'Picture This' review—Delightful and charming, but doesn't offer anything new
What's the story
Prarthana Mohan's Picture This, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, stars Simone Ashley, Anoushka Chadha, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and Sindhu Vee.
Written by Nikita Lalwani, it's based on the Australian film Five Blind Dates and has enough charm, humor, and energy that help it float comfortably.
However, most of its approach is surface-level, and the film struggles to offer anything new.
Plot
Follows Pia's struggle to find her soulmate
London-based Pia (Ashley), a photographer, is about to turn 30 and has no plans to get married, much to her mother, Laxmi's chagrin.
Laxmi (Vee) arranges a meeting with a pandit to change her mind.
The pandit tells Pia that one man out of her next five dates will be her soulmate, and now, it's up to Pia to write her happily ever after.
#1
Never lets you get bored
Picture This surprised me with its ability to keep me consistently hooked.
Even when you can predict the final scene very early on, it never bores you.
A twist an hour into the film caught me by surprise, and the runtime (less than two hours) ensures that there aren't many unnecessary or overlong scenes in this rom-com.
#2
You will relate to Pia's family
Laxmi's representation is particularly on point, and you will find yourself relating to Pia's family, especially their fights.
The good, the bad, the ugly—Picture This offers an unfiltered look at Indian families.
Additionally, the movie tries to showcase Indian culture in interesting ways.
One such interesting scene is when Laxmi asks the henna artist to sneak her son-in-law's name into her daughter Sonal's mehendi.
#3
The cinematography is another standout aspect
Picture This has been shot beautifully and each frame is vibrant, colorful, and bustles with energy.
From Pia's photo studio to the scenes capturing Sonal's wedding to a poignant conversation between Pia and her first love Charlie (Fiennes Tiffin), Picture This has several interesting frames.
Moreover, Hindi dialogues have been blended seamlessly into the script, lending the film an authentic and believable feel.
#4
Negatives: Doesn't develop supporting characters much
Pia's gay friend, Jay, played by Luke Fetherston, is a one-note character weighed down by the limitations of the script.
He is marinated in stereotypes and is unable to break the shackles the film puts him in.
Another unexplored, undeveloped character is Pia's mother, who gets some of the film's funniest dialogues but isn't featured enough.
#5
The surface-level treatment spoils the experience
Picture This isn't interested in exploring its ideas in-depth and is satisfied by a cursory glance at everything.
Stripped off any nuance, the film struggles, and there are several topics it could have explored better.
Pia's parents' broken marriage and the facade Indian families put for the world to see are themes the film touches upon but is afraid to develop any further.
Verdict
Watchable, but doesn't realize its full potential
The story keeps you engaged, there aren't many dull moments, and Vee lights up each frame, but the writing needed more work.
Eventually, it becomes a predictable, run-of-the-mill story where you know that the princess will meet the prince charming sooner or later.
It's charming and enjoyable but ultimately struggles to break any new ground.
2.5/5 stars.