days ago

It was a bad movie. I personally felt like there was a better way to depict the message shown here. The characters especially Subbu was just used as a plot tool of sorts would have loved it if she was shown more.

Suresh Balandhra 14 352 days ago

Bachelor part 2 unda bro

Nithin Talari 507 days ago

Raghu6300386775 raghu 110 816 days ago.

A Different Romantic Movie.

Akshitha Indukuri 817 days ago

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Bachelor Movie Review (2021): A Toxic Tango of Love, Lust, and Lies

“Bachelor Movie Review” a love story for the ages, or a cautionary tale in disguise? Dive into our in-depth review to uncover the film’s complexities.

Table of Contents

Bouncing Between Bliss and Bedlam: Unveiling the “Bachelor Movie Review” Mystery

Ever felt love’s intoxicating grip morph into a suffocating vise? Welcome to the twisted tango of “Bachelor” (2021), a film that dares to challenge our romantic illusions and expose the raw underbelly of desire. Director Sathish Selvakumar’s provocative creation isn’t a love story with neatly packaged happily-ever-afters; it’s a psychological thriller disguised as a romance, a plunge into the murky depths of obsession where love and toxicity intertwine in a dizzying dance. So, buckle up, dear reader, as we unwrap the layers of this controversial cinematic gem and answer the burning question: Is “Bachelor” a celebration of love’s power or a cautionary tale against its perilous pitfalls?

Unveiling the Enigma of Darling

Darling, the film’s enigmatic protagonist, is far from a knight in shining armor. He oozes charm, sure, but it’s a honeyed mask concealing a web of manipulation and self-absorption. Darling lives life on his terms, dragging his live-in girlfriend, Subbu, into his chaotic orbit. Witnessing his antics—from impulsive decisions to reckless disregard for Subbu’s feelings—is a rollercoaster ride of both fascination and frustration. The question hangs heavy in the air: Is Darling a charismatic rogue trapped in an unfair world, or a master manipulator weaving a web of control? This ambiguity is precisely what makes “Bachelor” so compelling, forcing us to grapple with the complexity of human nature and the blurred lines between passion and power.

Subbu’s Tangled Threads: Love, Doubt, and Dilemma

Subbu, Darling’s partner, isn’t simply a passive victim. She’s caught in a tug-of-war between love and self-preservation. The film masterfully portrays her internal conflict—the pull of attraction battling against the gnawing sense of unease. We see her grapple with Darling’s erratic behavior, questioning his motives and her own choices. Does she truly love him, or is it a toxic Stockholm syndrome masquerading as affection? “Bachelor” doesn’t offer easy answers, pushing us to empathize with Subbu’s dilemma and recognize the insidious nature of emotional manipulation.

A Taste of What’s to Come

This, dear reader, is just a glimpse into the intricate tapestry “Bachelor” weaves. Stay tuned for further exploration of the film’s themes, technical aspects, and its place in the cinematic landscape. We’ll dive deeper into the controversy surrounding its portrayal of relationships and unravel the symbolism hiding within its frames. Buckle up, for the journey into the heart of “Bachelor” promises to be as thrilling as it is thought-provoking.

Navigating the Labyrinth: Unveiling the “Bachelor” Plot Synopsis

Love stories often follow a predictable path, but “Bachelor” (2021) throws that map out the window and plunges us into a labyrinth of tangled relationships, simmering tensions, and choices rife with consequences. Brace yourself for a journey where the line between bliss and bedlam is thinner than you think.

A Glimpse into Chaotic Harmony

Darling, our resident charmer, isn’t your typical hero. He’s a free spirit, an artist who thrives on spontaneity, often to the detriment of those around him. His live-in girlfriend, Subbu, is the grounding force, the voice of reason amidst the whirlwind. They share a passionate, intense relationship, fueled by an undeniable spark. But beneath the surface of their seemingly happy cohabitation, cracks begin to show. Darling’s impulsiveness bleeds into recklessness, with his decisions impacting Subbu’s stability and future. The question arises: Can love truly flourish in such a volatile atmosphere?

A Twist of Fate, a Tangled Web

Enter the unexpected twist that disrupts their fragile equilibrium. A pregnancy test throws everything into disarray, forcing both Darling and Subbu to confront a future neither fully envisioned. This unexpected change becomes the catalyst for a chain reaction of choices, each one pushing their relationship further into uncharted territory. Darling’s reaction, a mixture of excitement and apprehension, clashes with Subbu’s internal turmoil. Her conflicting emotions—excitement at motherhood, fear of the unknown, and doubts about Darling’s commitment—paint a compelling picture of a woman at a crossroads.

Secrets Unveiled, Trust Eroded

As the weight of this life-altering decision hangs heavy, a web of secrets begins to unravel. Hidden truths and past choices resurface, casting a shadow of doubt on everything they thought they knew about each other. Trust, once the cornerstone of their relationship, starts to crumble. The film masterfully weaves these revelations into the narrative, forcing us to question the characters’ motivations and the true nature of their connection. “Bachelor” doesn’t shy away from the messy realities of relationships, reminding us that love and deception can often dance a dangerous tango.

Deciphering the Characters: Inside the Hearts of “Bachelor”

The beating heart of any film lies in its characters, and “Bachelor” (2021) boasts a complex duo whose motivations and flaws captivate and challenge. Darling, the titular bachelor, and Subbu, his live-in love, are far from archetypes; they’re intricate tapestries woven with threads of charm, self-absorption, and desperate yearning. Let’s dive into their souls, shall we?

Delving into Darling’s Enigma

There’s an undeniable magnetism to Darling. He’s an artist, a free spirit who lives life on his terms. His charisma spills off the screen, drawing Subbu and the audience into his orbit. But beneath the charm lies a darkness, a selfishness that manifests in impulsive decisions and disregard for consequences.

He’s a child in a man’s body, throwing tantrums when things don’t go his way, yet capable of moments of surprising tenderness. We grapple with Darling’s complexity, asking ourselves: Is he a misunderstood artist trapped in a stifling world or a manipulative puppeteer pulling the strings of those around him? “Bachelor” offers no easy answers, forcing us to confront the gray areas of human nature and the seductive allure of toxic charisma.

Unraveling Subbu’s Tapestry:

Subbu, Darling’s partner, is more than just a damsel in distress. She’s intelligent, strong-willed, and yearning for stability. Yet she finds herself inextricably drawn to Darling’s whirlwind energy, captivated by his passion and the promise of an exciting life. But as the film progresses, her love crumbles under the weight of his erratic behavior and hidden truths.

We see her grapple with doubt, questioning her choices, and clinging to the fading embers of their love. Is she trapped in a toxic cycle, blinded by affection, or can she find the strength to break free and forge her path? Subbu’s journey resonates with anyone who’s ever loved someone deeply, yet with a gnawing awareness that they might be pulling you towards the edge of a cliff.

Beyond the Leads: A Family Affair

But Darling and Subbu aren’t alone in their emotional tempest. Family members and friends weave their threads into the narrative, adding complexity and fuel to the fire. Darling’s overbearing mother and Subbu’s supportive sisters become catalysts for conflict, forcing both characters to confront their expectations and desires. The film masterfully portrays the intricacies of family dynamics, reminding us that love and support can take many forms, even when laced with frustration and disappointment.

Beneath the Surface: Unmasking the “Bachelor” Themes and Symbols

“Bachelor” (2021) transcends a mere love story by weaving a tapestry of potent themes and symbolic elements that linger long after the credits roll. This film is an invitation to unravel the complexities of human relationships, confront uncomfortable truths, and question the very definitions of love and control. So, let’s delve into the murky depths of “Bachelor” and dissect the hidden treasures buried within its narrative.

The Duality of Desire and Toxicity

At its core, “Bachelor” grapples with the intoxicating yet treacherous dance between desire and toxicity. Darling’s magnetism is undeniable, drawing Subbu into a whirlwind of passion. However, this passion comes at a cost, laced with manipulation, emotional neglect, and disregard for her needs. The film forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that love and toxicity can coexist, blurring the lines of healthy affection and codependency. It sparks a crucial conversation about recognizing the seductive allure of unhealthy relationships and learning to navigate them with awareness and self-preservation.

