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Doctor Movie Review : Doctor is a deliciously dark comedy

Times Of India

In-depth Analysis

Our overall critic’s rating is not an average of the sub scores below.

Doctor | Song (Lyrical) - Chellamma

Doctor | Song - Nenjame

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Adarsh Thaware 960 410 days ago

I think this is best movie in Sivakarthikeyan's career. <br/>Comedy, thriller all type of genres are there. Specially, Bgm and Songs all are the best. Sivakarthikeyan and Priyanka mohan nailed it.��

Loga Nathan 545 days ago

Laughing Therapy

Sakthivel Sridharan 737 784 days ago

its a very good movie

Kar Thik 880 days ago

one of the best movie i watched with god concept and comedy acting screenplay was just outstanding

Shovon Bhattacharjee Dip 435 883 days ago

The Story line of this movie is just amazing and The Acting is also good, This movie has a very good story and A different story. Overall I enjoyed this movie.

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Doctor movie review: Sivakarthikeyan’s film is a deliciously wicked dark comedy

Doctor movie review: sivakarthikeyan's new film is unlike any you've seen him in before. with dark humour, nelson adds spice to a mundane script..

Doctor Director: Nelson Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Vinay, Yogi Babu and Archana Chandokhe

Doctor movie review: Sivakarthikeyan embraces a dark role.

The first thing that comes to mind when you walk out of Nelson’s Doctor is it’s unlike anything you’ve seen from a Sivakarthikeyan’s movie so far. Taking a refreshing departure from the colourful entertainers he’s popular for; Sivakarthikeyan embraces a dark role-– of an army doctor who goes after a human trafficking gang--with minimal dialogues. Nelson whips up a deliciously wicked dark comedy that works despite its predictable plot and twists. Even the most mundane scenes are elevated thanks to the quirky treatment.

Watch Doctor trailer here:

The plot is simple and familiar. Early on, Varun (Sivakarthikeyan) gets a call from his fiancée Padmini (Priyanka), who decides to call off their wedding after realising that he is not hip enough. When Varun and his folks come home to find out the exact reason behind the rejection, they’re told that he’s not caring and emotional. As the wedding is called off, news comes in that Padmini’s niece has gone missing from her school and the family suspects a case of kidnapping. Varun comes forward to help them and he decides to take the law in his own hands when he realises the police are not too serious about the case. Will Varun succeed in saving girl by taking a human trafficking gang head on, forms the crux of the story?

Doctor takes off slowly and initially it feels a little odd to see Sivakarthikeyan deliver his lines like a robot. It feels like a very mechanical performance but once you get used to his character, the film works like a charm. No other Tamil film apart from Nelson’s own Kolamavu Kokila used dark comedy so effectively in recent years.

Also read: Bhramam movie review: Prithviraj Sukumaran's pointless Andhadhun remake will blindside you with blandness

Nelson manages to evoke laughs out of the most serious situations and he pulls it off so effortlessly. Most scenes would’ve felt flat if they were not treated the way Nelson did with the aid of dark humour. There’s a terrific action sequence inside a metro train and it’s one of the best sequences in the first half. It’s inventive and extremely wacky. Not sure if this sequence would’ve worked in any other film.

Despite a slightly predictable second half, Doctor stays afloat because of the way it uses humour to make every cliched sequence feel fresh. Yogi Babu, who usually gets a tiny comic roles in movies, gets an extended screen time here and he’s terrific in his portion. With impeccable timing and deadpan expression, he keeps the film alive in some of its more boring stretches. MTV Roadies fame Rajiv and Raghu Ram play key characters and they make for interesting casting choices. Vinay shines yet again as the sophisticated villain. Anirudh Ravichander’s music and score holds the film together whenever it dips.

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'Doctor' film review: This inventive black comedy features an all new Sivakarthikeyan

A still from Sivakarthikeyan-starrer 'Doctor'.

