I love talking about movies with something to say. Regardless of their quality, I always find the process of peeling back the layers of the narrative and getting to the inspiring idea that gave rise to a film. Because what's the point of telling a story if it's not relevant or engagingly educational? Even films that are often considered "plotless" make a point of not pressuring the audience to care about the narrative and letting them go with the flow, because they understand how overwhelming life is and that sometimes people need a break.
But more often than not, storytellers engage the audience on an emotional level so we can get beyond the genre norms, the visual effects, the clichés, and other cinematic trappings and truly understand their point of view. And sometimes, this very exercise elevates what initially seemed like a "bad" movie into something, at the very least, enjoyable. The only movies I hate are those that have nothing substantial to say and yet keep talking. Speaking of Test, let's talk about Test.
Director: S. Sashikanth
Writers: Suman Kumar, S. Sashikanth
Stars: Madhavan, Nayanthara, Siddharth
S. Sashikanth's Test, co-written with Suman Kumar, tells the story of Arjun, an Indian men's national cricket team player who is going through a rough patch and is performing so poorly that he is asked to retire just before a tournament with Pakistan. His professional decline is affecting his personal life, as he is unable to hold a conversation with his father, Venkatraman; his wife, Padma; and, most importantly, his son, Aditya.
While Arjun has no intention of patching things up with his family, he does have the opportunity to end his career on a high by playing for India one last time. And that's where Saravanan and Kumudha come in. Saravanan is a budding scientist who wants to transform the country with his inventions, and Kumudha is a teacher (at the school where Aditya attends). Saravanan needs money for his project, while Kumudha needs money to undergo an IVF procedure. Saravanan feels overwhelmed by state government politics, loan sharks, Kumudha's complaints about her inability to be a mother, and her constant idolization of Arjun. Therefore, he decides to take drastic measures to dominate everyone. The crux of the story lies in whether this gamble will pay off for Saravanan and how it will affect Arjun and Kumudha's lives.
I'm sure that even if you haven't seen Jannat, its premise will be familiar to you after listening to its amazing songs. It had romance, sports, ambition, greed, and all the ingredients needed to make a compelling masala film. And I'm sure you not only know the plot of Joker, but also connected with its critique of classism and how it only takes one bad day for a man, driven to the brink of madness by capitalist society, to turn into a villain. Now, if you take those two films, combine them, and then add a subplot related to IVF (for reasons only Sashikanth and Kumar know), you have Test. To be fair, despite the script's derivativeness, I would have overlooked it if it had made the effort to properly build the rivalry between Arjun and Saravanan. But it's so focused on cricket politics, the media, and the money laundering process that, by the time it gets to the heart of the narrative, it all feels like a farce. The jump from realistic emotional drama to crime thriller is so haphazard that the film simply loses its meaning. I'm all for a "descent into madness and corruption" story arc, but if you want to convince me that a bumbling guy can become a supervillain, you have to try a little harder.
I'm always cautious with my criticism of women in cinema because it can come across as an endorsement of the general view that we should eliminate female characters and focus on men. So when I say, "What's the point of having Kumudha and Padma in the film?" I'm not bemoaning the role of women in cinema or in our lives; I criticize how men like Sashikanth and Kumar portray them. I mean, if the best you can do when writing female characters is have them complain for 99% of the movie and then give them a half-hearted victory at the end, why bother? Just spout your testosterone-fueled nonsense and spare us, especially women, your "feminist" opinions. In addition to all these problems, Test is also an ugly movie. To be honest, Viraj Sinh Gohil's framing and T. S. Suresh's editing, especially during the cricket scenes, are really good. And then I don't know who had the not-so-brilliant idea of messing it all up with color grading, but they should have their filmmaker's license revoked. Also, the film's pacing is atrocious.
Watching the performances in Test, I feel deeply sorry for Nayanthara. She's a formidable actress. Her screen presence is magnetic. She has the power to carry a film on her back without even raising a hair. So watching her languish between two men who seem to have forgotten how to act is heartbreaking. I don't know why she signed on to this project. Maybe she had bills to pay or something. But it's undeniable that she's the best thing about this awful film. I suppose Siddharth was trying to be stoic and aloof, but he just comes across as stiff and dim. He's been in this business a long time. He should have the chops to pull off a role like that without coming across as an amateur. However, I suppose he has a lot to learn. Speaking of actors who have been acting for decades but get worse with every film, R. Madhavan is downright awful. I don't understand why he keeps appearing on the big or small screen. Didn't he just recently talk about quitting altogether? I think he should seriously consider that option because he has nothing new to offer. He doesn't want to evolve as an actor. He has no chemistry with his co-stars. Still, he refuses to give up this space so that people much better than him can showcase their talent. As for the supporting cast, yes, they're all fine; nothing special.
I'm sure you've already read hundreds of headlines saying, "Test your patience," and if you watch it a hundred more times, that statement will still be true because it's so boring. It's pretty obvious this was supposed to be released in theaters, because the film awkwardly pauses midway to make room for the "interval" title, but since it's a direct-to-Netflix release, the word "interval" doesn't appear. However, someone probably thought people would want their money back after watching this garbage at the nearest theater, and that it's better to download it on a streaming platform where they've already paid for their subscription. I think that person (or group of people in charge) deserves a pat on the back, because I would have been furious if I had to watch this 2-hour-and-25-minute piece of garbage without being able to pause, scream into space, take a walk, and then replay it. I don't recommend watching Test. You might be brave enough to try it for Nayanthara and the extensive cricket scenes. But if you're looking for something powerful, you're better off watching Jannat and Joker.
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