The Cage of Expectations

Throughout the film, recurring symbols echo the characters’ internal struggles. One powerful image is the cage Darling builds for his pet parrots. While meant as a playful enclosure, it can’t help but evoke a sense of entrapment, mirroring Subbu’s growing claustrophobia within their volatile relationship. Similarly, the recurring motif of closed doors and windows emphasizes the suffocating atmosphere, hinting at the need for both characters to break free from their self-imposed and external constraints.

The Price of Self-Discovery

Beyond the toxic tango, “Bachelor” whispers another poignant theme: the price of self-discovery. Subbu’s journey becomes a testament to the courage it takes to break free from unhealthy patterns and confront one’s desires. As she faces the consequences of her choices, she grapples with self-doubt and fear. Yet, amidst the chaos, she finds glimmers of resilience and independence. We witness her reconnecting with her supportive sister, finding solace in her creativity, and taking tentative steps towards building a life beyond Darling’s shadow. “Bachelor” reminds us that the path to self-discovery is rarely linear, but the struggle for personal growth is always worth the journey.

The Metamorphosis of the Butterfly

This theme of transformation is subtly represented by the recurring butterfly motif. Initially seen as fragile and trapped, the butterfly later appears as Subbu presents her artwork, symbolizing her potential for metamorphosis. It’s a subtle yet powerful reminder that even in the darkest corners, the possibility for change and evolution lies dormant, waiting to be awakened.

Beyond Charm and Chaos: Diving into the Technical Depths of “Bachelor”

“Bachelor” (2021) isn’t just a whirlwind of emotions; it’s a meticulously crafted cinematic experience where technical aspects amplify the film’s narrative punch. From the captivating cinematography to the soul-stirring music, every element works in unison to immerse us in the characters’ tangled desires and volatile realities. So, let’s dim the lights, grab our popcorn, and delve into the technical mastery that elevates “Bachelor” beyond a mere film into a sensory feast.

A Visual Symphony: Cinematography that Captures the Tumult

The camera in “Bachelor” isn’t merely an observer; it’s a participant in the emotional rollercoaster. Sweeping handheld shots mimic the chaotic energy of Darling’s world, while moments of intimacy are bathed in close-ups that reveal the flicker of doubt in Subbu’s eyes. The contrasting use of light and shadow further underscores the film’s thematic duality, highlighting the precarious balance between love and manipulation. Whether it’s the claustrophobic atmosphere of their apartment or the liberating vastness of a beach scene, the cinematography masterfully mirrors the characters’ internal struggles, drawing us deeper into their tumultuous universe.

A Score that Speaks Volumes: Music as an Emotional Compass

The music in “Bachelor” is more than just background noise; it’s a character in its own right. The pulsating score reflects Darling’s flamboyant spirit, while melancholic strings tug at our heartstrings as Subbu wrestles with her doubts. The film cleverly juxtaposes upbeat melodies with moments of unsettling silence, amplifying the tension and leaving us on the edge of our seats. Whether it’s the hauntingly beautiful theme accompanying Subbu’s artistic expression or the jarring percussion that underscores Darling’s impulsiveness, the music in “Bachelor” becomes a powerful storyteller, guiding us through the emotional labyrinth of the narrative.

Beyond the Leads: Stellar Performances Shine Through

While the film hinges on the captivating performances of GV Prakash Kumar and Divya Prashad, the supporting cast deserves a standing ovation. Kumar flawlessly embodies Darling’s charisma and volatility, seamlessly transitioning from playful charm to explosive outbursts. Prashad, on the other hand, navigates the emotional spectrum with an authenticity that resonates deeply. The subtle nuances in her expressions, the hesitation in her voice, and the flicker of defiance in her eyes speak volumes about Subbu’s internal conflict. The ensemble cast, portraying family members and friends, further adds depth and texture to the narrative, reminding us that no relationship exists in isolation.

A Love Story Gone Rogue: Navigating the Controversy Surrounding “Bachelor”

“Bachelor” (2021) isn’t simply a film; it’s a cinematic lightning rod that has sparked heated debates and divided audiences. While some laud its raw exploration of complex relationships and applaud its daring portrayal of an unconventional protagonist, others criticize its potential glorification of toxicity and question its ethical boundaries. Let’s navigate the storm of controversy surrounding “Bachelor” and delve into the reasons behind its polarizing reception.

Walking the Tightrope: Toxic Masculinity and Its Allure

Darling, the titular bachelor, is far from the knight in shining armor. He embodies a brand of toxic masculinity that both mesmerizes and repels. His impulsive decisions, reckless disregard for consequences, and manipulative tendencies challenge our traditional notions of romance. Some viewers praised the film for presenting a refreshingly realistic portrayal of a flawed individual, arguing that sugar-coated heroes fail to capture the messy reality of human relationships. Others, however, raise concerns about the potential glorification of Darling’s behavior, fearing it might romanticize unhealthy patterns and normalize emotional abuse for some viewers. The film’s ambiguity in condemning or condoning his actions fuels the controversy, forcing us to grapple with the complex dynamics of power and control within relationships.

Crossing the Line: Blurring the Lines Between Love and Codependency

Subbu, Darling’s partner, isn’t a passive victim. Yet, her journey through codependency and self-discovery sparks another facet of the debate. Some viewers question the film’s portrayal of Subbu’s choices, citing her initial blindness to Darling’s flaws and her continued submission to his manipulative behavior. Critics argue that the film might unintentionally romanticize codependency, blurring the lines between passionate love and unhealthy attachment. Conversely, supporters of the film see Subbu’s journey as a powerful testament to female resilience and the courage it takes to break free from toxic cycles. They find her gradual awakening and steps towards self-preservation to be a hopeful message within the film’s darker undertones.

Pushing Boundaries: Storytelling Ethics and Artistic Expression

Beyond the portrayal of relationships, “Bachelor” raises questions about storytelling ethics and artistic freedom. Some viewers express discomfort with the film’s unflinching exploration of potentially triggering themes like abortion and family conflict. They argue that the film’s raw realism crosses the line, pushing emotional boundaries and potentially triggering emotional responses in unprepared audiences. Supporters, however, counter that artistic expression must have the freedom to explore uncomfortable truths, highlighting the film’s potential to spark important conversations about sensitive topics and raise awareness about unhealthy relationship dynamics.

Echoes of “Bachelor”: Unraveling the Lingering Threads

“Bachelor” (2021) isn’t a film that fades with the final credits. Its potent themes, complex characters, and raw exploration of love’s darker side leave lingering questions and emotional threads that refuse to be easily dismissed. So, let’s gather our thoughts and unravel the captivating tapestry woven by “Bachelor,” acknowledging its lasting impact and inviting further reflections.

Unflinching Honesty: Challenging Our Perceptions of Love

“Bachelor” doesn’t shy away from the messy realities of human relationships. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that love can coexist with manipulation, toxicity, and self-doubt. Darling’s charm and Subbu’s vulnerability paint a nuanced picture of a relationship teetering on the edge, reminding us that fairy tales rarely capture the complex dynamics of real-life love. This unfiltered honesty, while potentially unsettling, is also essential. It sparks crucial conversations about recognizing emotional manipulation, setting healthy boundaries, and understanding the dangers of codependency. “Bachelor” challenges us to redefine our romantic ideals and embrace the complexities of love in all its messy glory.

The Ripple Effect: Navigating Personal Connections

The film’s impact extends beyond its cinematic universe. It becomes a mirror, reflecting our own experiences and relationships. We might see glimpses of Darling’s impulsiveness in a past partner, recognize Subbu’s struggle for self-worth in our journeys, or witness echoes of family dynamics within our circles. “Bachelor” encourages introspection, prompting us to examine our vulnerabilities and communication patterns. It becomes a tool for understanding both healthy and unhealthy relationship dynamics, empowering us to make informed choices and nurture connections that enrich our lives.

Fueling Dialogue: Sparking Conversations Beyond the Screen

“Bachelor” isn’t simply a film; it’s a catalyst for conversation. Its bold exploration of controversial themes generates healthy discussions about gender roles, mental health, and the ethics of storytelling. The film’s reception and its sparks of both praise and criticism highlight the importance of open dialogue and diverse perspectives. By engaging in respectful conversations about “Bachelor,” we can deepen our understanding of complex issues, challenge personal biases, and strive for healthier relationships both on and off-screen.