At this moment, the Sivakarthikeyan we have come to know over the years, might be expected to launch into a funny monologue, perhaps at the girl’s expense, but this role is a departure in his career. Later, the girl’s father approaches him and tries to establish male camaraderie by saying that his daughter, Padmini, needs a husband who can slap her and bring down her ‘thimiru’. Varun’s enjoyable riposte is this: “Naanum thimiru pudichavan dhaan sir.” I laughed, in relief almost.

This is Sivakarthikeyan in a comedy, albeit of the black variety, being secure enough to stay away from joining in, being secure enough to be a passive participant while characters around him chatter away. This i s Sivakarthikeyan as we have never seen him before, and it’s admirable that he hasn’t just acted in this film but produced it as well. I don’t remember the last time I laughed as loudly in a theatre as I did watching Doctor. This film’s jokes are so wild, so funny, that it makes you bide your time during the duller, no-joke portions, only so you can let director Nelson have you in splits again.

The film is about child trafficking, about sex slavery, about a submissive family forced into acts of crime, but all this solemnity is a device with which to unleash inventive comedy. Sure, it’s rather risky because this is a film full of violence and darkness. Thumbs are lopped off, people are readied to be burnt alive, necks are carefully slit… And yet, with some terrific writing and uninhibited performances from actors like Redin Kingsley, this film finds ingenious ways of delivering laugh-outloud humour. Director Nelson Dilipkumar shows an evident talent for it.

Sample this. In one of several wonderfully bizarre scenes, a man’s kidney is removed, and he is told to comply, were he to need his organ back. Lying on the hospital bed, he doesn’t seem eager to comply. And that’s when a character throws the ultimate threat: “Kidney-a thooki kakkoos la potruven.” It’s a warning so ridiculous, so unexpected, that it’s impossible not to spit laughter. Fear not, this film is a treasure trove of such absurd dialogues.

As a man is whisked away on a boat towards his death, he demands a lemon because he feels seasick. Could a man really be as cool in the face of imminent death? These are questions you don’t ask, and frankly, shouldn’t, in a film of this genre, as it gets in the way of your appreciation of its humour. If Kolamavu Kokila hadn’t convinced us that this filmmaker is an admirer of Breaking Bad, this film confirms it, with the assassin twins idea (Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman). This is a film full of inventive ideas, like Yogi Babu’s ‘ara kai’ game, for instance, as part of which participants smack the back of each other’s hands—a game I dare say might be at home in Squid Game.

Even beyond the joke portions, director Nelson shows an eagerness to do away with the usual. Composer Anirudh’s songs may have gone viral, but look at how the two most popular songs (‘Chellamma’ and ‘So Baby’) are used away—one at the beginning and another at the end—so the film can do its job without distractions. Look at how he deals with the mandatory fight sequence. He sets it in a train— okay, that’s not exactly novel— but then, he switches off the lights and equips the parties with infra-red goggles, and even better, proceeds to elicit non-stop laughter, as people fumble along.

While on mandatory angles, in a film featuring Sivakarthikeyan, by now, it’s no surprise that some portions are going to involve his bond with children. And so yes, he rescues children here, but then again, the formula of it all is offset by how this is hardly an innocent film. Nelson even manages a great emotional moment when the otherwise quiet Varun tells the girl child that he rescued her, not to win favours with her aunt, but because he genuinely loves her. However, each time the jokes come to a trickle and the film soldiers on through its troughs under the delusion that it’s communicating some real tension, you get impatient.

The villain (Vinay) is a cardboard cutout you learn nothing about, and yet, Nelson seems keen to project him as a serious threat. For lack of well-written transitions between the serious portions—particularly in the second half—and the comedy, you are sometimes left confused. I remember at least once when I had barely caught my breath back after laughing that I was pushed into an emotional scene that seemed to come out of nowhere. If I had to use an analogy as morbid as the humour in this film, I’d say that I felt like I were spotted laughing at a funeral.

