Kennedy Review {3.0/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Rahul Bhat, Sunny Leone
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Kennedy Movie Review Synopsis:
KENNEDY is the story of a contract killer with a dark past. The year is 2021 and the COVID wave has led to chaos across the world. Uday Shetty aka Kennedy (Rahul Bhat) earns his living as a driver for a luxury app-based cab named Chauffare. However, he is also a contract killer, hired by Commissioner of Mumbai, Rasheed Khan (Mohit Takalkar). One night, he is assigned to murder a man named Kabir (Vaisakh Shankar) in a skyscraper. After executing the job, Kennedy resumes his role as a cab driver and picks up Charlie (Sunny Leone), who lives in the same building, directly above Kabir’s flat. Unknown to most, Charlie and Kabir share a connection. Meanwhile, Rasheed is under immense pressure, having paid Rs. 2 crores as a bribe to secure his post as commissioner. Desperate to recover the money, he asks his team to extort business establishments. However, with COVID wreaking financial havoc, they fail to meet the target. Rasheed then decides to terrorize one of India’s richest business tycoons and instructs Kennedy to procure a vehicle and assemble explosives. Kennedy, in return, seeks information about fugitive gangster Saleem Kattawala (Aamir Dalvi), with whom he shares a bitter history. Rasheed feigns ignorance, though Kennedy suspects otherwise. The explosives plan soon goes awry. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Kennedy Movie Story Review:
Anurag Kashyap's story is inspired by real events. Anurag Kashyap's screenplay is gripping with the track of the protagonist leaving the maximum impact. Anurag Kashyap's dialogues are conversational and add to the drama and humour.
Anurag Kashyap's direction is decent. Firstly, he deserves kudos for perfectly setting the neo-noir vibe. Most of the story unfolds at night and that also gives a nice touch. The film begins on a compelling note and the usage of music throughout the film is also impressive. The makers also make veiled references to real-life personalities and events and it'll amuse or shock viewers. A few scenes stand out, one of them being the murder of an old politician (Vijay Kadam). The manner in which Kennedy enters his house is amusing. The very final scene is novel.
On the flipside, the film moves at a snail's pace. The run time of 146 minutes is too long and in some places, it tests the viewers' patience. A few aspects seem forced, especially the political angle. The Commissioner’s decision to plant explosives feels far-fetched; the makers should have come up with a convincing reason for it. A few developments are bizarre and the climax fails to give a high, except for the final shot.
Kennedy Movie Review Performances:
Rahul Bhat owns the film with his subtle and impactful performance and baritone voice. Even when the writing gets shaky, he ensures that the performance elevates the film. Sunny Leone delivers a fine performance and proves that she can surprise, if given an opportunity. Sadly, she’s let down by the writing and screen time. One wishes she had more to do in the film. Mohit Takalkar is a surprise and delivers a terrific performance. Shrikant Yadav (Abhijit Kaale), seen last week in a similar role of a cop in TU YAA MAIN, is dependable as always. Abhilash Thapliyal (Chandan) gets to play an out-of-the-box character and does well. Kurush Deboo (Parvez Boomla; bookie) has a crucial part and leaves a mark. Karishma Modi (Gunjan) is wasted and her character’s actions are difficult to digest. Ankur Jain (News anchor) and Varun Grover (Cab customer in PPE kit) feature in cameos and raise laughs. Megha Burman (Anuradha; Uday’s wife) has an arresting screen presence, while Haripriya Manish Lodhia (Aditi; Uday’s daughter) is fair. Vaisakh Shankar, Aamir Dalvi and Lokendra Rajawat (Akbar) are okay. Vijay Kadam and Vijay Nikam (central government-friendly state minister) are decent.
Kennedy movie music and other technical aspects:
The songs are intended to be in the zone of DEV D [2009], but the soundtrack is nowhere close. None of the songs - 'Mera Mehboob', 'Kaali Raatein', 'Dede Tarqeeb', 'Kabhi Tu Bhi Roke Dekh', 'Asar' or 'Ae Zindagi' – manage to register. However, the opera-style background score is quite catchy.
Sylvester Fonseca's cinematography elevates the visual appeal of the film, especially in the night scenes. Sunil Rodrigues' action is realistic. Prashant Nhanu Sawant's costumes and Kazvin Dangor's production design are classy yet straight out of life. Tanya Chhabria and Deepak Kattar's editing could have been slicker.
Kennedy Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, KENNEDY is a stylish neo-noir that’s driven by Rahul Bhat’s terrific performance and Anurag Kashyap’s moody night-time canvas. However, the sluggish pace, overlong runtime and a few forced, far-fetched plot points dilute the impact. Nevertheless, the intriguing concept and Anurag’s association should ensure healthy viewership.