This journey through the lingering echoes of “Bachelor” is just the beginning. Share your thoughts and interpretations in the comments, engage in discussions with fellow viewers, and delve deeper into the film’s impact on your perspectives. Remember, “Bachelor” is a gift that keeps on giving; it’s a conversation starter, a mirror to our relationships, and a reminder that love, in all its forms, is a fascinating and multifaceted mystery waiting to be explored.

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Bachelor Movie Review: A takedown of toxic masculinity that isn’t

Darling (GV Prakash Kumar) in Bachelor is hardly a darling — the name, an evident attempt at a joke. He urinates on laptops, endangers friends with reckless riding, barely goes to work, lies to friends, ogles at women, gets petulant when he won’t get immediate sex … I could go on.

The film seems to believe — under the mistaken assumption that duration is detail — that it is a revealing three-hour portrait of this toxic, chauvinistic man — and that it stands against him. I might have got on board, had the film’s creative choices not betrayed a desire to ingratiate itself with the ‘youth audiences’ at the cost of its subject matter. When Darling ogles at the heroine, Subbu (Divyabharathi), the camera too does this, introducing us to the woman’s posterior first. When Darling is nice to her, the film romanticises his decency.

Subbu, interestingly, tells Darling, “People like you who come to the big city, romanticise even innocuous relationships.” When Darling, yet again, chooses silly aggression over common sense by threatening a lawyer, the film, with its music, celebrates this as a gesture of machismo. When Darling cons his friends, or worse, maims them, the film advertises this as comedy. It’s impossible to shake off the notion that the film likes him, even if it wants us eventually to buy that it stands against him. To buy into it, you must be as naïve as Subbu — who develops feelings because Darling, her roommate, helps her when sick, and later, makes her a thengaai barfi.

During this early sequence, I gave the film the benefit of doubt, telling myself that it could be commentary on how women like Subbu are surrounded by so many unkind men that even the slightest, most polite gesture feels so grand. However, there’s only so many times that you can make arguments on behalf of a film that doesn’t seem to care as much as you do.

Director: Sathish Selvakumar

Cast: GV Prakash, Divyabharathi, Bagavathi Perumal

Also read:  Sivaranjaniyum Innum Sila Pengalum Movie Review: A disturbing glimpse into the life of women

For a while, I wasn’t even sure if this film was going anywhere. We get long, indulgent shots of Darling dipping biscuits in tea, eating biryani, refrigerating mango juice… He’s chattering away with friends, publicly admitting to vigorous masturbation, showing great proclivity towards alcohol… For how long this film is, it’s neither a deep exploration of Darling — which perhaps is its purpose — nor a deep account of his relationship with Subbu. Perhaps most problematically, I didn’t care a lot for Subbu either, as she is not at the centre of this film. This means that when you feel catharsis at the end, it’s not because she makes a gesture; it’s because the film has come to an end.

After three hours of Bachelor, all we really know about Subbu is that she isn’t the greatest judge of character, and that she has backward notions about abortion. Strangely, despite all the focus on Darling, we don’t know much about him either, except that he’s a sociopath who likes alcohol and sex. Perhaps that’s the film’s scathing view of the average chauvinist, but such generic descriptions hardly make for engaging interpersonal dynamics. There are barely any likeable men in this film, except, I suppose, Darling’s friend who stands up to him towards the end. Just as I was beginning to like him, he makes a statement — equalising Subbu’s interest in children, with her interest in Darling — putting paid to it.

Perhaps the only really interesting portion in this film is when matters of a court come into focus, and a ‘domestic abuse’ case gets debated. There’s some comic commentary on how lawyers often exaggerate their client’s positions to win judgments in their favour. Even before you can make your peace with this flawed romance turning into a courtroom drama, the film moves on to milk castration for comedy. The very notion that castration could be punishment for a toxic man feels like it justifies the exaggerated pride men seem to take in their sexual potency in the first place. For a film that attempts to be a takedown of masculine ego, this is a strange solution to make peace with.

By the time Mysskin, in a cameo, was performing varma kalai on Darling for reasons I don’t even want to get into, it had become clear that good intentions or otherwise, Bachelor had long lost its way — and worse, had done so willingly.

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Bachelor Movie Review: A takedown of toxic masculinity that isn’t

Rating: ( 2 / 5).

Darling (GV Prakash Kumar) in Bachelor is hardly a darling—the name, an evident attempt at a joke. He urinates on laptops, endangers friends with reckless riding, barely goes to work, lies to friends, ogles at women, gets petulant when he won’t get immediate sex… I could go on. The film seems to believe—under the mistaken assumption that duration is detail—that it is a revealing three-hour portrait of this toxic, chauvinistic man—and that it stands against him. I might have got on board, had the film’s creative choices not betrayed a desire to ingratiate itself with the ‘youth audiences’ at the cost of its subject matter. When Darling ogles at the heroine, Subbu (Divyabharathi), the camera too does this, introducing us to the woman’s posterior first. When Darling is nice to her, the film romanticises his decency. Subbu, interestingly, tells Darling, “People like you who come to the big city, romanticise even innocuous relationships.” When Darling, yet again, chooses silly aggression over common sense by threatening a lawyer, the film, with its music, celebrates this as a gesture of machismo. When Darling cons his friends, or worse, maims them, the film advertises this as comedy. It’s impossible to shake off the notion that the film likes him, even if it wants us eventually to buy that it stands against him. To buy into it, you must be as naïve as Subbu—who develops feelings because Darling, her roommate, helps her when sick, and later, makes her a thengaai barfi . During this early sequence, I gave the film the benefit of doubt, telling myself that it could be commentary on how women like Subbu are surrounded by so many unkind men that even the slightest, most polite gesture feels so grand. However, there’s only so many times that you can make arguments on behalf of a film that doesn’t seem to care as much as you do.

Director: Sathish Selvakumar

Cast: GV Prakash, Divyabharathi, Bagavathi Perumal

For a while, I wasn’t even sure if this film was going anywhere. We get long, indulgent shots of Darling dipping biscuits in tea, eating biryani, refrigerating mango juice… He’s chattering away with friends, publicly admitting to vigorous masturbation, showing great proclivity towards alcohol… For how long this film is, it’s neither a deep exploration of Darling—which perhaps is its purpose—nor a deep account of his relationship with Subbu. Perhaps most problematically, I didn’t care a lot for Subbu either, as she is not at the centre of this film. This means that when you feel catharsis at the end, it’s not because she makes a gesture; it’s because the film has come to an end.

After three hours of Bachelor , all we really know about Subbu is that she isn’t the greatest judge of character, and that she has backward notions about abortion. Strangely, despite all the focus on Darling, we don’t know much about him either, except that he’s a sociopath who likes alcohol and sex. Perhaps that’s the film’s scathing view of the average chauvinist, but such generic descriptions hardly make for engaging interpersonal dynamics. There are barely any likeable men in this film, except, I suppose, Darling’s friend who stands up to him towards the end. Just as I was beginning to like him, he makes a statement—equalising Subbu’s interest in children, with her interest in Darling—putting paid to it.

Perhaps the only really interesting portion in this film is when matters of a court come into focus, and a ‘domestic abuse’ case gets debated. There’s some comic commentary on how lawyers often exaggerate their client’s positions to win judgments in their favour. Even before you can make your peace with this flawed romance turning into a courtroom drama, the film moves on to milk castration for comedy. The very notion that castration could be punishment for a toxic man feels like it justifies the exaggerated pride men seem to take in their sexual potency in the first place. For a film that attempts to be a takedown of masculine ego, this is a strange solution to make peace with. By the time Mysskin, in a cameo, was performing varma kalai on Darling for reasons I don’t even want to get into, it had become clear that good intentions or otherwise, Bachelor had long lost its way—and worse, had done so willingly.

