'The Buckingham Murders' review: Kareena is incredible in half-cooked thriller
Hansal Mehta's The Buckingham Murders makes numerous tall promises. A grieving mother, a child's murder mystery teeming with enigmas, a scenic location (UK), and an experienced director—What can go wrong? Turns out, more than a few things. While TBM isn't unwatchable and is anchored by Kareena Kapoor Khan's sturdy presence, its writing gives way, and eventually, the film ends up as a middling affair.
Story of a missing child
TBM follows cop Jas Bhamra (Kapoor Khan), who loses her son tragically in a mass shooting. Soon after, she leaves the city, and her first task at work is to locate Ishpreet, a young child who has gone missing after school. Threat of communalism simmers in the background as Bhamra and her team discover Ishpreet's body, and frantically try to nab his killer.
Keep an eye out for the well-etched-out flashbacks
Much of what we know about Bhamra comes from flashbacks. For instance, she's seen flaunting colored outfits, and flashing smiles, which conspicuously contrasts with the present-day scenario, where she pulls her hair tightly in a ponytail (signifying little to no care for her appearance) and wears muted colors. When there's no vibrance in her life, how can there be any in her wardrobe?
Explores the impact of grief on a person
For the most part, murder, mayhem, motherhood, and melancholy are at the centerstage and Bhamra's pain spills over from the screen. Small coffins weigh the heaviest, and with her sunken eyes and irrepressible rage, Bhamra becomes a relatable, extremely humane character. TBM also makes some excellent points about how there's no specified time for grieving, and how there's never a "right" way to grieve.
Multiple themes are at the heart of 'TBM'
For most of the first half, the film maintains a breakneck speed, and the crisp editing ensures there are next to no unnecessary scenes (the film is below the 2-hour mark). Mehta also shows how rampant gender-based conflict permeates across nations; for instance, Bhamra is repeatedly chided by her male superior, and Ishpreet's overbearing father slaps his mother and constantly dismisses her.
However, the film starts fizzling too soon
Once the film hits the half mark, all the flaws—hitherto neatly tucked away in the corners—begin to hit us in the face. Too many (underdeveloped) characters spoil the broth, and there are more red herrings than I could count. So, once you have comfortably sunk your teeth into the mystery, things start getting awry, and ludicrous shifts take you out of the plot.
It doesn't know what to do with its characters
Too many sub-plots get needlessly merged (and vie for space), and it feels like Bhamra and her team know more about the case than they're sharing with us! You don't buy their investigation techniques and their sudden Eureka moments remind you of low-brow detective shows. So, we don't feel the stakes as much as we should, and the film marches to its own tune.
The final reveal is not at all impactful
The film starts moving in circles after a point, becoming overbearing, monotonous, and somewhat predictable. When the killer is finally unmasked at last, they're such a caricature that they seem like a done-to-death "vamp" from a TV serial. TBM's laughable tendency to look for twists in all places, unpolished dialogues (Hindi version), and extremely convenient narrative turns also contribute to its undoing.
Watch on OTT for Kapoor Khan, skip otherwise; 2.5/5 stars
The film is at its strongest when it's focused on exploring human emotions like grief and parental love and how the web of lies, deception, and cheating can rock a community. It evidently fumbles regarding the "mystery" aspects, and there are already several better, tightly-knit projects woven around such themes. Watch on OTT only if you're an ardent Kapoor Khan fan. 2.5/5 stars.
