IMDb ??? Review: Swades (2004)

Source: Wikipedia

Ah, Bollywood. Famous for ridiculous “special” effects, melodramatic romances, flagrant rip-offs, and cheesy song-and-dance sequences–just like real Hollywood, except for that last thing. More on that later.

A NASA project manager journeys to his native India to find with the woman who raised him. Or so says every official description I could find. Actually, the blurb only covers the first half hour of our three-hour epic. When our rocket scientist finds her, he’s appalled by the squalor. Bringing reliable electricity to the village, pushing back his return date, and saving the schoolhouse so he can get on with the hot teacher. All uphill battles, mitigated by the backing of some aggressively friendly yokels.

And the scenery is gorgeous. It’s like a National Geographic special swallowed a musical soap opera.

Because of course it's a musical.

Only a few song-and-dance numbers–enough to acknowledge cinematic tradition and procrastinate the plot. Annoying, but forgivable, because it's familiar. Comparable to Hollywood’s love of lens flare, the Wilhelm scream, and offhanded racism.

A feel-good story that feels three hours long, Swades (“own country”) points at issues afflicting modern India: poverty, illiteracy, corruption, ineptitude in government. Craftsmen outpaced by technology, working women pressured to marry, helpless victims of the caste system. But things can only get so serious before another song breaks out. What's that, match singing voices to the actors? Synch the lips to the sound? They don’t even try.

Because underneath that thin skin of social commentary, there throbs a heart of sweet, gooey cheese.

Recommended for Bollywood lovers, Bollywood haters, and Netflix users too poor to afford plane tickets.

195 minutes.