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Bachelor: Release Date, Trailer, Songs, Cast

• Release Date 3 December 2021
• Language Tamil
• Genre Drama
• Duration 2h 56min
• Cast Divya Bharathi, G. V. Prakash Kumar, Munishkanth, Bagavathi Perumal, Mysskin, Monica Chinnakotla, R. K. Vijay Murugan, Jayann, Muthu Prasad Shanmugasundharam, Nakkalites Arun, Nakkalites Dhanam, Brindha, Victor Nirmal Felx, Manoj Beads, Kotravai, Prem Kumar, K M Rasheduzzaman Rafi, Sasi kumar, Kiran R, Sriram Manivannan, Sam Isaac, Surya Veerarajan, VJ Mubashir, Mathuram, Subash Selvam, Tamizh, Prankster Rahul, TSR, Karthik Gunasehkaran
• Director Satish Selvakumar
• Writer Satish Selvakumar, K M Rasheduzzaman Rafi
• Cinematography Theni Eswar
• Music Siddhu Kumar, Dhibu Ninan Thomas, A. H. Kaashif, G. V. Prakash Kumar
• Producer G. Dillibabu
• Production Axess Film Factory
• Certificate 18+

About Bachelor Movie (2021)

Darling (G. V. Prakash Kumar), who has behavioural issues and hails from a conservative background, relocates to Bengaluru in search of a job.

He gets into a live-in relationship with a modern girl, Subbulakshmi a.k.a. Subbu (Divya Bharathi). As they live together, Darling's amateurish behaviour leads to a series of problematic events.

Bachelor Movie Cast, Release Date, Trailer, Songs and Ratings

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Home » Review » Bachelor movie review: This romantic drama, starring GV Prakash and Divyabharathi, is engaging in parts »

Bachelor movie review: This romantic drama, starring GV Prakash and Divyabharathi, is engaging in parts

The film is a slow-paced emotional drama which touches upon the complexities faced by a couple in live-in relationship. Had the makers concentrated more on its screenplay and duration, it would have been a compelling film   

A still from the movie

• Thinkal Menon

Last Updated: 05.54 PM, Dec 03, 2021

Story: A youngster with an orthodox mindset starts a live-in relationship with a bold girl. The former gets the shock of his life when he knows that his partner is pregnant. Quite concerned about his conservative family members, he forces his partner to abort pregnancy. However, she refuses to do the same and starts living separately. The girl's parents decide to take the legal route to deal with the issue. What will happen to the panicked youngster? 

Review: Sathish Selvakumar's Bachelor takes its own sweet time to establish its premise and lead characters. The story of a live-in couple is not new to Kollywood, but the director has tried to narrate it with different set of characters and conflicts in this film. Set in the backdrop of Bangalore, the story begins only after its lead characters get to know each other. 

But do they even understand each other despite having spent several days together? The long-drawn-out emotional drama with a few funny episodes has interesting moments. But is that enough to hold the attention of the viewers?

Darling (GV Prakash) is a Coimbatore-based IT employee, who works in Bangalore. Hailing from a conservative family, he lives along with his friends in the Garden City. As someone who is clueless about his needs and priorities, Darling has been leading quite a mundane life.  

His life witnesses a roller-coaster ride after Subbu's (Divyabharathi) entry. Though she is his colleague, Darling slowly gets to know her only after they get some time to spend with each other at her home. But little did they know that they would become physically close in a few days' time.      

One day, Darling, who goes to attend a family event at his native, gets overwhelmed when Subbu tells him that she is pregnant with his child. He rushes to be with her, but forces her to abort the twin babies. However, a determined Subbu decides to nurture the children.

With no option left, they part ways and Subbu's parents decide to take the legal route against Darling. Subbu's father, a criminal lawyer, comes up a slew of with fabricated evidences to trap him. Upon his friends' suggestions, Darling, on the other hand, is forced to prove that he is impotent. 

The plot, which has a partly engaging screenplay, entertains the viewers in a few sequences. The complex relationship between Darling and Subbu begin interestingly, thanks to their convincing chemistry, and the actors are apt in their roles. But as the story progresses, the director seems to have sidelined Subbu's issues.

A lot of time has been spent on highlighting Darling's family issues and the legal hassles he goes through. But we get only little on Subbu's state of mind and the trauma she goes through.

An interesting part of the screenplay is the manner in which the director portrayed the difference in the behaviour of a couple in a no strings attached relationship before and after they are about to become parents. A few sequences involving Bagavathi Perumal and Munishkanth bring the house down, thanks to some of the witty one-liners ad hilarious situations.

The entire stretch of sequences where the two actors and other friends of Darling go all out to prove his impotency to help him in the legal case is quite funny. There are a few other breezy and comic bits, too. But the problem is many of these scenes are over-stretched. 

Theni Eswar's cinematography and Siddhu Kumar's background score stand out. With a duration of close to three hours, the film tests our patience at times. The staging of few scenes remind you of some of the moments from Premam, Arjun Reddy and Ishq. The movie ends up as a long-drawn-out romantic drama with partly engaging moments.    

Verdict: Bachelor is a slow-paced emotional drama which touches upon the complexities faced by a couple in live-in relationship. Had the makers concentrated a little more on its screenplay and duration, it would have been an engaging film. 

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‘9-1-1’: ‘Bachelor’ Crossover Episode Nabs Best Seven-Day Rating in Nearly a Year

By Selome Hailu

Selome Hailu

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The 100th episode of “ 9-1-1 ,” which guest starred Joey Graziadei and Jesse Palmer as a crossover with “ The Bachelor ,” reached a rating of 0.91 among adults age 18-49 according after one week of delayed viewing.

Up from a 0.59 according to same-day data, that marks show’s best Live + 7 rating in the key demo since the Season 6 finale in May 2023, per Nielsen. And after incorporating Disney’s proprietary data via streams on Hulu and other digital platforms, the 18-49 rating comes out to a 2.2, up from the 2.18 achieved the week before when “9-1-1” hit a season high of 10.7 million viewers according to Multiplatform + 7 data.

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“9-1-1” was renewed for an eighth season just before the crossover aired. Along with appearances by Graziadei and Palmer, the 100th episode drew buzz for revealing that Buck, played by Oliver Stark, was bisexual. “I think it’s deserved and I think it’s earned — and I am excited to to get the chance to tell it,” Stark said in an interview with Variety , later adding on his own social media that he “couldn’t be prouder” of the storyline.

Along with Stark, “9-1-1” stars Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kenneth Choi, Aisha Hinds, Ryan Guzman and Gavin McHugh. The series hails from creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and showrunner Tim Minear. 20th Television produces in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision. Executive producers include Bassett, Krause, John J. Gray, Brad Buecker, Kristen Reidel, Juan Carlos Coto and Lyndsey Beaulieu.

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The Bachelor Parent Guide

Men, like wild mustangs, are driven to various sweet patches of grass -- tall, short, dark and blonde grasses.

Release date November 3, 1999

Run Time: 101 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

The Bachelor begins with an analogy that men, like wild mustangs, are driven to various sweet patches of grass—tall, short, dark and blonde grasses. Over grand aerial views of wild horses on the open plains, we hear Jimmie Shannon (Chris O’Donnell) explaining that both want their freedom and “have an endless quest for…”—cut to a close-up of many shapely female legs perched at a bar.

About author

Rod Gustafson

The bachelor parents' guide.

How do movies like this, and recent television programs that focus on marrying for money, add to the growing lack of respect towards marriage in our society?

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Bachelor Movie Review (2021)

Gv prakash's bachelor movie review - film co-starring divya bharathi.

Bachelor Movie Cast & Crew

Amidst a good pre-release buzz and hype, GV Prakash's Bachelor has been released in theatres. Directed by debutant Sathish Selvakumar, Bachelor is a film that is targeted at the youth audience. Here is our take on Bachelor. 

STORY:  Bachelor follows the story of Darling (GV Prakash) and Subbu (Divya Bharathi), who are in an intimate relationship, and eventually end up becoming pregnant. Darling asks Subbu to abort the baby, but she isn't ready to kill an innocent life. This creates a rift between the couple who part ways. What were the after-effects of the pregnancy and did they find a common solution to their problem is what Bachelor is all about.  

SCREENPLAY, DIALOGUES & DIRECTION:  The first half of Bachelor is quite interestingly-packaged with a good level of fun and drama. Director Sathish Selvakumar seems to have been inspired by Alphonse Puthren's Premam as quite a lot of shots, the background score, and the edit pattern of Bachelor looks very much similar. Sathish seems to be in no hurry as he has treated the film in a calm and steady manner. The film does take its own sweet time to take off and once the conflict arises between the leads, the stage is set for an exciting second half. However, the film drifts away from its path and moves towards a completely different direction, post the half mark. When you expect to see the drama between the leads or the pain that they undergo, Sathish shifts the focus towards something else.

