SYNOPSICS
The Mystic Masseur (2001) is a English,Hindi movie. Ismail Merchant has directed this movie. Om Puri,James Fox,Aasif Mandvi,Albert Laveau are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2001. The Mystic Masseur (2001) is considered one of the best Comedy,Drama movie in India and around the world.
Circa 1940 in Trinidad, still a British Colony, lives Ganesh Ramseyor, of East Indian origin, along with his wife, Leela. He longs to reach out to people, especially to Hindus, in order to promote the Hindu Faith, and be known as a writer. He does get considerable success, so much so that he becomes famous as a miracle worker, having cured a man of sharing intimacy with his bicycle; prevented a man from believing that he can fly; and convincing a young woman to end her fast. His fame spreads all over the island and thousands throng to seek his blessings, which he does dole out quite benevolently, without charging any fees from the poor and the needy. He then decides to spread his wings by challenging the local politician Pandit Narayan Chandrashekhar alias Cyrus T., and takes over The Hindu Organization, thence opening his way to a seat in the prestigious Member of the Legislative Assembly. Now literally the sky is the limit for Ganesh, and he knows that he can achieve any position - ...
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The Mystic Masseur (2001) Reviews
Charming, whimsical movie
Don't believe the comments, this film is a pleasant surprise, not pretentious artistic butler garbage. The film depicts a young Indian teacher in Trinidad in the 1940s, an aspiring intellectual in a rural, isolated village. The acting in this movie is its strongest point, the dynamic between the title character and the villagers, including his wife and father-in-law are cute, homey, and very refreshing, a merriness not seen in many mainstream films in the last 10 years. Om Puri, as the protagonist's father-in-law is truly hilarious in his portrayal of a bumpkin fascinated with the ways of the educated. Aside from the abrupt ending this flick is a real charming piece of film candy. The photography in the lush, rainy, green of Trinidad is also notable.
Interesting
Being from a similar culture as Trinidad, I couldn't resist picking this one up. Atypical of Merchant/Ivory films, this one is a period piece set in pre-independent Trinidad and follows the rise of Ganesh from a frustrated teacher in Port of Spain to an elected member of parliament. Overall, the film does tend to be slow in some parts, but the lively dialogue is very good. This film follows the Indo-Caribbean culture of the West Indies very closely. I found myself identifying closely with the people and found them to be very credible characters. The juxtaposition of Colonial Trinidad and a country on the verge of independance is hinted at throughout the film. However, the political tensions were kept to a minimum. It would have been nice to have seen how Ganesh and his cronies dealt with the coming age of independence. One of the great scenes of the film occurred when Ganesh tries to talk to the striking dock workers. The emotion is clear when he realizes his rise to power came at the cost of his charisma. Overall, a very good film.
Heartfelt natural acting
Make up the first hour of this movie - and it is well worth the look at to get a feeling for the culture and people of Trinidad, at that time. The last 30-40 minutes are not as enchanting, but still end up tieing the story together. There is a certain quiet, resonating truth to this movie which crosses cultures, as the old-fashioned and the new fangled clash but ultimately resolve. Not too many movies about this culture, so you will probably not see many like it ... it is not a masterpiece but it is both touching and uplifting at times, as well as beautifully filmed and acted - let me know what you think ...
The Magical Mystic Masseur!
The only reason I didn't rate this film a 10 is because the ending felt a bit too abrupt; aside from that, it's a wonderful film. NOT dull, as some people are calling it. This film traces the rise in power of a man (perfectly portrayed by Aasif Mandvi) who has big dreams and manages to make them into realities. . .and THEN some. -=- minor spoiler alert -=- It's also a great cautionary tale as well, about what happens when you 'sell out' in life, either by trying to please too many people or becoming too power-driven by your own ego. These points are NOT rammed into the viewer's head by any heavy-handed means, however - it is a film of beautiful subtlety and humor. Except for that too-abrupt ending, Merchant-Ivory got this one right.
another charming, non-commercial Merchant-Ivory opus
I have not read the V.S. Naipaul book from which this film was adapted, but I surmise that, like other early Naipaul work (A House For Mr. Biswas comes to mind), the book must have had a light, amusing touch. The film certainly does...I found it winning and delightful throughout. The acting was consistently fine, the Trinidadian ambiance was evocative, and the plot moved along wonderfully. Between the rather unappealing title, the no-name cast (well, almost no names that American audiences will recognize), and a total lack of slam-bang action, I'm afraid that the likelihood is that you will have a hard time finding this in any theater already. If you can find it, you ought to check it out. If not, look for it as a rental soon. But don't pass it by.