'System' review: Jyotika, Sonakshi's film is watchable but underwhelming
What's the story
The legal thriller System, out now on Amazon Prime Video, stars Jyotika, Sonakshi Sinha, and Ashutosh Gowariker in the lead roles. Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari (Nil Battey Sannata, Bareilly Ki Barfi), it has been produced by Pammi Baweja, Harman Baweja (also co-writer), and Smitha Baliga. The movie benefits from Jyotika and Sinha's realistic performances, but is marred by its dragged, predictable narrative.
Plot
2 women team up in a fight for justice
System follows a public prosecutor, Neha (Sinha), while Gowariker plays her father, renowned lawyer Ravi Rajvansh. When Neha takes up a complex murder case, she finds herself battling her father, who's the defense lawyer of the accused, Vikram Bajral (Vijayant Kohli). Meanwhile, Jyotika plays Sarika, a courtroom stenographer. Neha seeks Sarika's help on the case, and the two decide to bring Bajral down.
#1
You are never attached to the characters
System has a rich premise and a raw setting, but the lifeless storytelling harms the film. In that sense, it's similar to another OTT project, Accused, which also bit more than it could chew. With gimmicky dialogues and underdeveloped, stereotypical supporting characters, System seems artificial and distant. The conflicts lack heft, and characters claw their way out of problems rather conveniently.
#2
Important themes are diluted due to scattershot execution
System has something to say about class divide and the exorbitant cost of justice, but its message gets lost in its convoluted presentation. What should be a high-stakes courtroom battle fizzles out quickly, leaving you underwhelmed. "Is that it?" I found myself wondering toward the climax. The film doesn't give you enough to hold on to.
#3
The actors try to salvage the weak script
System is at its most watchable during Gowariker and Sinha's courtroom scenes, both of whom slip into the skin of their respective characters. They're believable as an ambitious father-daughter duo who are also professional rivals. Jyotika, who's been doing steady work in Hindi cinema for the past few years, is also authentic as a woman who may know more than she lets on.
#4
Kohli lights up his stereotypical role
Kohli, recently seen in a memorable, tender role in Netflix's Bads of Bollywood, plays a stereotypical villain. As the formidable real-estate developer Bajral, he brings an innate evilness and smugness to what's essentially a unidimensional role. Additionally, Tiwari creates a lived-in, believable world and highlights the diametrically opposite struggles of Neha and Sarika. However, it's not enough to keep you hooked consistently.
Verdict
Watchable, but does not grip you completely; 2.5/5 stars
You want to root for System because female-led stories are still a painful rarity in Bollywood, but the movie disappoints more than it delights. Toward the climax, it opts for inexplicable, surprising turns, which further push you away. System lacks the tension required for this genre, and while the actors are dependable, the film is ultimately a missed opportunity. 2.5/5 stars.