Dreadfully Boring

Am I Missing Something?

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

I almost never rate 10 for a movie. However, this was an exception. I was a bit skeptical when the movie started because I am not one for camcorder movies but this was done nicely. The start of their relationship left me wondering if I would do something like that but what the heck. Things like this happen. The movie is realistic. It is raw and it made sense. Amazing movie and amazing actors.

This indie film has a lot going for it: beautiful cinematography defying the low budget, charming locations, and a few truly profound lines. It also has Mahira Kakkar, a delightful new actress who is clearly poised to make it big. I'm glad I watched this film, since it enabled me to discover her before everyone else does! However, I found the story uninspired and disappointing.The film starts off slow. Asha is a young Indian woman attending film school in Prague. After seeing a movie at a film festival, she sends a video message to the director, who lives in New York. He sends a message back. Thus begins their friendship, portrayed entirely through their messages.Surprisingly, Asha and Hank don't discuss their shared passion (making movies, in case you forgot -- and you will, since the characters rarely mention it). In fact, they don't discuss anything much; their videos mainly consist of sampling the food in their respective towns. Kakkar brings charm and joy to her not-particularly-interesting lines, but I found Pastides too bland to redeem his bitter, self-centered character. While Asha approaches everything with enthusiasm, Hank spends most of his time making predictable complaints about his job as a reality TV lackey. However, Hank finally engaged my sympathy when he revealed his estrangement from his father. This scene is poignant, and I looked forward to a second act in which Asha would help him mend the rift. In a later scene, Asha says something like, "I know from experience that it's really hard for a parent to ask a child for help. I think you should go to him." This powerful line hints at what could have been.Unfortunately, the film backs away from this intriguing thread, choosing to focus elsewhere: Although Asha sometimes seems to flirt with Hank, nothing can ever happen between them, because Asha is getting an arranged marriage. I felt tricked. The movie barely touches on Asha's home culture or her experience as an Asian person in central Europe. She is Indian simply because the filmmakers wanted to introduce "forbidden love." This plot device feels so easy and obvious. It's so reminiscent of "Outsourced" (2006). Worst of all, the eventual resolution really doesn't add anything to what you already know about arranged marriages, India, or relationships in general. "Hank and Asha" is an uninspired story told with charming cityscapes and the reasonably clever "video message" gimmick. It's pretty and polished, but it could have been so much more.

"Hank and Asha" is a great film in many ways. The caliber of writing in this small film is truly exceptional. Some of the dialog appears to be improvisational, but my guess is that the majority was written by the filmmakers and there's not a false note of dialog in the entire movie. You would never know that this movie was filmed on a shoestring budget. The cinematography is outstanding. This film looks like anything but a low budget movie. Beautifully shot! I can only imagine the difficulties of editing a film like this. It seems as if it was edited down to the best possible 73 minutes. Yes, it's a short film, but it doesn't feel like one. Kudos to the editor for not being tempted to turn this into a two hour movie. Both lead actors are extremely good and believable. I fully expect to see the male lead (Andrew Pastides) in an ABC TV sitcom soon, or if not, then he could be the next Paul Rudd.Finally, if this is James E. Duff's first film, I can't wait to see what's next. He strikes me as an extremely gifted director. Again, there is not a false note in the entire movie. "Hank and Asha" is a must-see. Certainly one of the best independent films of 2013.

This year's romantic comedies have nothing on Hank and Asha. The film gives us a new take on a topic that's been attempted several times before: long-distance relationships. The film is genuinely funny, doesn't try too hard, and isn't fantastical with its topic. First-time director James E. Duff gets it right in an age where long-distance and online relationships are all the rage in a highly connected world. Asha (Mahira Kakkar) is an Indian girl studying film abroad in Prague. At a film festival, she sees a documentary that moves her and is disappointed when the director of the film, Hank (Andrew Pastides), isn't there to talk about it. In order to ask a question about the inspiring film, Asha tracks down his information and sends him a video message. Hank is living in New York and responds in kind. Through video messages, they begin a heartfelt relationship that connects them to each other though they never meet face-to-face. They're both lonely and disconnected from the physical world, but come to learn a lot about each other through questions and funny messages they leave for each other. Certain complications arise that throw a wrench in their relationship and force them to look at things a little more realistically. This film is by far one of the most heartfelt films of the year. It's cute and funny, warm and sad. The performances, though the two actors are never in the same scene, are fantastic and extremely layered. You'll feel almost as if you were receiving messages from a friend abroad. The movie breaks racial barriers too and doesn't focus on the fact that it's doing so, which is a refreshing break from the films that make you hyper-aware of it. The film is shot entirely through video messages between the characters. In this aspect, it's very original. We get to see two different worlds entirely through messages left in different time zones. The movie explores the loneliness of living in a new place and the struggles of maintaining human contact through online means. Through each other they learn and experience new things. Hank and Asha get to know each other better than some people do in the real world and that is one of the film's strengths. Mahira Kakkar as Asha is the perfect choice. She's cute and awkwardly funny in a way that's entirely real. Besides being funny, Kakkar brings warmth to her scenes and can make you laugh and extremely sad depending on what the situation calls for. She'll have you rooting for Kakkar. And funny as it is to say, seeing as how the leads never appear on screen together, but they have pretty great chemistry in reaction to each other's messages. Andrew Pastides is the average guy. He's not stereotypically suave and doesn't say charming things because he has ulterior motives. He's sweet and funny. He acts like a lot of guys actually act and it comes off as very realistic and true. His frustrated ranting is both entertaining and highly saddening in context with his and Asha's relationship struggles. He and Kakkar both work so well talking to only a camera. Hank and Asha is easily one of the best films at the Virginia Film Festival this year. It embraces the online world in a comedic fashion, but brings it back down to Earth with its poignant realism. It's heartwarming and very lovable in a way a lot of romantic comedies can only dream of being, the cast perfect, and the story almost bittersweet. It's really a story for anyone who's ever struggled to be connected to someone in a world that's highly plugged in to cyberspace, yet somehow disconnected. Sweet, fun, and realistic.