Crook
wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)
When one proudly believes in the goodness of being bad, there's little left to say. The win-win situation - They were good both when the film started well and also when it ended ridiculously bad
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Diaspora films (at least those made in India) have a tendency to comment negatively about the local conditions which the protagonists live in. They complain about racism while doing the exact same thing. It makes me cringe - because neither do all locals behave that way, nor are all Indians so hopelessly bigoted; because some people on both sides are blatantly intolerant. So, the filmmakers either propagate a stereotype the world can live without or we see scary "humans" on screen. To top it off, this film is all about racism. Very rarely, does a film even try to balance the dichotomy. Crook does. At least try. Crook doesn't. Succeed.
Crook over-compensates in the other direction. After a decent start with back and forth between characters who have different opinions on racism, the film goes overboard in villainizing the Indians. The film takes the 'clinical insanity' route to explain the fanaticism but it goes beyond the realm of acceptability and falls flat on the face.
Similarly, the motivations of the protagonist and the film itself don't hold water because of how dramatic the situation gets by the end. Also, the problems, the issues, the situations, the dialogue all get very repetitive. Yet it's a bold film.
Also for a change, I didn't mind watching Emraan Hashmi, he has a reasonable range of expressions. Neha Sharma certainly has a better screen presence than the posters give away. The rest of the cast was the usual combination of loud, filler caricatures.
How I wish the balance they struck in the first half of the film didn't go so out of control in the last hour. Oh well...I've always had this question about the Indian-culture-nazis who live abroad. I finally get to ask it out loud - Why do people move abroad if they want to stay so Indian and hate the locals from the deepest place the gut is hidden?
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Blessy Chettiar, DNA : ...The first half is fast paced and director Mohit Suri packs in a lot in there... full review
Thumbs up, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...He depicts both of them -- the Indian and the Australian -- as equally racist and argues for introspection on both sides... full review
So-So, desi hits : ...The acting is bearable and the story has its highlights.... full review
Thumbs down, by Aparajita Ghosh, Apun Ka Choice : ...Director Mohit Suri’s intention may have been noble but the off-handed way in which he has treated a sensitive subject like racism makes Crook look like a farce... full review
Thumbs down, by Roshni Mulchandani, Bolly Spice : ...Mohit Suri doesn’t display any sensibilities or compassion towards the racist attacks... full review
Thumbs down, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...he tends to focus on the [lackluster] romance between the lead pair, songs and [forced] comedy, while the core issue [racism] takes a complete backseat towards the first hour. ... full review
Thumbs down, Cinemaa Online : ...The Bhatts have a standard template for such situations. Grey shaded protagonist, idealistic heroine, a topical issue touched upon peripherally, ... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Deosthalee, Film Impressions : ...MENTAL TORTURE... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Gahlot, Film Impressions : ...Emraan Hashmi doesn’t look like he cared what the film was about and what he was doing in it. ... full review
Thumbs down, filmi cafe : ...An elongated conversation in a strip club with women gyrating in the background... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Garimella, fullhyd.com : ...The movie has an undercurrent of bleakness all through, despite the fact that you know that all's going to be well in the end. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Pankaj Sabnani, Glamsham.com : ...Pritam's music is good with Mere Bina being the best. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times : ...The white woman is the sex-starved, buxom blonde. Inevitably.... full review
Thumbs down, by Kaveree Bamzai, india today : ...The white woman is the sex-starved, buxom blonde. Inevitably.... full review
Thumbs down, by Gaurav Malani, indiatimes : ...Behind the guise of racism, Crook resorts to a very dated plot... full review
Thumbs down, by Komal Nahta, koimoi : ...The climax doesn’t work at all because writer Ankur Tewari blames Indians for the racist attacks on themselves. ... full review
Thumbs down, Movie Talkies : ...romance angle doesn't come out very well.... full review
Thumbs down, by Minty Tejpal, Mumbai Mirror : ...Much like street violence that breaks out suddenly and without reason, Crook too starts with a sudden rush of information with little build-up or background, an infuriating pattern of breathless exposition that then continues through the unevenly paced film.... full review
Thumbs down, by Anupama Chopra, NDTV : ...The Bhatts – Mukesh and Mahesh – have a long tradition of creating serviceable dramas with melodious music but Crook is hopelessly scramble... full review
Thumbs down, by Subhash K Jha, Now Running.com : ...In trying to do a ferocious flag-waving trick over the complex issue of racism and colour prejudice, "Crook" ends up making the Australian population look like a bunch of psychotic killers bashing and burning the good desi boys who have gone Under to gain gyan. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Noyon Jyoti Parasara, Now Running.com : ...The attempt of the director to pass of South Africa as Australia is as silly as any Hollywood director's attempt it would be to pass off any south Asian country as India.... full review
Thumbs down, by Patcy N , Rediff : ...Newcomer Neha Sharma should have chosen anything but this film to make her Bollywood debut as the role and the heavy topic calls for a more experienced actor. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...The film tries piggy-banking on the reports of racist attacks on Indians in Australia. But the story makes a big soup of this pertinent issue. In the end, as we watch the climax unfold, it’s almost funny. ... full review
Thumbs down, by K N Gupta, SmasHits.com : ...Mohit Suri bases ‘Crook’ on his personal experience and also on media reports of racial attacks on Indians in Australia... full review
Thumbs down, by Janhvi Patel, StarBoxOffice : ... After watching Crook you wonder how such absurd movies are given the green light when talented script-writers struggle to find any takers... full review
Thumbs down, by Roy, The Friday Freak : ...Crook is that kind of movie where you begin to twitch your fingers within the first fifteen minutes... full review
Thumbs down, by flyingrodent, Upper Stall : ...why this film was called Crook and what was Hashmi's character's sneakiest act, apart from fake documents (uncle's fault) and a bad family name (daddy's fault), beats me... full review
Thumbs down, by SpiceZee Bureau, Zee News : ...there is no Australia bashing here. In fact, the film asks Indians to first look into themselves; check their acts and hold on a little before drawing battle lines... full review
Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Plot Summary
Suraj (Emraan Hashmi) moves to Australia. His plans to find a new life for himself end where they start. Despite his resistance he gets involved in the racial war between the Indians and the locals.
What Worked
- The nomenclature given to the street where mostly Punjabis (Singhs) live King street. Singh is Kinng, anyone?
- The subtle touch of humor and flirting.
- Goldie's Satte Pe Satta style of getting work done. Though absolutely irrelevant in the context of the film.
- In the scene in which Suraj (Emraan Hashmi) and Suhani (Neha Sharma) were having a banter on the way back from the banter - I thoroughly enjoyed looking at the guy in the back seat enjoying the back and forth.
- The flashbacks with Suhani's sister's story
What did not
- Isn't not wearing seat belts illegal in Australia? Or is it just that a desi does in Australia with great pride what he does in des.
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: Way too much and some of the concepts are beyond cruel
- Language: Racism throughout in the language
- Nudity & Sexual content: A couple of kisses, a love-making scene. Characters frequent a strip club.
- Concept: Vanity and irrationality of fanaticism
- General Look and Feel: It's bright but the grimness of the topic looms throughout
![[Mahesh Bhatt twitter account]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
Comments (2)
I am not racist (Indian myself) I could say why is Emraan a lead actor ? Looks ? Physique ? Smile (oh no) ? Acting (so so) ? I think thats why indian producers rely on Sai baba or asthvinayak for success of a movie :)
-Kay
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I liked Neha Sharma , she is looking so cute in the movie.
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