Entertainment Movie Review by Taran Adarsh

itsentertainment Rating: 3.5/5

An interesting news-piece highlighted the fact that an increasing number of pet owners are providing provisions for their pets in their wills. The write-up focused on some of the world’s richest animal heirs, which included a Pooch, Labrador, Bull Terrier, Chihuahua, Ragdoll Cat… even a Chimpanzee.

The West has attempted films on pets inheriting the wealth of their deceased master. Recall films like THE RICHEST CAT IN THE WORLD [1986] or THE DUKE [1999]. A number of dream merchants in Bollywood have explored the man-animal relationship in films — HAATHI MERE SAATHI, TERI MEHERBANIYAN or the more recent YEH HAI BAKRAPUR. ENTERTAINMENT is, perhaps, the first Hindi film that depicts the dog as the heir to his deceased master’s riches.

What makes ENTERTAINMENT attention-grabbing — besides its distinctive storyline — is the fact that it is helmed by Sajid-Farhad, who have penned several laughathons in the past. Naturally, one expects their directorial debut to be a rib-tickling entertainer. There’s one more reason — Akshay Kumar. The actor, synonymous with comedies, has a terrific comic timing and with a title like ENTERTAINMENT, the film ought to live up to those lofty expectations, right? Does ENTERTAINMENT hit the right notes? Let’s find out!

First, the premise! Akhil [Akshay Kumar] struggles to make ends meet by doing petty jobs. He does all this to support his ailing father [Darshan Jariwala], who has been hospitalized. Akhil gets a jolt when he overhears his father telling the nurse that Akhil is not his son. That’s not all, for he also gets to know that the wealthy diamond merchant, Pannalal Johri [Dalip Tahil], is his father, who had cheated his mother.

When an over-excited Akhil breaks this news to his pal [Krushna Abhishek], the duo also get to know, through a news channel, about Pannalal Johri’s sudden demise in Bangkok. Akhil rushes to Bangkok to stake claim on his fathe’s fortune. However, Akhil gets a shock when the lawyer [Johny Lever] informs him that his father has bequeathed his fortune to his dog — Entertainment. What happens next?

Sajid-Farhad have been an integral part of Rohit Shetty’s movies and unsurprisingly, Rohit’s influence shows in their very first outing as well. Much like Rohit or for that matter, David Dhawan and Anees Bazmee, who have focused on providing ample laughs and amusement in those 3 hours, Sajid-Farhad too throw logic out of the window, focus only on tickling your funny bone and offer unabashed, over the top humor.

Sajid-Farhad also integrate the man-animal relationship smartly in the narrative and create episodes that are ludicrous, but comical. One doesn’t mind absurdities or irrational situations as long as you have a good laugh and Sajid-Farhad make sure the humor is never in short supply. Much like their predecessors, Sajid-Farhad’s first attempt is akin to your fav fast food that may be low on nutrition [sensible, path-breaking stuff], but your taste buds relish it and you savor it till it lasts.

The writing is stuffed with uproarious episodes and a couple of them are indeed side-splitting. The sequences between Akshay and Krushna Abhishek [at the commencement of the film] or the antics between Akshay and the pet do bring a smile on your face and at times, makes you break into guffaws. Really, if you need to de-stress yourself, ENTERTAINMENT — with all its bizarre, outrageous and wacky jokes and superb one-liners — serves the purpose.

However, you cannot disregard the loose ends. The humor quotient goes downhill as the comic villains [Prakash Raj and Sonu Sood] surface slightly before the intermission. The gags and funny episodes, all of a sudden, take a back seat towards the second hour and though Sajid-Farhad do make an attempt to pack hilarious occurrences, you aren’t amused really. Furthermore, a number of sequences in the post-interval portions are stretched for no reason, with a couple of jokes appearing forced in the scheme of things. Nonetheless, the pace gains momentum yet again towards the penultimate stages.

The soundtrack boasts of two popular tracks — ‘Johnny Johnny’ and ‘Veerey Di Wedding Hain’ — which are already a rage with listeners. ‘Teri Mahima Aprampaar’ is another tuneful composition that has been filmed skillfully. The DoP imparts a rich texture to the visuals and the eye-catching locales of Thailand aid him in his endeavor.

Akshay returns to the comfort zone [comedies] and expectedly, is charismatic, charming and vibrant. His faultless comic timing coupled with the enthusiasm with which he goes through his part is worthy of immense praise. Tamannaah is endearing and though she’s paired with Akshay for the first time, they compliment each other wonderfully well.

The supporting cast also adds to the madness. Mithun Chakraborty is in fine form yet again. It’s a sheer joy to watch Prakash Raj and Sonu Sood step out of villainous roles and have fun with comic characters. Johny Lever is top notch, evoking ample laughter on varied occasions. Krushna Abhishek is simply outstanding. His comic timing is impeccable and his one-liners are howlarious.

Dalip Tahil, Darshan Jariwala and Vrajesh Hirjee are okay. Riteish Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade and Remo D’Souza appear in cameos. The pet, a Golden Retriever named Junior, is simply adorable.

On the whole, ENTERTAINMENT is a joy ride that lives up to its title. Go, laugh out loud and get entertained!

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3 Comments
  1. Author
    aryan 10 years ago

    Entertainment Movie Review by Sukanya Verma

    Entertainment is a comical farce

    Entertainment is best when it isn’t trying to force laughs out of us with its desperate attempts at wit, says Sukanya Verma.

