WITHOUT GIVING THE MOVIE AWAY (Hindi movie reviews...and a little more)
21st March 2008

Race - Notepad

posted in Hindi Movies, Movie Notes, meetu |

This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Quick Review

A couple of not-so-unique yet brilliantly done action sequences and a few breathtaking aerial shots might make you want to watch in the theaters. But the acting, the merry-go-round plot twists, and the dialogues are barely average.

Rating: Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

See full review

Plot Summary

Ranveer Singh (Saif Ali Khan) is a shrewd businessman who runs a stud farm and bets on races. Rajeev Singh (Akshaye Khanna) is his alcoholic brother who is basically a good-for-nothing. As fate would have it, problems come their way, and they find a unique way to resolve them.


What worked

  • The car crash at the beginning was executed well - it deserved being shown twice. Paisa vasool for the producers?
  • Isn’t it cool that amongst six good looking people, Anil Kapoor got the loudest cheers from the audience!


What didn’t

Note: This section simply lists the things that I did not like in this movie. This is not the overall impression about this movie. Please read the full review here
  • Anil Kapoor’s voiceover introducing characters, story and ending it all. Its done way too many times now.
  • Slow motion reserved for Bipasha Basu. Why?
  • The non-creative transitions - looks like the crew involved was mentally exhausted by the time these had to be put in place.
  • The actors in the love scene seemed very awkward and uncomfortable - why do it when you don’t want to?
  • Why was Katrina Kaif shown in close-up in the middle of golden beads in “zara zara”? It wasn’t as if someone was imagining her to be in a dream sequence. It seemed more like an ad for some make-up product she was using.
  • Anil Kapoor’s dubbing was off in the beach scene.
  • How come there are no wire transfers and insurance companies pay in cash?
  • !!!Real Spoiler!!! Someone tell me how Ranveer Singh ends up getting 200 million bucks?! Insurance was covered for 100 million, why would the insurance company pay 100 million extra just because there was one more death? - Update: Aditya points out that it was mentioned that they had a double indemnity bond. Better explained by him here. Thanks Aditya!
  • Was that last stunt a cheesy tribute to Speed?
  • Ok, the sequence in which the blue car goes on its side wheels - coo and all that. Why did it look like it was done digitally in post-production?

Nitty-Gritty

This section lists things that I think are not important to the overall impact of the movie. In most cases, it could be explained away by something like, “we noticed the glitch after the scene was shot and there were schedule/budget issues and thus we could not re-shoot it”. I like giving the makers the benefit of doubt, but I am amused nevertheless. Hopefully, they will tickle you too.
  • Cheesy how they justified having an Indian investigating officer in South Africa. Would the same explanation go for the Indian doctor?
  • I think I caught someone driving on the right hand side in South Africa (towards the end of the movie), on one of those long winding roads. Anyone noticed that?

Back to main review

This entry was posted on Friday, March 21st, 2008 at 11:09 am and is filed under Hindi Movies, Movie Notes, meetu. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

There are currently 9 responses to “Race - Notepad”

Why not let us know what you think by adding your own comment! Your opinion is as valid as anyone elses, so come on... let us know what you think.

  1. 1 On March 21st, 2008, Aditya Pant said:

    Meetu, the total insurance was 50 million for each of the brothers, but there was a double-indemnity clause for accidental death. This was mentioned by Akshaye Khanna early on in the film and it meant that if they dies of accidental causes they would be paid twice the money. Hence 100 million becomes 200 million. Of course, it is not as simple as that and I’m sure that there are other nitty gritties about this clause, but the film just took it literally. So it was not really a flaw as you mentioned.

    posted on March 21st, 2008 at 1:07 pm

  2. 2 On March 26th, 2008, sunit said:

    Some more observations:

    Could Criticare, a nursing home in Juhu, Mumbai possibly have a branch in Durban? That too one where millionaires and stud farm owners are treated?

    Also, which hospital would have a loo that has louvres opening into the passage?

    Didn’t know Disprin was sold in South Africa.

    posted on March 26th, 2008 at 1:28 pm

  3. 3 On March 26th, 2008, meetu said:

    Thanks Sunit. That hospital in Durban did look very Indian to me. Louvres opening into passage - bad designing, not entirely impossible.

    A quick google search showed that dispirin is legal in South Africa, so I let that one be. :)

    posted on March 26th, 2008 at 2:27 pm

  4. 4 On March 27th, 2008, Sunit said:

    Thanks for the response Meetu. Must say I really enjoyed your site. I had stopped reading reviews from ‘established’ critics as I invariably would find them pompous and biased. Refreshing to come across a real movie lover writing about movies in a real manner. Please please keep this spirit going.

    Quickly went through a lot of your reviews. Agreed on all of them, except Cheeni Kum. Thought that one was quite insufferable.

    You missed out Omkara and Maqbool. Would be great to know what you thought of those. I completely loved these movies.

    Will surely watch movies now only after I read your website!

    Cheers!

    posted on March 27th, 2008 at 1:28 pm

  5. 5 On March 27th, 2008, meetu said:

    Thanks Sunit! Much appreciated!!

    I didn’t review Cheeni Kum, a guest reviewer did. I did not like the movie as much as Anurag did, but i didn’t think it was insufferable either :)

    Omakara, Maqbool were before I started reviewing. Loved both of them. Though Maqbool I saw on DVD. Always feel some charm is lost on TV.

    Do keep coming.

    posted on March 27th, 2008 at 1:35 pm

  6. 6 On March 27th, 2008, Sunit said:

    Hey! That really was quick. And thanks for checking the blog.

    posted on March 27th, 2008 at 2:01 pm

  7. 7 On March 27th, 2008, Sunit said:

    Also, you really should correct the review if you don’t agree with your guest reviewers.

    And get yourself a large TV and a home theater. DVD is the best thing to happen to movie-lovers.

    One more suggestion… why not also include older movies re-reviewed?

    posted on March 27th, 2008 at 2:07 pm

  8. 8 On March 27th, 2008, meetu said:

    Hey! I read your blog before you asked me to :D

    Naah…I would hate changing the review. The guest reviewers write their reviews on my request and like any film-lover I respect their view. I just mention what I thought of the movie in one line if I happen to catch it.

    Large TV-Home theater - would love to…but there are more important thing that need to happen before that viz, a scheme to get the cash needed for that.

    Older movies - I have done a handful, but time is a problem. I think I will become way too repetitive if I take to reviewing a movie a day. So, I stick to new releases, and if there are no releases that week, I review an older movie.

    posted on March 27th, 2008 at 2:41 pm

  9. 9 On September 6th, 2008, silvano dsouza said:

    the movie has too many twists which make no sense in the end

    posted on September 6th, 2008 at 10:01 am

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