twist-irony-surprises

Friday, May 04, 2007

Im too free...

Friday night is my movie night. I relish my own private movie time as I find it relaxing, and insightful. Besides it sparks my creativity. However after watching "Looking for Comedy in the Muslim world" which was directed and written by the well-know comedian (i don't know him actually) Albert Brooks, I was left disappointed, unsatisfied and unsettled. The movie did not reach my expectations considering it is an American movie and based on the non-fictional journey of Albert Brooks to India and Pakistan on a mission to find what actually ticks the people there.

America in a post 9/11 world have been on the mission to dig deep into the psychology of the Muslims. Much effort and experimentations have been done, however they have been doing it in the wrong way which is through war and violence. Bush, being the " man who has a fair share of humour himself" (according to the Americans anyway) have sent Albert Brooks to India and Pakistan with hopes of a 500 pages report from the man himself on what makes the Muslims laugh.

Being an American and also a Jew, things have been made particularly odd for him as it has been widely known that the Muslims and the Jews don't get along very well. However his faith wasn't a barrier in his eyes. He toiled and brainstormed for ideas on how to find the comedy in the Indian world. After a devastating discovery, he found out that no comedy club is opened in India. Thus he sent out fliers to the busy people congesting the small road in Old Delhi aka "madhouse" in order to inform these people of his comedy act which will be held in a school's auditorium. He also went to the extent of illegal crossing to Pakistan for 4 hours to share some comedy with the Pakistani's own aspiring comedians. However things did not go as plan when both Pakistani and India government suspected him of terrorism. He was eventually sent back to America by forced and his presence in India as well as Pakistan (illegally) exerted some strain on both of the government which have been on peace for the whole 2 years. Things came back to normal between the frontiers when they actually learned the truth of Albert's mission. Albert eventually could only hand in a 6 pages in length report to the U.S government and his dream for the 'Medal of Freedom' vanished into thin air.

I find it disappointing because being a Caucasian and oblivious to the Asian culture, he did not try to understand the culture and the people itself. He presented to them the basic stand up comedies that most Americans are used to but not what the Indians are used to. He did not understand the state of poverty in India and that they have no time for sarcasm and improvisation. Indian people just want a light, hearty joke which they could find easily through movies. He was still stuck to the ideas of what makes Americans tick but did not adapt to the Indian culture and think out of the box. He sends off the message to me as someone who is unmalleable, difficult to comprehend new ideas and not adaptive. Thats why he failed to make the people laugh. The only time where he could actually make the Pakistani laughed was because they were high on drugs.

The movie lacks depth even though commentators dubbed it as "hilarious" and " a classic". But it failed to bring up new meaning and horizons to watchers. It also failed to make the watchers understand the Muslim's or the Indian's mind as it only focuses on him instead of on the people, which I find as the important element if their real purpose is to banish misunderstandings and to close the gap between the western and eastern world.

I suggest you can watch it if you want, but it's really not interesting as I expected more from an American movie. Rasa bengang nie...

by Zephyr at 10:23 AM |