I also didn’t care for a few jokes that come at the expense of women, with one particularly uncomfortable idea being about a man made to wear a nightie and called Gomathi. More importantly, Padmini (Priyanka Arul Mohan) might have benefitted from having something to do in the story, instead of being all dolled up and looking meek (in much the same way this actor does in her Telugu film, Gang Leader). Perhaps even Nelson realised this at some point, for he throws in a jibe at her expense, when someone asks her, “Summa lipstick pottutu unna madhri naan okaandha, unakku epdi irukkum?” Till the end, I wasn’t really sure what Varun truly saw in her. Perhaps her ‘thimiru’? But we don’t see a whole lot of that either, after the opening scene.

However, it’s a film with some daring, astonishing ideas for jokes, and for that, I’m willing to forgive its weaknesses. There’s even a beautiful idea underneath the story that speaks of how empathy and emot ion isn’t just about words, how it isn’t just about caring for those we know. In a world that is rather unkind to those who may not be great with the words, Doctor is a story of a woman realising that her understanding of what constitutes emotion and empathy is rather superficial. That Nelson has communicated such a difficult idea whilst having us in splits, is an indication that Tamil cinema has a unique directorial talent in him, one I pray that the star system doesn’t go on to stifle.

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Doctor Movie Review: Nelson Delivers an Unbelievable, Yet Utterly Enjoyable Film With An In-Control Sivakarthikeyan

Director: Nelson Cast: Sivakarthikeyan , Priyanka Arul Mohan, Yogi Babu , Vinay Rai, Milind Soman, Redin Kingsley, Arun Alexander

After the climax and the epilogue, the song 'Chellamma' plays. Not as the background for end credits, but like any other song in the middle of any other film. This is the first time in the 2.5 hours runtime of Doctor , we see Sivakarthikeyan as we'd expect to see him — jolly, energetic, dynamic and somewhat naughty. This is perhaps why the entire audience at the theatre stayed in their seats and enjoyed the song. Or they were perhaps just relishing the delight that Doctor was, like I did.

Doctor is a few days in the life of an unemotional military doctor, Varun (Sivakarthikeyan). His fiance Padmini (Priyanka Arul Mohan) calls off the wedding because he doesn't say 'there there' when she's in pain. Padmini's father (Ilavarasu) thinks it's good for Varun because women like her only deserve "arrogant men who give them two tight slaps on their face and control them." " Naanum thimir pidichavan thaan, Sir ," (I am arrogant too) Varun insists, with absolutely no conviction in his eyes. For a moment, I bit my nails in fear that the film will have a parallel taming-the-shrew track. Doctor , thankfully, is above that.

In a few moments, Padmini's niece, Chinnu (Zaara Vineet), is kidnapped and the family is thrown into turmoil. Varun, by virtue of being there — not being invited to save them, mind you — gets involved. The rest of the film takes a Kolamavu Kokila -like journey towards what looks like an impossible mission. Like Kolamavu Kokila , Nelson's previous film, Doctor too has some terrific moments. It also has some terrible misfires.

The film's biggest success is how writer-director Nelson brings together a motley group of quirky fools, led by a somewhat intelligent but also clueless doctor, to navigate a dangerous and high-stakes mission. Nelson is comfortably in his zone — the characters are palatably eccentric; the jokes are set up and delivered fantastically; the plot points are just the right amount of clever; the narrative tension is palpable without being distracting.

Nelson's view of families is an absolute delight. In a film about a family that goes to insane lengths to protect their child, he also sneaks in a few scenes about how dysfunctional they are. These scenes, even though they're meant to be dark, are simply real — even rich. For instance, the initial scenes where Padmini lays bare her father's misogyny is an excellent foreshadowing of what he later tells Varun. Later in that scene, Varun's mother tells Padmini that she doesn't like her, to which Padmini responds with "same to you." After this, Varun's mother storms off, leaving him behind to resolve his life. Her reappearance in the second half is a hoot!

