DVD Review – Good Night Good Morning

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

March 25, 2013 - 12:36 PM IST

MOVIE DETAILS

DVD Review – Good Night Good Morning

Cast: Manu Narayan, Seema Rahmani

Director: Sudhish Kamath

Producer: Sudhish Kamath

THE FILM

How difficult can it be to narrate an entire story which is based on one single phone call? Well, very difficult, especially if it is being told in a feature film format. When audience patience gets tested time and again despite so many formulaic ingredients peppered into the screenplay, right from action, dance, comedy, drama, music and more, a film that still (reasonably well) holds your attention on a single (at one stretch) conversation over a phone is risky at the very concept level. However, director Sudhish Kamath attempts that with his English language film Good Night Good Morning and presents a truly different affair.

Set in USA, the film is about a youngster (Manu Narayan) who is on a long drive in a car with a couple of friends. A phone call connects him with a young working woman (Seema Rahmani) who is in her hotel room waiting to catch an early morning flight. What follows next is a roller coaster ride as this 80 minutes long movie hinges on this one phone call that sees a range of emotions coming to fore on screen.

This means that for absolute strangers to hold to a conversation for so long, the proceedings have to be believable. Thankfully, Kamath does well in bringing ample elements in his script where nothing seems rather forced. Yes, at times you do feel that protagonists have been a tad too lenient at some of the points where it could have been a rather quick goodbye. However, the fact that the conversation which ensues from - what had started appearing as a point of no return - that point on is what keeps this dramatic film with hints of humour fairly engaging.

What one gets to witness are conversations that range from being casual to exploring the purpose of life to finding out who really is on the other side of the call to a journey down the memory lane to some fantasies and then of course sex. While at times you do get a sense of the film turning out to be over indulgent for its own good, it thankfully doesn't become overpowering enough to entirely put you away.

Technically too the film is a challenge since it has been shot entirely in night and that too in Black & White. Moreover, due to its sheer subject, it was imperative that a large number of scenes are presented via split screen so as to bring both side of the perspective on a single frame.

Amongst actors, both Manu and Seema are natural and seem to be pretty much comfortable with the spoken part as well as the body language. As a gawky youngster who is still trying to come to terms with his break up and is eternally romantic, Manu is good. On the other hand Seema is seductively charming, has an air of elegance around her and is pretty comfortable under her skin.

However, the film is only for those who crave for something truly different and that too which defies the stereotype associated with conventional Hindi films. Made in English, this one hunts for that segment of audience which is willing to take a different route.

DURATION

The film's duration is 81 minutes

SPECIAL FEATURES

- Director's Commentary

- Deleted Scene

- Alternate Ending

- Blooper Reel

- Storyboards

While the Blooper reel does bring in some funny elements, the Deleted Scene and the Alternate Ending are quick and brief with not much punch to them. As for those who are really interested in gaining more details around the making of the film, there is Director's Commentary included as well. For those looking at knowing more about an independent cinema at play here, this commentary could well do some good.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

- 16:9 NTSC

- Language - English

- Subtitles - English

- Dolby Digital 5.1 and Stereo

PRICE

Rs. 399/=

CONCLUSION

What holds centre-stage in the film are two elements - Dialogues and performances. Without able dialogues, the film would in fact have been a goner since there are no other narrative techniques that could have allowed an efficient and engaging story telling. However this also means that the film becomes very-very niche as there is hardly a segment of audience, whether in India or the other countries, which can actually be expected to sit through this dialogue heavy stuff. Nevertheless, one can well expect Kamath to be well aware of this fact and hence the reason why he presented it as an Indie affair.

Rating: ***