Happy New Year (2014)
Viewing Platform: Netflix
Charlie concocts a plan to exact revenge
on the man who ruined his family's good name and framed his father
for an incredible theft. Charlie assembles a team to break into a safe and steal
millions of dollars worth of diamonds from the two-faced,
manipulative, greedy Grover. Unfortunately, it all hinges on
Charlie's team gaining access to a certain room in a certain
building: the hotel hosting the Worldwide Dance Competition. Will
they be able to convince the bar dancer to help them, even though her
only dream is to open a dance studio for children? What happens when
Charlie starts to develop feelings for their instructor? Will it
interfere with his plans to successfully avenge his father and bring
honor to his nation?
*It's
an odd combination of action, drama, comedy and romance, but when you
have a 3 hour movie, it can all fit. I didn't care for the “bar
dancer” scene when they go to recruit their instructor (there were
half-naked women dancing on poles as men threw money at them), or the
opening scene with the street fighting and gratuitous violence. The
rest of the show was fun, with lots of vibrant colors and upbeat
music. I find it interesting that most female lead characters in
these Indian films start off as feisty and independent, which
initially attracts the male lead, but through the course of the
movie, they are shown to possess all the traditional qualities and
habits of women that make a good wife. This could be anything from
the way she smiles at children, serves the lead a cool beverage, bows
respectfully to an elder, or burns incense and prays to a deity
statue in her daily routine. That makes me think those things are important in Indian
culture. I've also noticed that most of Shah Rukh Khan's films have
lots of national pride woven into the stories and motivations for his
characters; another important aspect of their culture. Overall, if
you like heist movies and dance competition movies, you'll like this
movie, too. I might watch it again.*