There is a bit of casual misogyny in the film that could have been avoided, though — emasculating a man for having lost a bet, an "aunty-hero" joke, a mandatory "good-looking women are stupid" gag etc. It's not preachy, nor is it the stand of the film. In fact, Doctor does really well not to tame/harass Padmini into submission. The sexism is a reflection of the characters themselves, all of whom are flawed. Yet, it's something that Nelson could have avoided and lost nothing — but he retained them just for easy claps. It's disappointing that he did.

Beyond that, unlike Kolamavu Kokila , where the morbid humour was delicious, Doctor is about a schoolgirl who has been kidnapped. Someone mentions human trafficking right at the beginning, making my stomach churn a little. The family falls apart with the father (Arun Alexander) rushing to kill himself. Within seconds of this, the film moves to ha-ha level jokes and absurdity. This transition is grating. A family's ability to trust silly strangers and an unemotional doctor with the life of their daughter is unconvincing. The emotional moments, therefore, lack the strength of the writing that Nelson displays in the quirky scenes.

What it lacks in writing, however, Doctor makes up for in excellent casting. Varun is unlike any Sivakarthikeyan character we've seen ever before. He's restrained in that he has no counters or even comical lines. He doesn't smirk self-assuredly when he insults Padmini for being foolish. He looks at her earnestly in love, not naughtily waiting to taunt her. It's almost unnatural to see Sivakarthikeyan that way, but you warm up as the film progresses. He looks and plays the part. I don't want to jump the gun and proclaim him to have turned a new leaf as an actor or anything. But I will say, he is wholesome as Varun.

Archana as the mother who's lost her child is fantastic. Watch out for the moment she reunites with her daughter — the only emotional scene in the film that truly works, and almost entirely because of how Archana upholds it. Deepa, as the resigned cynic who eats her emotions, is hilarious. Not only because of the sharp dialogues that are written for her but also because of how she brings her entire physical self to her jokes. I keep my fingers crossed that this comedian gets to have a long and successful comedy career.

Redin Kingsley plays the same role he's always played — the foolish loudmouth. If nothing else, he entertains with just experience. Yogi Babu as the amateur kidnapper, gets a slightly better version of his self-deprecating and insulting humour. Even actors playing small characters play their part well. They make Doctor look at home and comfortable throughout the first half.

In fact, it's some of the big names like Milind Soman, Raghu Ram, Rajiv Lakshman and the antagonist Vinay Rai himself that are a bit of a letdown. If dubbing is one part of the problem, the other is perhaps Nelson's control over the milieu itself. We get so much of Chennai in the first half — Koyambedu bus stand, share auto, Chennai Metro, dingy police stations, cruel cops, tea shops, crowded streets, hiding in plain sight, Nelson brings the city into his film. Goa, on the other hand, is reduced to a five-star hotel and a dungeon by the beach. In and of itself, this wouldn't be a grouse, if Nelson hadn't set the bar for himself so high.

Some of his touches are delicious. Take, for instance, the interval block. I don't want to ruin it for you, but keep an eye out for the lights. For each set-up, the payoffs are worth every penny. Take the lunch table where Varun realises he's been caught. Or the point where the climax looks somewhat lukewarm and unsatisfactory until Varun reemerges from the vast Goan seas. There are hilarious action sequences when you don't even expect one — you'll know when you see Redin Kingsley in the climax.

Upping a bar is also the film's music director Anirudh, soundly delineating the mass moments for us. Nelson sometimes plays down the mass, but Anirudh wouldn't have it. He is enjoying the film and he wants you to feel it.

Two days from now, as the memes emerge, we will begin asking how any of what Doctor shows is plausible. The film itself offers little by way of explanation. For instance, Varun goes to Goa and occupies an ice cream shop as the headquarters of his operation. There's no explanation of how he manages that. Nelson just expects you to accept he'll know someone who knows someone who can make that happen. This way, a good part of Doctor will be unbelievable — as in, you won't believe it's plausible. As you reminisce, you're likely to think up what might seem like logical loopholes. But, while you're watching the film, you wouldn't care.