A major chunk of the second half revolves around GV Prakash's character and there is not even a single shot of Divya, as a result of which you don't constantly stay connected to the movie. Director Sathish's intention to tell a mature story about two people in a relationship is appreciable, but it would have been better if the second half was also centered around them and their problems. The Bachelor that we now see has a decent first half and a clueless second half. The staging of the courtroom scenes could have been more effective and convincing as the current version looks unimpactful.

The duration of the film is a concern since the pace of the movie is also slow, especially in the latter half. Had the film been high on engagement, the runtime wouldn't have mattered, but due to the slow-paced screenplay, you need to hold your patience. 

CAST:  GV Prakash has put up a fine performance that shows varied emotions. As a man of flaws and full of confusions, GV Prakash has matured as an actor, with a good level of confidence. Debutant Divya Bharathi makes a good impression with her performance, especially in the emotional scenes. Divya is sure to earn a good fan base and she seems to be a talent to watch out for. Bagavathi Perumal and Munishkanth score well with their humour among the other supporting characters. Director Mysskin helps with a few laughs in his short and delightful cameo. 

TECHNICAL: Siddhu Kumar's background music adds a special flavour to the film and it is surely a big aspect of the movie. The songs don't stay inside you for a long time. Theni Eswar's cinematography is classy and impressive aiding Sathish's vision. Bachelor is a film that has a unique presentation and San Lokesh's cuts play a major role in that. 

SO?  Bachelor is a slow-paced average film that needed more focus on the conflict between its leads!  

Verdict Bachelor starts off in an interesting fashion but loses its fizz on the go. An average watch!

Galatta Rating: ( 2.5 /5.0 )

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Bachelor Movie Review

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While watching debut filmmaker Sathish Selvakumar’s Bachelor, we are bound to certain appreciations and of course, some sort of indirect references to movies like Arjun Reddy, where the lovers aren’t more poetic, but rugged. For them, the romance isn’t merely about fantasizing over a duet song in the wonderland, but with intense cuddling, PDAs, and the blatant ritual of ‘LUST’. The Post-Arjun Reddy phase had left a deep impact in K-Town, where the urban heroes overtook the rural (Madurai) heroes with long hairs and thick beards. For instance, the chocolate boy Harish Kalyan in Ispade Rajavum Idhaya Raniyum fell into the same domain. While watching the climax of this GV Prakash-Divya Bharathi starrer “Bachelor”, it does leave the slightest trace of the above mentioned Telugu flick reference, but with the female lead being contrastive in her decision. Yeah! Both are pregnant ladies, and their beaus have parted ways, only to confess and get united, but then… Sathish Selvakumar wants to make a difference here.

The visual promos have already prepared the audiences on what to expect. The makers have clearly cited that it’s not a fun-loving Rom-Com or Adult Comedy, but an intense drama. Naturally, we could sense it all from the trailers. So what’s the tale all about? GV Prakash travels all the way from Coimbatore to Bengaluru for an IT Job and leaves a happy-go-lucky life with his friends. He comes across Divya Bharathi, with whom he instantly attracted. Both of them have the same feelings, and naturally, get indulged in an intimate relationship. But the actual trouble pops up when she gets pregnant and the boy doesn’t want to take up the responsibility.

Director Sathish Selvakumar deserves special mention for the clarity he envisioned on the film’s presentation. Every single technical department has worked accordingly to his plan. Yes, he owns the panache of Director’s Cut, which not many filmmakers of this contemporary phase are enjoying. Be it songs, BGM, or cinematography, it helps a lot in keeping the scenes engrossed. The first half of the film is completely dedicated to the teens, where they can laugh out loud; self-pinch to avoid the laughter for double entendre if seated near to some elderly people out there in the theaters. In contrast, the second hour gets intense, and the play slightly gets directionless. In many places, we don’t see the lead characters have any dialogues or performances. It’s the supporting characters that dominate the space. With a running length of 3Hrs approximately, the second half lets you feel the draggy spell here and there. With 20-25 minutes of trimmed version, the narrative would have got better. The climax might look a little incomplete as it creates a sort of open ending, where the girl has her way to end this serious drama, but it might land up with different conclusions and perspectives. Well, we can get into the analysis with this climax with a stretched version, but that would become a spoiler.

Final word – End of the show! A broad-minded audience would say this – Please Grow up guys! Our society has gone far beyond those pre-marital relationships, and it has already opened to LGBTQ factors. In this aspect, Bachelor is nothing, but a repetition of a time-worn plot, which might tickle the excitements of teen audiences to a certain extent.

Bachelor is nothing, but a repetition of a time-worn plot, which might tickle the excitements of teen audiences to a certain extent.

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BACHELOR MOVIE REVIEW CLICK TO RATE THE MOVIE

Bachelor is a film written and directed by Sathish Selvakumar and produced by G Dilli Babu under the banner Axess Film Factory. The film has GV Prakash and Divya Bharathi in the lead roles while Bagavathi Perumal, Munishkanth, Mysskin and others play supporting roles. It has music by Siddhu Kumar and cinematography by Theni Eswar. 

Darling (GV Prakash) is a good for nothing guy who has just come to Bangalore in search of a job. He lives in a mansion along with many bachelors. During a party he meets Subbu (Divya Bharathi) and they soon get into a live-in relationship. Unexpectedly she becomes pregnant which creates a rift between them, and what happens after that forms the rest of the plot.

Bachelor has a premise that is rarely explored in Tamil cinema. How often have we seen a toxic relationship written where we empathize with the female lead than the male lead? The film chooses this very setup and has a terrific first half that has very little flab. The writing is organic and the staging is lovely. The rhythm the film has is also perfect.

However once the second half begins, the screenplay becomes stagnant and it seems like the film is confused about where it is heading to. There is a courtroom sequence which is not that engaging and the other portions are filled with cinematic liberties. A random police officer appears out of nowhere and does not have much to do with the plot. 

Among the performers, GV Prakash does a fine neat job but it is debutant Divya Bharathi who steals the show. She looks stunning and emotes well. Once Munishkanth enters, his counters and chemistry with Bagavathi Perumal save the sinking second half to an extent. The film also has a runtime of a little less than 3 hours, which affects the engagement. A few scenes in the second half could have been trimmed to overcome this problem. 

Siddhu Kumar shines with his BGM that's loud in certain parts but effective for most of the runtime. Especially the mass scenes involving GV Prakash are superbly amped up. He shows a lot of promise and is definitely a composer to look out for in upcoming films. Theni Eswar's cinematography complements the director's vision properly and there's nothing to complain. 

In the initial portions the film shows the perspective of Subbu in a sensitive way and makes us root for her emotions. But somewhere along the way, the film discards her character, and focusses only on Darling, thereby making us root for the wrong character. Had the film remained honest to what it set out to do, the product would have been much better. 

Overall, Bachelor is a well made film with outstanding technical aspects like music and cinematography. It had a lot of potential and it seemed like the film made right use of it till the first half. But a less engaging second half results in Bachelor ending up as a middling film with a good message. 

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பிரேக்கிங் சினிமா செய்திகள், திரை விமர்சனம், பாடல் விமர்சனம், ஃபோட்டோ கேலரி, பாக்ஸ் ஆபிஸ் செய்திகள், ஸ்லைடு ஷோ, போன்ற பல்வேறு சுவாரஸியமான தகவல்களை தமிழில் படிக்க இங்கு கிளிக் செய்யவும்      

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Bachelor party, common sense media reviewers.

'80s sex comedy is extremely raunchy, graphic.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Message, if there is one, seems that true love, ev

Bad role models abound in this party-guy wish-fulf

A fist fight. A threatened assassination by crossb

Full-frontal female nudity in one scene. Scantily

"T-ts," "a-hole," "bitch," dick," the s-word (agai

Shopping-mall stores, hotels, and high-consumerist

Tons of drinking. A depressed character uses pills

Parents need to know that this movie is not intended for kids. The comedy's motto "Chicks and guns and drugs and booze and fire trucks -- all the things that make life worth living for!" cues sex/nudity, prostitution (made to looks like fun), and suggestions of lesbian, gay, and human-animal coupling. Drinking is…

Positive Messages

Message, if there is one, seems that true love, even for a wild-and-crazy guy like Rick, can survive incredible temptation (though sour undercurrent is that all Rick's married friends regret leaving bachelorhood behind and try to talk him out of the wedding). Side theme that aristocratic, wealthy folks are uptight and unpleasant; low-class dudes like Rick are more tolerant, fun, and maybe even ethically superior (of course, guess who the target audience for Bachelor Party was?).

