A Decent Arrangement (2011) User Reviews

beautifully crafted film about an insufferable idiot

[blues_599 · 5/10 · 5 January 2018]

I'm not one to write reviews but man this film got under my skin. Okay, so lets start with the positives. This is a well made and craft film. Chandigarh is shot with a gorgeous and attentive naturalism that really evokes the rhythms of an Indian city and its characters. The supporting cast offer a nice range of ideas and performances, providing some kind of dressing to the naive insufferable idiot that we are supposed to somehow relate to. The main character is a man, or just boy, that wanders aimlessly from place to place, saying nothing of worth about anything, living a life with no seeming skills or talents, languishing in tired cliches that have no meaning. Don't get me wrong, this is a perfect example of many unbearable boobs i have encountered in India, indeed maybe my anger stems from how i see echoes of myself in him, especially before life throws some spanners in the works. This is also not a slight at the actor. If the intention was to make the most vacuous and kinda robotic symbol of personality devoid westerner, spoon-fed on tv into a passive nothing, then its perfect. I mean for heavens sake, he can't even describe the book moby dick, or say what he likes to write about. The most tell bit of the film is when he's ask by his dad just to do something for his home video, and reliably enough, he just stands there with this kinda baby like seriousness, a mind lost in a bland confusion of dissatisfaction. Just learn to juggle, or play a sport, or just something. Please! Before you suck the life out of that talented Indian girl, who practically offers excitement and life on a plate. Anyways, rant over.

A slow movie with a weak ending

[deepak_vish · 6/10 · 16 May 2017]

"A Decent Arrangement" is about an Indian-American man (Ashok) who goes to India to find a wife for himself. We see that he is not entirely comfortable with the whole notion of arranged marriage, but it is also made clear in the movie that he was not forced into it against his will.

And this is where the film becomes totally muddled and confusing. Ashok is portrayed as slow, confused, indecisive and unambitious. He clearly does not know what he wants and constantly changes his mind. Maybe there was a past experience with a girl that contributed to his apathy regarding marriage. There are allusions in the film to exactly such a thing, but it is not made very clear to the viewer what exactly happened.

Ashok finally agrees to marry a girl (Amita) who has her own baggage, but has no qualms about marrying Ashok because she realizes that it is what she has to do, and there is no point in vacillating. Ashok, however, meets an American girl (Lorie) who is traveling across India to find herself. They even end up sleeping together.

Ashok realizes that he probably has more in common with Lorie. He decides to call off his engagement with Amita and pursues Lorie. But one is left with the feeling that Ashok is just too afraid to take any decisive step and will continue wandering in confusion.

This is a decent movie, but be warned that the story moves very slowly (and I don't mean that in a good way).

Thought Provoking and more...

[risatarosa · 9/10 · 11 December 2015]

I found the characters completely relatable and loved their conversations. Watching A Decent Arrangement was not only entertaining, but it encouraged me to reflect on my own life and the complexities of love and relationships. I appreciated the characters search for companionship and adventure both literally and figuratively. It's the kind of movie I could watch more than once and it would give me a feeling of coziness, yet also remind me of the (sometimes) life long search to be fulfilled and how that can leave us feeling uneasy. It's that combination of cozy moments and the uneasiness that drive us. Some of the funnier moments were between Preeti and Ashok. A strength of this film is the character's portrayal of awkwardness and tradition. There are touching moments that emerge from the interplay between the two.

Tradition Vs Modernity

[ajjose-18905 · 9/10 · 17 January 2018]

This is a small thoughtful movie about an Indian American man, Ashok, coming back to India in search of a bride. The young man is self effacing, polite and sensitive. He is torn between respect for traditions and love of freedom. While in India, Ashok stays with the family of his cousin sister. Parents of prospective brides find his occupation, that of an advertising copy writer, somewhat unimpressive and finding a bride is not easy. Finally he settles for an independent minded girl who is running her own business although her family is financially not as well off as his family would have wished. The parents of Ashok duly arrive. Meanwhile he runs into an young white American woman travelling through India. He finds in her unconditional friendship a welcome contrast from the negotiated relationships in India. Much to his parent's dismay, Ashok breaks off his engagement. As the credits roll, we see Ashok travelling by Train to join his American friend in Shimla. The film has captured the nuances of Indian life and culture very well. The characters are realistic and credible. The movie is set in Chandigarh and the city is portrayed in a down to earth unadorned manner. Acting is generally good. Shabana Azmi is very convincing as the match maker cousin sister of Ashok. Even minor characters are very well etched out and stay in the viewers mind. All in all, this is a thought-provking movie about the conflict between tradition and modernity.