Because Nelson isn't going for believability. He's going for immersion. By that standard, Doctor is tremendous fun.

Doctor Movie Review (2021)

Sivakarthikeyan's doctor movie review - a laughter riot from nelson and co..

Doctor Movie Cast & Crew

Amidst huge expectations and hype, Sivakarthikeyan's Doctor has finally hit the screens and it is directed by Nelson Dilipkumar who made an impressive debut with Kolamaavu Kokila. Doctor, which has music by Anirudh, features Priyanka Mohan as the female lead, alongside several other talented actors like Yogi Babu, Vinay, Redin Kingsley, Archana, Arun Alexander, Ilavarasu, Dheepa, and others. How has the film fared? Check out!

STORY: Doctor takes us through the life of Varun (Sivakarthikeyan), a Doctor in the Military, who along with his ex-fiance's (Priyanka Mohan) family set out to search for their little girl, Chinnu (Zaara Vineet), who gets kidnapped. Did Varun and the family succeed in finding their dear girl is what Doctor is all about. Though the film deals with a very serious topic of human trafficking, the way the film has been packaged and presented is enjoyable.

SCREENPLAY, DIALOGUES & DIRECTION: Director Nelson Dilipkumar strikes gold with his packaging skills as the film is engaging for the most part. Nelson's brand of humour works in the favour of the movie, saving the film from its other flaws. Except for the initial few minutes post-interval (in Goa), Doctor keeps the audience engaged. The best part about Doctor is its freshness in the screenplay and when the humour becomes the USP of the screenplay, the final outcome is impressive. The makers have indeed underplayed in the trailer as the film has several pleasant surprise moments. Director Nelson uses Redin and Yogi Babu to their strengths and the wise usage of these actors makes Doctor quite enjoyable. Nelson and co. have executed several important stretches in an effective manner - for example, the metro train sequence.

On the weaker side, the villain doesn't pack a punch, in terms of writing. Nelson could've written the character with more strength and depth and that could've made the faceoff more exciting. Vinay's motive or plan in kidnapping young girls is touched only on a surface level and it would've been more authentic if we had known more about him. When you have a weakly written villain, the largely predictable climax comes as an add-on. Also, Doctor has logical flaws at places (the first encounter between SK and Sunil) and if you can let it go off as cinematic liberty, Doctor would be an enjoyable watch. If the logical flaws bother you, Doctor might be a mixed bag. CAST: Sivakarthikeyan delivers a very mature performance that is subtle and calm for the most part. It is indeed refreshing to see SK in such a character that underplays at several points. We actually never see Sivakarthikeyan smiling and this is surely a standout film, in terms of his character sketch. Priyanka Arul Mohan gets a decent role in her debut Tamil film and she is sure to earn a good fan base here, thanks to her cute expressions and attractive screen presence. The show-stealer of Doctor is Redin Kingsley who sets the screen on fire with his wacky humour and eccentric body language. Redin and Yogi Babu together strike fantastic chemistry and the duo manage to uplift the film whenever there is a dip.

Special mention to the quirky sidekicks like Gabbar, Gabbar's assistant, and Sunil's assistant who add more flavour to the film's dark humour. Whenever you see them on screen, there is assured laughter and that makes the flaws take the backseat. Vinay looks menacing and stylish as Teddy, the classy villain, but there is no depth in his character, as already told. It is good to see a promising actor inside VJ Archana and her emotional performance is neat. Arun Alexander, Ilavarasu, Sunil, and Zaara do their part well, giving a sense of completeness. As far as the performances are concerned, Doctor has no worries.

