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.
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.