The other day, after watching Dhobi Ghat for the second time, Netflix suggested that I watch a Tamil movie called Sometimes (Tamil: Sila Samayangalil). Interested by its plot, I decided to start watching this seemingly somber film. Well, I wasn’t disappointed, but neither was I amazed. I got what I expected. Before we get to that, I think I should dive a little deeper into the plot.
Seven strangers, waiting in a blood test center’s waiting room for their HIV test results, decide to bribe the counter lady so that they can get to know their results as soon as possible. The counter lady finds out only half the information—one of the seven people is HIV-positive. Rather than relieving their stress, it increases the protagonists’ necessity to know the results. This is the basic plot, literally the one displayed on Netflix.
This 2018 movie has the coveted Prakash Raj and Nasser. Prakash Raj, as usual, gives a stellar performance, whereas Nasser is present on screen for barely five minutes (his was probably a cameo anyway). The performances by the other actors just make the mark. The dialog seems intriguing. Cinematography is on point and so is the direction. But, that’s where the positive points end.
Nothing is as handicapped as this movie’s screenplay. The story decides to develop only three of the eight main characters. By the time we get the origin stories of all the characters, the movie is nearly two-thirds into its runtime. The character of Ashok Selvan is kind of an active protagonist trying to bring all characters together and thus vital to the storyline. However, other characters, even that played by Prakash Raj, seem to blend into the background holistically. Moreover, the plot does not keep you involved; you barely care for any of the characters at the end. The screenplay, or rather the storyline, is slow paced, with some scenes seeming highly unnecessary (e.g., the restaurant scene at the beginning of the movie).
Besides the cinematic issues, this movie has a few problems related to the message it tries to deliver. I love that this movie is trying to raise awareness regarding HIV/AIDS in all communities. But the storywriters forget one community completely. No LGBT representation at all. I am not offended by its absence. But come on, you include seven characters but one of them cannot be from the community? The HIV problem is quite rampant in the Indian LGBT community, and awareness regarding this is warranted. Another issue I have with this movie is that there was a lot of scope to try and fit in the PSA messages in the movie’s script itself, rather than making the audience read them at the end of the movie. This is a long movie, and considering the content it delivers, nobody generally would be willing to sit through a written PSA (since it’s not a postcredit scene of a Marvel movie).
All in all, I suggest you watch this movie if you have literally nothing else to do or watch. Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t watched it…
Seven strangers, waiting in a blood test center’s waiting room for their HIV test results, decide to bribe the counter lady so that they can get to know their results as soon as possible. The counter lady finds out only half the information—one of the seven people is HIV-positive. Rather than relieving their stress, it increases the protagonists’ necessity to know the results. This is the basic plot, literally the one displayed on Netflix.
This 2018 movie has the coveted Prakash Raj and Nasser. Prakash Raj, as usual, gives a stellar performance, whereas Nasser is present on screen for barely five minutes (his was probably a cameo anyway). The performances by the other actors just make the mark. The dialog seems intriguing. Cinematography is on point and so is the direction. But, that’s where the positive points end.
Nothing is as handicapped as this movie’s screenplay. The story decides to develop only three of the eight main characters. By the time we get the origin stories of all the characters, the movie is nearly two-thirds into its runtime. The character of Ashok Selvan is kind of an active protagonist trying to bring all characters together and thus vital to the storyline. However, other characters, even that played by Prakash Raj, seem to blend into the background holistically. Moreover, the plot does not keep you involved; you barely care for any of the characters at the end. The screenplay, or rather the storyline, is slow paced, with some scenes seeming highly unnecessary (e.g., the restaurant scene at the beginning of the movie).
Besides the cinematic issues, this movie has a few problems related to the message it tries to deliver. I love that this movie is trying to raise awareness regarding HIV/AIDS in all communities. But the storywriters forget one community completely. No LGBT representation at all. I am not offended by its absence. But come on, you include seven characters but one of them cannot be from the community? The HIV problem is quite rampant in the Indian LGBT community, and awareness regarding this is warranted. Another issue I have with this movie is that there was a lot of scope to try and fit in the PSA messages in the movie’s script itself, rather than making the audience read them at the end of the movie. This is a long movie, and considering the content it delivers, nobody generally would be willing to sit through a written PSA (since it’s not a postcredit scene of a Marvel movie).
All in all, I suggest you watch this movie if you have literally nothing else to do or watch. Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t watched it…
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