    Akshay Kumar’s new movie, Entertainment revolves around a multimillionaire golden retriever of the same name and endorses Vidya Balan’s opinion of movies clicking solely on the basis of ‘entertainment, entertainment, entertainment.’

    Alright then, why not assess its merits on the basis of what entertains and what does not.

    1. In the beginning, Akshay Kumar hams so much, it’s like he’s developed epileptic seizures while undergoing some extreme shock therapy. Few scenes later, he’s reacting to a real one as if to tell me the difference.

    Entertainment= 0. Exasperation= 1.

    2. Darshan Jariwala dancing to a Shahid Kapoor number and actually getting the steps all right. That’s another fun tribute close on the heels of Salman Khan’s Saat Samundar jig in Kick.

    Entertainment= 1. Exasperation=0.

    3. Whether one has a taste or tolerance of pedestrian humour or not, there’s no doubt writers-turned-directors — the sibling duo of Sajid-Farhad – adore commercial movies to the core.

    Entertainment is unapologetically filmi in its trappings, treatment, thought — every word uttered by a character is either a reference to a movie or a movie star. (“I Rajni can’t believe it.” “Iski Shradha Kapoor ka toone Aarti Chabbria kar diya.”)

    It’s the kind of arbitrary, bird-brained humour that yanks a forced snicker or two. But an over-animated Krishna Abhishek stretches the shtick too long, MUCH too long, to not get on one’s nerves.

    Entertainment= 0. Exasperation= 1.

    4. With the appearance of its four-legged titular attraction, one expects some frolic but the famously fun-loving breed is relegated to the sidelines with little to wag about.

    As the wealthy heir of a deceased diamond merchant and thereby bone of Akshay’s contention, Entertainment is employed purely for aww value. And so by the virtue of being a cuddly furry-wurry brown ball of cuteness, he gets away with in Krishna-speak both “sympathy and sampati.”

    Entertainment=1. Exasperation=0.

    5. His fellow canine mates, ranging from Bulldogs, Pugs, Alsatians, Rottweiler’s and St Bernard’s, who show up in great numbers to deliver humour that’s literally below the belt, are sad reminders of how animals are regularly used in poor taste even in movies that claim to protect their interests.

    Entertainment=0. Exasperation=1.

    6. Speaking of below the belt, Entertainment is no kiddie drama. Unless it’s okay for children to sit through double meaning innuendoes about ‘suhaag raats’ and visuals showing a famished baby mistaking his overweight daddy for his, yikes, mommy.

    Entertainment=0. Exasperation=1.

    7. Sajid-Farhad’s over-the-top, unsubtly parodying tone and screechy, rhyming dialogues has long dominated the tittle-tattle of many of their writing assignments. They follow the same principle as directors too.

    If only they understood that asking their actors to scream loudly with vigorous expressions till all their veins burst cannot make a joke already repeated nine times in the movie any more funnier.

    Kudos to Entertainment — played by a golden retriever named Junior, for exhibiting such extraordinary restraint amidst the ensuing cacophony.

    Entertainment=0. Entertainment the Dog=1.

    8. The plot is basically a series of schemes, where the objective changes from dog to dodos but always lead to tongue-in-cheek slapstick moments (Read people falling off buildings, branches, gulping down poison, getting stabbed by multiple knives and not spilling a single drop of blood and burning themselves with a hot iron press without any harm done).

    This offers a few droll moments before the monotony quickly sets in.

    Entertainment: 0. Exasperation=1.

    9. What’s a real relief is that Prakash Raj doesn’t dilate his pupils, Sonu Sood holds back his snarl and Tammanaah is surprisingly tolerable as the deliberately contrived soap star.

    Even if the villains of Dabangg and its sequel appear visibly pleased to play comic book villains with a Karan Arjun fixation, the gag gets tired after a while.

    Entertainment: 1. Exasperation=1.

    10. Entertainment is best when it isn’t trying to force laughs out of us with its desperate attempts at wit. Seriously, a troika of lawyers called Sanjay Leela Bhansali is humourous?

    Instead Mithun Chakraborty’s whimsical comic track, where he’s desperately seeking wealthy suitors for her daughter works. Like when he tells his daughter she’ll like the guy he’s picked this time because her favourite colour is yellow and so are his teeth. Juvenile? Yes. Funny? Somehow.

    Entertainment=1. Exasperation=0.

    11. What’s nowhere close to amusing? The fan riddle. Is it male or female, Mithunda inquires. He means to ask — Bajaj or Usha. Ugh.

    Nor is Akshay Kumar’s miserable attempt to recreate Mehmood’s Pyaar Kiye Jaa scene. The whole point is lost if the sound effects are generated synthetically as opposed to the comic legend’s natural voice wizardry.

    Entertainment=0. Exasperation=1.

    12. Akshay redeems himself in the second half by relishing Entertainment’s out-dated filmmaking in a tone that is reminiscent of Mr and Mrs Khiladi’s “Bache Ki Jaan Lega?” There’s genuine affection in him for the dog and it lends the otherwise hollow Entertainment a stroke of emotion.

    Sajid-Farhad’s first film is mostly a garrulous, occasionally comical farce that intermittently serves as reminder that in the search of “entertainment, entertainment, entertainment” one can always rely on the delightfully loony Johnny Lever.

    Rating: 2/5

    https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/review-entertainment-is-a-comical-farce/20140808.htm

  2. Author
    aryan 10 years ago

    Review by Anupama Chopra Video

  3. Author
    aryan 10 years ago

    Public Reviews

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