Christmas Karma (English) Review {2.0/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Kunal Nayyar, Leo Suter, Charithra Chandran, Billy Porter, Eva Longoria, Boy George
Director: Gurinder Chadha
Christmas Karma Movie Review Synopsis:
CHRISTMAS KARMA is the story of a hard-nosed businessman. Eshaan Sood (Kunal Nayyar) runs the Sood and Marley law firm in London. Sood is cold and selfish, who detests Christmas. On Christmas Eve, he fires his staff after catching them red-handed celebrating in the office. However, he retains his accountant, Bob Cratchit (Leo Suter). Sood is invited for a Christmas bash by his nephew Raj (Shubham Saraf), but the former rudely declines the offer. After speaking arrogantly to an Indian-origin shopkeeper (Nitin Ganatra), a choir in his neighbourhood and his cook, Mrs Joshi (Shobu Kapoor), Sood returns home and goes to bed. Suddenly, he's awakened by the ghost of his deceased business partner, Marley (Hugh Bonneville). Marley is entwined in chains, which he claims is due to his selfishness and he warns Sood that he awaits the same fate. But Sood has a chance to mend his ways if he listens to the three Ghosts who would visit him in the night. As expected, Sood is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past (Eva Longoria), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Billy Porter) and the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come (Boy George), and they provide him with life-altering lessons. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Christmas Karma Movie Story Review:
CHRISTMAS KARMA is adapted from 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens. The story is quite promising. Gurinder Chadha's screenplay has its share of moments but also suffers in several places. The dialogues are okay. As it happens with most films released by PVR Inox Pictures, there are no subtitles and hence, some dialogues might not be easy to comprehend.
Gurinder Chadha's direction is fair. To give credit where it's due, it is simple to understand and the message comes across nicely. A few scenes stand out. The track of Indians being deported from Uganda in 1972 is the best part of the film as it's an episode of history rarely depicted on celluloid. Similarly, the track of Bob is touching as well. The finale will put a smile on the faces of the viewers. The soundtrack is a mix of different kinds of tracks, which is also praiseworthy.
On the flipside, the first 15-20 minutes of the film are weak. It's only when the Ghosts start visiting Sood that the film gets interesting. There are too many songs and the Punjabi track loses its sheen as it is played twice in the movie. The emotional moments often get superficial and also bewildering. Bob is supposed to be in abject poverty, but is shown living in what seems to be a well-sized dwelling in a prime area. He can simply sell off the property and save his son! Lastly, there’s too much negativity surrounding the film, which can affect its prospects in India.
Christmas Karma Movie Review Performances:
Kunal Nayyar tries a bit too hard in some scenes, but overall, it’s a fairly watchable performance. Leo Suter lends able support. Charithra Chandran (Bea Fernandez) has a crucial part and plays her character with panache. Shubham Saraf, Shobu Kapoor, Pixie Lott (Mary Crachit; Bob’s wife) and Danny Dyer (Cabbie) are okay. Hugh Bonneville is unrecognizable. As for the ghosts, Billy Porter stands out the most, followed by Eva Longoria and Boy George. Freddie Marshall-Ellis (Tim) is cute. Jassi Sidhu and Malkit Singh are entertaining in cameos.
Christmas Karma movie music and other technical aspects:
Songs are overall nice, but they also slow down the proceedings. The title track is lovely but 'Christmas Bhangra Karma Featuring Jind Mahi' is the best of the lot. 'Last Christmas - Desi Version' is played in the end credits and is memorable as it features glimpses of Priyanka Chopra. The background score is in sync with the mood of the film and the Christmas theme.
Niels Reedtz Johansen's cinematography is breathtaking. However, the overdose of birds-eye view shots of London dampens the impact. Michael Ralph's production design is fine, while Claire Finlay-Thompson's costumes are appropriate. Josh Cunliffe's editing could have been slicker.
Christmas Karma Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, CHRISTMAS KARMA tells a fascinating story in a simple and effective manner. But the narrative suffers due to the long length, too many songs and weak initial portions. At the box office, the limited buzz, extreme negativity and competition from other releases will prove detrimental.