Positive Role Models

Bad role models abound in this party-guy wish-fulfillment, with the qualifier that Rick, for all his bawdiness, is faithful to live-in fiancée Debbie, even in a hyper-sexual atmosphere, and protects her from an obsessed suitor. Rick's motley pals who are wedded are unhappy (one's even suicidal) about the idea of marriage. As in most comedies, rich people (Debbie's family) are unpleasant snobs. A black man and -- in a racial-reversal gag, an Asian Indian -- are stereotypical pimps. Hotel roomful of Japanese men depicted as lechers.

Violence & Scariness

A fist fight. A threatened assassination by crossbow. A jealous wife beats up her husband. A character tied up and dangled outside a window.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Full-frontal female nudity in one scene. Scantily clad "hookers," who do kinky S&M lesbian sex acts just out of camera. Male strippers shown, one with a huge penis (barely off screen) a woman accidentally fondles. Plans for a donkey and an exotic dancer to mate (a drug accident interferes). Male bare buttocks. A porn film eagerly screened (the joke: except for flashes, serious sex/nudity got mysteriously cut). Condoms shown, plentiful suggestive dialogue about oral sex and other techniques. Rick and Debbie live together but aren't married. Rick's friends, including husbands, take turns with prostitutes (off screen). One pairs up with a male transvestite without realizing it.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"T-ts," "a-hole," "bitch," dick," the s-word (again and again, including a subtitle), the f-word once.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Shopping-mall stores, hotels, and high-consumerist Los Angeles landmarks comprise a lot of the setting and set a tone. Mickey Mouse and Nike logos, beer labels, car makes, automotive products, theater chains, references to appliance brands, James Bond, Star Wars , pop-rock bands in posters and dialogue.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Tons of drinking. A depressed character uses pills (specifically Quaaludes). A donkey overdoses on pills and cocaine. Smoking, including a doctor rarely without his pipe.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie is not intended for kids. The comedy's motto "Chicks and guns and drugs and booze and fire trucks -- all the things that make life worth living for!" cues sex/nudity, prostitution (made to looks like fun), and suggestions of lesbian, gay, and human-animal coupling. Drinking is jovial; drug jokes include a donkey (hired for a sex act) fatally overdosing. Swearing is at mild PG-13 level. Hotel property is gleefully trashed. Racial stereotypes include black pimps and horny Japanese men. Wealthy, upscale (AKA non-partying, polite) people are depicted negatively. Running jokes about suicide. Do-not-try-this-at-home stuff with a crossbow. Schoolkids are shown gambling (with the adult driver Rick's approval). Some mockery of nuns, for any conservative Catholics who might still be watching at the 70-minute mark. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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• Parents say (2)
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Based on 2 parent reviews

Poorly made comedy

Not a movie for kids funny though., what's the story.

Crazy, uninhibited Rick ( Tom Hanks ), a fun-loving school-bus driver, plans to marry his live-in girlfriend Debbie (Tawny Kitaen), a sexy shopgirl from a rich, disapproving family. Rick and his longstanding circle of buddies plan a wild bachelor party, and Debbie fears that self-proclaimed "great guy" Rick will cheat on her during the wild bash in a hotel suite with guest strippers and "hookers." Furthermore, Cole (Robert Prescott), a dumb-blond preppie type favored by Debbie's father, wants to marry her instead and bumblingly tries to break up the engagement. Cole succeeds to the extent of convincing Debbie and her bridesmaids to infiltrate the chic hotel where Rick and the gang are partying -- disguised as glammed-up whores themselves -- to spy on the men. Between the scheming intrigues, pranks, misunderstandings, and drug- and sex-fueled mishaps, Rick's bachelor party turns into a monumental incident complete with multiple arrests and an early-morning car chase.

Is It Any Good?

This raunchy comedy is lucky it gets salvaged by its star. According to publicity, BACHELOR PARTY was inspired by the real-life bachelor party of director Neal Israel's brother. While these lowbrow-joke experts keep the narrative moving along at a fast clip, with a few truly inventive and funny bits indeed (like the climax at a bogus "3D" movie marathon) amidst the locker-room and potty humor, this Party would hardly be worth attending if it weren't for the very much pre-Oscar, pre-Ken Burns documentaries Hanks. He brings an effortless likeability to the hero that provides a sweet center to what would otherwise be a typical entry in the very many 1980s extreme-sex-and-revenge slob comedies -- many, though not all, aimed at the teen market -- that came out after Porky's set the pace. Let's just say that if you giggled at the word "entry" there, this picture's on your wavelength.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what parts they thought were funny and what parts were just sick. Does the 1984 humor hold up to today's standards?

Ask teens if they think Rick and Debbie will be happy as husband and wife.

Movie Details

• In theaters : June 29, 1984
• On DVD or streaming : June 5, 2001
• Cast : Adrian Zmed , Tawny Kitaen , Tom Hanks
• Director : Neal Israel
• Studio : Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 105 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• Last updated : June 20, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Most Eligible Bachelor Movie Review & Rating

Most Eligible Bachelor Movie Review: Most Eligible Bachelor is a romantic dramedy directed by Bommarillu Baskar starring Akhil Akkineni as an NRI and Pooja Hegde as a standup comic. This wholesome entertainer is produced by Vasu Varma and Bunny Vas.

Harsha (Akhil Akkineni) is a non-resident Indian and the most eligible bachelor who wants to get married. Having a certain job and financial security, he explores life king size. He comes to India to find a suitable partner. In the process, he meets a stand comedian Vibha (Pooja Hegde) but things did not work as Harsha's family rejects Vibha. Meanwhile, Harsha continues following Vibha to woo her and convince her to marry. Later, Vibha reveals that she is not interested in getting married. Why is she not interested in wedding? What did Harsha do then? What happens in the end? Forms the film's story.

Performances

Akhil Akkineni is extremely impressive in the role of Harsha. Since his character is of his age, it looks easy for the actor to unfold the action on the big screen. At the same time, the backdrop suits him too. Compared to his previous outings, Akhil displayed a great variation and improvement in his performance. Pooja Hegde, on the other hand, is extremely good. Pooja's character has got a lot of variations and she even has the scope to perform her part well. The chemistry between the two is good too. Murali Sharma, Pragathi, Sudigali Sudheer , Vennela Kishore, Jayaprakash, Posani Krishna Murali, and others made their presence felt.

Technical Aspects

The camera work and the background score are the major plus points in the movie. The visuals are grand and colorful. The music is good too. A couple of songs that became a big hit were placed nicely. The background score helped the film elevate the emotion well too. The film's writing is impressive in the first half but falls flat in the second half. The production values are grand and lavish.

Most Eligible Bachelor has a thin storyline but it has got a lot of scopes to explore. Director Bhaskar who made a comeback to Tollywood is already known for dealing with strong yet sensitive emotions. However, for this project, the director put his focus on delivering the entertainment rather than pulling the project off with emotions. The first half looks fun and entertaining with a lot of interesting elements. However, the second half falls flat with weak writing and it gets into a preachy mode.

• Most Eligible Bachelor
• Akhil Akkineni
• Pooja Hegde
• Bommarillu Bhaskar

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Most Eligible Bachelor movie review: Akhil Akkineni improves, but Bommarillu Bhaskar not so much

In an industry that insists that star kids are the next best thing, the title Most Eligible Bachelor is annoyingly declarative. But thankfully here, the title is not an assertion, but an interrogation.

So, arranged marriages. You would think the world has evolved enough to not need them, but no, not really. So the issue at the core of the film is unmistakably relevant and urgent. Setting the film in an affluent environment is effective as well, because we know what it is like inside those circles. Because of this choice, the film’s complications are rather narrow.

