Broken Horses Review

Vinod Chopra’s Hollywood ‘Avatar’ of his cult classic Parinda (1989) is a ‘Titanic’ mess that disappoints at prime levels.What an irony.. ‘Parinda’ Vinod Chopra’s Bollywood inspiration of the 1954 legendary Hollywood gangster ‘On The Waterfront’ went on to become a cult classic - seamless in giving Goosebumps to generations (Nana Patekar’s character ‘Anna’ and the iconic bed room killing of a couple on ‘Suhag raat’.. unforgettable) get ruined by its own mentor..in its homeland by Shree Vidhu Vinod Chopra.. nahi yeh nahi ho sakta.. sob sob. Tears.. falling short of tissues to wipe this issue..

Sorry to be melodramatic.. May be Vinod Chopra’s idea of Hollywood is not that dramatic and fixed to the pseudo believe that melodramas are strictly designed for Indian pajamas.. but King Hollywood biggest dates with good prosperous blossomy box office faith had come knocking after offering tribute at the melodramatic Bollywood gates.. Avatar (reincarnation), Titanic ( Rich girl poor boy love story) and of course the exemplary Slumdog Millionaire that gave a unique tribute to our lost and found themes for example..

Vinod Chopra himself has celebrated those emotions in his films but this time he has Hollywood in his mind with that pseudo belief attached that melodramas don,t work so he rewrites the script with his partner Abhijat Joshi which goes mildly western and falls flat.

Opens near a border.. its circa 2000 Mexico.. Gabriel Heckum (Thomas Jane) The Sheriff of the town has two sons Buddy (Henry Shotwell) and Jakey (Nicholas Neve). Buddy is the elder one while Jackey is younger. One day while Buddy is practicing his shooting skills with his father a bullet separates them leaving Buddy and Jackey as orphans. Elder Buddy has to take care of Jackey. Buddy lands up at a job in a motel.. one night Julius Hench (Vincent D'Onofrio) brainwashes Buddy to avenge his father’s death. He gives him a photograph.  Buddy kills the guy and gets trapped in the world of crime. While Jackey is learning his violin. Cut to grown up Buddy (Chris Marquette) the right hand of Julius and Jakey (Anton Yelchin) who is about to get married to Vittoria (María Valverde).

Buddy has a surprise gift for Jakey on his wedding and calls him over.. Jakey returns to his hometown and gets torn between love, brotherhood, betrayal, right and wrong.

Technically up to mark and that’s the only redeeming factor in this adaptation. The rest prime factors like the characterization, narration, plotting goes flat and misfires..

Buddy (Jackie Shroff) is reduced to a unpredictable buffoon over here.. Julius ( Nana Patekar) has nothing haunting or terrifying.. Jordi Caballero who plays his rival Mario Garza looked better. Jackey (Anil Kapoor) fails to get the audience connection.

To sum it up and cut the story short there’s one dialogue by Buddy in the film "he’s my bestest friend" To be fair with Vinod Chopra who gave us Khamosh, Parinda and 1942: A Love Story his idiom (read intention) to gave ‘Parinda’ a Hollywood western face lift is marred by such grammar (read execution) in its making..

Error please check the connections and insert the DVD of Parinda again..

Rating **