'The Mehta Boys' review: Boman-Avinash's film is warm but imperfect
What's the story
The Mehta Boys, which arrived on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, marks Boman Irani's directorial debut. It stars him and Avinash Tiwary in the lead roles, with supporting performances by Shreya Chaudhry and Puja Sarup. Devoid of any fluff, the film is confident about its path and leaves you with much to ponder, but its weak writing stops it from realizing its full potential.
Story
Focuses on a father-son's broken relationship
The Mehta Boys follows Shiv (Irani) reeling from the loss of his wife, Shivani. He shares a fractured, ruptured relationship with his son Amay (Tiwary) and it seems like the two can never share the same room. However, after Shivani's death, Shiv has to live with Amay for a few days, and the two finally find a chance to fix their relationship.
#1
A raw and authentic story with endless potential
Warm, unhurried, and raw, The Mehta Boys is a confident directorial debut. The choice of the story is interesting; parent-child conflict is a universal theme, which, when explored well, can be deeply impactful on the screen. The film is realistic and on-point with its depiction of the wide chasm between fathers and sons, and you feel the characters' anger and ache throughout the film.
#2
The film cuts right to the chase
The movie establishes its characters right from the first frames. When we first meet Amay, we see his scattered room and decaying, chipped walls (which reflect his messy life). On the other hand, Shiv is blanketed by a massive sense of grief; his life has become devoid of purpose ever since his wife passed, and his own son is a stranger to him.
#3
You can sense the characters' emotions well
The movie puts Amay and Shiv in situations that force them to finally talk and bridge the gap inadvertently built for so long. They're uncomfortable while standing next to each other in the elevator, and a conversation happens only when there is no power at home, and hence, no technology to distract them from the loneliness inside them.
#4
The weak writing spoils the film
Although The Mehta Boys teems with promise, it also leaves much to be desired. The tonal inconsistencies are the film's biggest letdown—characters say one thing and do something completely different in the next, and some scenes leave you flustered and confused. It also seems like the movie runs out of ideas after a point and begins to move in circles.
#5
Doesn't live up to its promise
Sarup, who plays Amay's sister, is introduced as an important character but the plot largely forgets about her after a point. Moreover, excessive usage of close-ups seems jarring, and not all transitions between scenes are seamless. Irani builds momentum often, but then scenes fizzle out soon after, and though the film tries, it doesn't always hit the nail on its head.
Verdict
A decent watch that could have been a lot better
The movie sometimes overwhelms you with fervid emotions and speaks directly to you through its relatable storyline. It also takes you by surprise even during seemingly ordinary moments, and the actors don't miss a beat. If the writing were stronger, The Mehta Boys would be a terrific, moving watch, but as it stands currently, it feels incomplete, despite its laudable intentions. 2.5/5 stars.