There is never talk of dowry or the money spent on the wedding, mostly by the girl’s family, or the way it is used to keep caste hegemony alive. That is still fine, because specific, when authentic, is always preferred. Within these confines, it manages to question people’s insistence that a good marriage is all about adjustment. Why finding your spouse irritating after a point a fact of life? ‘Why is romance a fantasy?’ it asks. But then again, the film begins and ends with a ‘wife joke,’ so what it wants to really say is anybody’s guess.     

The premise is simple and traditional. A software engineer comes to India for 20 days, to find a girl to marry. He lived a protected life, which means that his knowledge of the world is little because his world itself is small. So when he comes across a woman who is a bit more worldly than him, he is shocked. What he does with it shapes the rest of the film.   

Keeping aside the fact that Bhaskar’s iconic Haasini gets on your nerves overtime, she was still a revelation. Pooja’s Vibha is not that over-the-top, but she is written as someone who is sorted and is inappropriately proud of that fact. But since she dubs for herself, the confidence does not translate. She cannot speak as quickly in Telugu, which is understandable, but, as a result, the dialogue loses some of its spontaneity. That is forgivable because Pooja is great as this defiant, deaf frog — a great analogy made in the film. Even if her stand-up routine is not funny — which, again, is authentic — she carries this confidence, and slight cockiness, well. Her equation with her father, and how it shaped who she is now — jokes as a coping mechanism — is also adequately fleshed out.   

Bhaskar’s Orange is one of the most contrived films, and this one takes after it. I know that I am going back to the filmmaker’s previous films a lot, but he started it. This film is what comes out when you add Bommarillu and Orange into a blender, but take out the former’s charm and the forget to take out the latter’s pretentiousness. Similar to Orange, this film surrounds itself exclusively with troubled marriages to make its point. Fine, most marriages are a sham, sure, but when you choose to use a celebrity couple, whose marriage is what your protagonists are dreaming to have — where one respects and upholds the other —why not use it to contrast the romantically-barren land where your film is set? Why say that their marriage is troubled as well?

This notion that the protagonists of the film are the first people to break the shackles is uncinematic, and does nothing for the smaller conceits the film raises throughout its runtime. What about the other couples? Your hero and heroine going on their honeymoon leaving behind a trail of dead marriages is not a happy ending. Even the romance that is central to the story is not convincing enough for us to root for this couple. We do not really see them click, and the plot device applied in the second half is manipulative. Randomly introducing trouble, so a character can realise what is necessary for the plot is amateur. Harsha (Akhil) has more in common with Eesha’s pellikuthuru than with Vibha(Pooja). Wherever Vibha’s knowledge comes from, it did not teach her that vague measures like ‘9,000 nights’ and ‘2,5000 meals’ are not any better.

But Akhil’s Harsha is a behavioural sponge, which easily explains his attraction for Vibha. A random woman, albeit beautiful, says random things, and he takes it to heart, which only tells you how empty shelf of a person he has been. We do not know how he has spent his life with as little personality as he did, but the film effectively manages to satirise men like him — perfect from the outside, vacant inside. Akhil does his best with the clueless man, but because of the indistinct writing, he never manages to grab your attention. I mean, when the film is supposed to be about a man’s journey into himself, is it not bad writing to breeze over the journey with a song and ‘3/6 months later’ notes? He comes back a changed and more assured man only to stalk the woman, which means he needs another film to turn into an actual decent human being. Even his relationship with his father is unclear. Why can he not openly tell his father what he wants? He is no ‘Bommarillu father.’

At first glance, the title Most Eligible Bachelor sounds annoyingly declarative. In an industry that insists that star kids are the next best thing, it is that much more obnoxious. But thankfully, that is not the case. The title is not an assertion, but an interrogation.

The song ‘ Chitti Adugu’ even alludes to the privilege someone like the character and the actor might have. Speaking of which, Gopi Sundar’s music does stand out, but I do not think it’s supposed to. ‘ Mansa Mansa ’ song is taken out, which makes me believe that the film has gone through some changes.     

What makes a person ‘eligible’ for marriage? Most answer this the way Jane Austen did centuries ago. In a landscape as conformist as the Regency, it is not that hard to sound controversial and, dare I say, ground-breaking. So finding this film impressive or not is left to an individual’s discretion.

Most Eligible Bachelor is available in theatres.

Rating: ***

Sankeertana Varma is an engineer who took a few years to realize that bringing two lovely things, movies and writing, together is as great as it sounds. Mainly writes about Telugu cinema.

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Tarot review – disappointment is in the cards with silly supernatural horror

Final Destination inspires yet another throwaway teen schlocker, this time with an increasingly risible astrological bent

A s many of us impatiently wait for the sixth Final Destination film , slated for release next year over a decade since the fifth, here comes yet another limp attempt to recreate that specific, sadistic form of magic. Some curse, some teens, some shock deaths, a formula that’s been trotted out in so-what films like Wish Upon , Countdown and Truth or Dare , shrugs where shocks should be, franchise starters ending after the first round.

Which brings us to Tarot, a film wisely kept from critics until the very last second and one that audiences would be smart to keep themselves from too. It’s not quite as bad as these things can often be but flashes of competence are not enough to distract from a sense of crushing pointlessness, more watery slop served up lukewarm for undemanding Friday night horror fans, who really ought to be demanding so much more.

Like the other Final Destination pretenders, Tarot is designed for a tamer teen crowd, a hard R replaced by a soft PG-13 but like those others, its makers are never quite sure how to master the right tone required. It’s too nasty at times, too silly or too self-serious at others, too idiotic throughout, uneasily combining flashes of gore with splashes of comedy, all peppered with laughably unconvincing cry-on-cue moments of so-sad grief. Loosely based on the 90s YA schlocker Horrorscope but written with such drunk plotting that it could have been based on a Sony exec pointing at a pack of tarot cards, it tells the story of a group of college friends renting out a shadowy mansion who happen upon a padlocked room with a sign saying PRIVATE: KEEP OUT.

Because they’re all stupid, they break in and because they’re all really stupid, they decide to crack open a creepy wooden box of hand-painted tarot cards, insisting the sensible final girl Haley (the British actor Harriet Slater, good enough) reads for them all. She’s got an interest in both tarot and astrology but is nursing a broken heart from both a recent breakup and the death of her mother (!) and puts her carefully textured backstory to the side to give each of her too-large group of friends some maddeningly detailed predictions. Each is then killed off in adjacent circumstances, somehow also tied to their astrological signs (“He’s an earth sign and was found in the dirt!”).

It’s a horror film for the kind of person who’d tell a stranger they’re “such a Libra” after a five-second conversation and maybe those who do invest an awful lot in the meanings behind such waffle would find something scarier here. But there’s not much else for the rest of us, an unscary cycle of poorly executed jump scares, suspense-free death sequences and truly inane plotting. The writer-directors Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg really have no idea how to fill the gaps between deaths and even at 92 minutes, we’re left with something that feels so much longer.

We’re lumbered with some horrendously dull college student dialogue about how everything is, like, so insane, with Spider-Man’s usually charming Jacob Batalon forced into extremely annoying comedy relief. The characters make dumber than usual decisions and embark on a quest to find someone who might know what’s really going on that literally begins with them Googling the words “tarot” and “death” together. The Irish stage actor Olwen Fouéré takes on the Tony Todd in Final Destination role as someone who has battled this dark force before, something she also did in 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre retcon sequel . As Mrs Exposition, she plays thankless gap-filler which does at least allow for a charmingly batty flashback to 18th-century Hungary, one of the few times we can tell this was based on an actual book.

While the deaths do remind one of the Final Destination movies (“you can’t cheat death” is inelegantly transformed into “you can’t change fate”) they also bring to mind Hellraiser, a wall being removed between one world and the other with a collection of monsters doing the dirty work for a central villain. There are touches of good design – some creepy metallic fingers pushing down a ladder on to unlucky first girlie – but not a lot sticks. Both of those franchises revelled in the giddy jolt of gore and how inventively it can be used but here it’s all sanitised for the sleepover crowd and without, say, smart plot reveals or suspense or characters we root for, we’re left with very little else.

It’s been a scary year so far for the horror genre, a traditionally reliable stream of income for Hollywood, with a string of worrying under-performers, from Imaginary to Immaculate to The First Omen to Abigail. It doesn’t take a reading to predict that Tarot isn’t going to change things.

