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This week, on Jeez Louise:
Dev Patel woke up and chose absolute (heartbreaking) chaos, directing himself in a revenge thriller that’s basically “John Wick meets Indian mythology but more SAD and ANGRY.” This masterpiece has Patel literally wearing a gorilla mask to get repeatedly beaten in underground fight clubs for money before transforming into a one-man apocalypse against corrupt elites.
But what makes this cinematic sledgehammer truly magnificent is how it’s simultaneously the most visceral action debut since The Raid AND a scathing political allegory about class warfare that features Dev Patel’s character learning knife skills from an outcast Indian communtiy. The movie swings wildly between heartbreaking cultural commentary and scenes where our hero gets his face literally set on fire while fighting in a burning kitchen.
Joe’s Back of the Box
Dev Patel is “Bobby” an man hell bent on revenge against the man who killed his mother when he was a kid. Bobbing and weaving its way through the slums to underground fight clubs to the up echelons of power, this beautiful and powerful action movie will make you think. Will Bobby learn to fight for something bigger than himself or will he die alone and unfulfilled?
The REAL Back of the Box
With its themes of anti authorianism, anti colonialism, and support for marginalized communities one might think this movie was made by crazed Democrats longing for a better time. But with some truly breathtaking action scenes it manages to thread the needle on message and plot. The camera moves with the action and you can almost feel the heat and humidity through the screen. While not for the faint of heart, this wild ride is well worth it.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Dev Patel’s interview in Vanity Fair
- The trailer for Dev Patel’s animated short, Roborovski
- Joe discussed this interview with Walter Murch, sound designer for Francis Ford Coppola’s biggest movies.