Send it back to the kitchen
Mostly, we see an empty pan and then prepared pasta. Where is the joy that the preparation process can bring? There are some scenes about chola-bhatura, idli-sambhar and a sumptuous langar meal, but that’s about it.
Even the characters are given little space to establish their personalities. We’re told Roshan is a self-made, passionate chef. But nothing in his personality gives us a glimpse of the gravity that such a man would carry. Unlike Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) from the original, Roshan is stubborn, irrational and insensitive. He picks a fight with a customer in a restaurant for no apparent reason and after he loses his job, displays no cravings to kickstart his dream journey.
It is also shocking to see racist comments in a film by the director who made Airlift.
Another problem with Chef is its clunky story. Whether it is Roshan fighting with a patron, his trip to Kochi or his decision to start his food truck – everything happens arbitrarily. There are a few moments, nonetheless, that bring a smile on your face. In a few sequences that showcase the bond between Roshan and his son, one where he interacts with his ex-wife (Padmapriya) and almost every moment Milind Soman is in the frame — you warm up to characters. But every time a scene touches the heart, the narrative moves to a different, less engaging sequence. Chef offers moments of brilliance which could have given us a light, affable film. But a lazy and rather uninterested narrative takes away the pleasure.
Squarely aimed at very young children, the third installment in the Lego Movie franchise is a waste of time for accompanying adults. The plot of the latest animated adventure based on the construction-toy mini-figures centres around a hoary father-versus-son conflict.
A sensitive high-school student-turned-ninja warrior (Dave Franco) has to defend his island homeland against an evil warlord (Justin Theroux) and his generals. As you might have guessed, the snarky villain happens to be the young lad’s dad.
Help is at hand in the form of a sensei master (Jackie Chan, irrepressible as ever) and a clutch of the hero’s ninja buddies, who are equipped with a gamut of elemental powers. An array of voice talent, including Michael Pena and standup comic