Movie Review: '83

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made sports movie from India.

As someone who knows next to nothing about cricket (there were a few times when the game was being played that I was confused about what was going on), this movie still proved very entertaining to me. Much of this is due to our main characters. As this is an underdog story one of the most important aspects is whether or not we root for the main characters. Luckily this is easy to do here. This is due not only to how likable the characters are but also because of the way they interact with each other. Their relationship goes beyond just that of teammates or that of friends and into the realm of family. No matter how much these characters may joke with each other, it is obvious that they still love one another. This is something that many sports movies are unable to achieve but that this film does very well. Also, while the film focuses on cricket more than their personal lives, the bit we do see of these characters' personal lives is deeply human and very relatable, therefore making us care what happens during the games much more. This is a movie that will even make non-sports fans (including myself) cheer when they see things go well for this team. 

I also have to praise this film for its sense of humor. I did not go into this movie excepting to laugh much, but I really did. Nearly every comedic moment hits home perfectly, and I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit. 

This movie does have its flaws though. It very strictly follows the typical sports movie formula and even those who know nothing about the real-life story for which this was based will find themselves almost always knowing what will happen next. There are also scenes that seem a little too over the top for a film based off a true-life story. While many of these moments are quite amusing on their own, they can also take one out of the story. The movie is also longer than it needs to be, and a few scenes could have been trimmed to make a tighter film.

All in all, if you enjoy feel good underdog movies, then this film should be right up your alley.