Tarot is out now in US and UK cinemas

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Ryan Gosling is 'The Fall Guy' in this cheerfully nonsensical stuntman thriller

Justin Chang

Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy. Universal Pictures hide caption

Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy.

From the 1933 action film Lucky Devils to the 1980 comedy-thriller The Stunt Man to Quentin Tarantino 's Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood , filmmakers have long delighted in turning the camera on stunt performers, those professional daredevils who risk life and limb to make action scenes look convincing.

It's a hard, often thankless job, which is why for years people have lobbied the motion picture academy to present an Oscar for stunt work. And of course, it's a dangerous job: Just last month, while shooting the Eddie Murphy movie The Pickup , several crew members were injured during a stunt involving two rolling cars.

There's a lot of vehicular mayhem in the noisily diverting new action-comedy The Fall Guy , a feature-length reboot of the '80s TV series. Ryan Gosling stars as a highly skilled stunt performer named Colt Seavers, who, despite his cynical film-noir-style voiceover, genuinely loves his job.

Colt loves movies and moviemaking, loves hurling himself off balconies and strapping himself into soon-to-be-totaled automobiles. Most of all, he loves Jody Moreno, an up-and-coming assistant director played by Emily Blunt , and she loves him right back.

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt star in The Fall Guy. Universal Pictures hide caption

Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt star in The Fall Guy.

Colt works mainly as a stunt double for Tom Ryder, a world-famous movie star played by a preening Aaron Taylor-Johnson. But when Colt suffers a life-threatening injury on the set, he quits the biz in despair and ghosts Jody for more than a year while he recovers. But then he learns that Jody is directing a big-budget sci-fi movie in Sydney and wants him to be Tom's stunt double again. Upon arriving Down Under, however, Colt finds out that Jody did not ask for him and has no idea why he's here.

The reason for Colt's appearance on the set is one mystery in a cheerfully nonsensical thriller plot devised by the screenwriter Drew Pearce. There's also a body in a bathtub, an incriminating cell phone and several amusing side characters, including a busybody producer played by Hannah Waddingham of Ted Lasso fame.

Author Interviews

Hollywood 'stuntman' reveals tricks of trade.

Another key player is Colt's best friend and stunt coordinator, Dan, played by the always excellent Winston Duke . In one endearing running gag, Colt and Dan keep quoting dialogue from classic films like The Last of the Mohicans , The Fugitive and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, all of which The Fall Guy giddily tries to outdo in its sheer volume of death-defying mayhem.

Before long, Colt isn't just performing stunts. He's forced to put his well-honed survival skills to good use off the set, whether he's beating up thugs in a nightclub, punching villains in a helicopter or getting tossed around in the back of a speeding garbage truck. That's one of several set-pieces that the director David Leitch opted to shoot using practical techniques, rather than CGI — a decision that gives this stunt-centric movie an undeniable integrity.

The Two-Way

How'd they do that jean-claude van damme's 'epic split'.

The Fall Guy is undoubtedly a passion project for Leitch, who once worked as a stunt double for actors including Brad Pitt and Jean-Claude Van Damme. (He nods to this by giving Colt a handy canine companion named Jean-Claude.) Leitch can direct action beautifully, as he did in the Charlize Theron smash-'em-up Atomic Blonde . But he can also go too flamboyantly over-the-top, as in sloppier recent efforts like Bullet Train and Hobbs & Shaw . The Fall Guy is better than those two, but it would have been better still with cleaner action, tighter editing and a running time south of two hours.

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Blunt is such a good comedian and action star that it's a shame she doesn't get more to do in either department; Jody may be in the director's chair, but as a character, she's mainly a second banana. The Fall Guy is Gosling's picture. Unlike the brooding, taciturn stuntmen the actor played in Drive and The Place Beyond the Pines , Colt is a wonderfully expressive goofball. There's a moment here, after a fiery boat chase around Sydney Harbour, when Colt emerges triumphant from the water, clothes dripping and muscles bulging, while a euphoric cover of Kiss' "I Was Made for Lovin' You" surges for the umpteenth time on the soundtrack. It's ridiculous and gloriously overwrought — and like the best-executed stunts, it comes perilously close to movie magic.

Review: In ‘Wildcat,’ director Ethan Hawke — and daughter Maya — bring a literary life to screen

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Flannery O’Connor’s thrillingly hard-edged tales about the unreconstructed South and its redemption-deficient malcontents will never lose their power to scratch us awake with their violence, humor and ugly truth.

Such great, complicated artists don’t deserve the shallow cradle-to-grave treatment common to so many biopics, and thankfully, Ethan Hawke’s new film “Wildcat” isn’t that. Rather, it’s a soulful, pointed and unconventional grappling with the mysteries of the deeply Catholic, norm-shattering Georgia native’s life and work. Concentrated on a pivotal time of promise and disappointment during O’Connor’s 20s, when her writing was getting noticed (as was the lupus that would eventually consume her), it’s anchored with aching intelligence by Hawke’s daughter Maya (“Stranger Things”), unrecognizably severe in cat’s-eye glasses and a frail countenance.

The Hawkes deliver a portrait of O’Connor in all her fiercely self-aware outsiderdom, whether standing firm against a patronizing New York editor ( Alessandro Nivola ) who believes she wants to “pick a fight” with her readers, or sternly defending her faith against glib comments at an Iowa Writers’ Workshop party. But we also see this O’Connor in weaker moments, shrinking in the presence of her protective mother, Regina ( Laura Linney ), when forced back home because of her illness, and almost crumbling in the presence of a priest (a wonderful Liam Neeson). Ethan Hawke’s screenplay, co-written with Shelby Gaines, was inspired by the letters to God that O’Connor wrote at the time, published posthumously as “A Prayer Journal” in 2013.

This stretch of ambition and setback from an all-too-short life is not all that’s served up in “Wildcat.” Maya Hawke’s acting duties also involve playing an assortment of O’Connor’s characters in abridged dramatizations of short stories — “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” “Parker’s Back,” and a few other classic pieces. In the ones where bold, brash men bring thunder and change to unsuspecting young women (all Maya), scene partners Steve Zahn, Rafael Casal and Cooper Hoffman do memorable work.

Ethan and Maya Hawke and Laura Linney on their maverick Flannery O’Connor biopic ‘Wildcat’

Telluride: Ethan and Maya Hawke and Laura Linney chat about their new Flannery O’Connor biopic ‘Wildcat’ and the complexities of the author’s life.

Sept. 3, 2023

These segments diverge in tone, color and movement from the muted palette and fixed compositions with which cinematographer Steve Cosens girds the biographical narrative. But they’re expertly threaded in, suggesting how a creative loner can experience flare-ups of imagination when the world reveals itself. Movies often struggle with conveying writerly inspiration, but these swatches earnestly make good on a potent quote of O’Connor’s that Hawke opens with: “I’m always irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality. It is a plunge into reality and it’s very shocking to the system.”

Linney, meanwhile, at the top of her game, is another constant in multiple roles, vividly rendering a handful of O’Connor’s fictional mothers (including the self-righteous women from “Revelation” and “Everything That Rises Must Converge”). Before she even shows up as poised, old-fashioned Regina, picking up her suffering daughter at the train station, we’ve seen her in a couple of these adaptation bursts (including a clever rendering of “The Comforts of Home” as a trailer for a lurid ’60s B movie).

And yet, surprisingly, Linney’s and Hawke’s doubling duty never comes off as cheap psychologizing of the writer’s relationship with a parent who didn’t get her. It feels broader than that. (At the same time, O’Connor’s own views on race, the source of much reputational reassessment, aren’t exactly laid bare here, but neither are they ignored.) The symbolic payoff in Ethan Hawke’s brilliant use of his daughter and Linney is that we grasp both the intense narrowness of O’Connor’s subject matter as well as the rich versatility within her gothic archetypes.

Coming on the heels of director Ethan Hawke’s excellent docuseries “The Last Movie Stars,” about Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, “Wildcat” shows that his gifts in front of the camera are being complemented behind it, too, especially when the subject is a life woven through with art, passion and pain.

'Wildcat'

Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes Playing: AMC Century City

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