TECHNICAL: Anirudh Ravichander is one of the main pillars of Doctor. He holds the film high with his fantastic brilliant score that acts as a booster to many scenes. The 'Soul of Doctor' score is sure to touch the audience. The songs have also got the crowd-pleasing appeal and it has been shot in an interesting fashion. There are just two songs that take place amidst the story and Nelson needs to be appreciated for his placement of songs. Vijay Kartik Kannan's visuals look rich, enhancing the visual quality of the film. The stunt choreography in the metro train sequence garners good attention as it is intelligently done. The CG / VFX in the climax looks a bit odd. SO? Doctor definitely has its own share of flaws, but the comedies manage to hold the film uptight, leaving the audience in splits. Doctor is definitely a film that deserved a theatrical release and thanks to the makers for withstanding the Covid waves to give the audience an entertaining theatrical film.

Verdict Sivakarthikeyan and Nelson arrive in style with a laughter riot. Don't miss this one!

Galatta Rating: ( 3.0 /5.0 )

Doctor movie news.

Sivakarthikeyan's DOCTOR Sneak Peek | Fun and Mass | Priyanka Mohan | Nelson | Anirudh

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While Sivakarthikeyanâ€™s Doctor, there came few similarities, or in simple words â€“ Reference of how a dark theme in the story backdrop treated well with humour worked out the best results. Shahrukh Khanâ€™s Main Hoon Naa was a strong example of it (Later remade in Tamil as AEGAN starring Ajith Kumar in the lead role). The makers had promoted the movie stating that â€˜Doctorâ€™ is a Dark-Comedy, which prepared the audiences, who had knowledge about this genre on what to expect from this Sivakarthikeyan starrer directed by Nelson.

Varun (Sivakarthikeyan), a military doctor, who is disappointed over his fiancÃ© (Priyanka Arul Mohan) cancelling the marriage proposal. But things break lose out of hell, when a little girl from their family goes missing. Varun along with his fiancÃ©â€™s family embark on a journey to find the girl, where he comes to know about the girl (Flesh) trafficking.

More than analyzing the â€˜Doctorâ€™, what we personally felt that is actor Vijay is sure to find a new colour (Humour) in â€˜Beastâ€™. Courtesy to Nelson for his scrutinizing involvement in developing humorous dialogues and he excels with it in Doctor. But guess whatâ€™s little disappointing? Sivakarthikeyan remains extremely silent, which might not go well with rural fans as they expect him to utter loud-funny or emotional dialogues. Maybe, Sivakarthikeyan wanted to try out something different to see if audiences and fans are ready to accept him in this pattern. Priyanka Arul Mohan is a complete disappointment and she keeps posing like performing for Instagram Reels. Yogi Babu and Redin Kingsley are the ultimate showstoppers. They carry the entire film on their shoulders with their humorous appeal. Vinay is outstanding with his screen presence, and he could have got more scope.

Having said that the movie is a Dark Comedy, we do find some main quotients missing. Although you can see the characterization of Deepa Shankar as a humorous factor, how her character could be so dumb? She keeps munching in sumptuous food in spite of the little girl missing. There is not even a single sequence of familyâ€™s pain over the missing girl except for few weeping shots. This develops a strong doubt now and then whether we are watching a comedy or serious movie. Human (Flesh) trafficking isnâ€™t something befitting for the Dark Comedy genre. But somehow, with a low budget production value, one liners and a couple of songs by Anirudh, the movie manages to impress the urban fans of Sivakarthikeyan.

On the whole, Doctor has plenty of rib-tickling moments, and will be a decent family entertainer for the audiences.

Verdict: When it comes to Comedy Vs Emotions, Comedy is the winner in Doctor

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‘Doctor’ movie review: An enjoyable comedy-caper that has Sivakarthikeyan playing down his strengths

Director nelson’s writing is top-notch, as are the performances by the ensemble cast, in this roller-coaster of a watch.

October 09, 2021 02:28 pm | Updated 02:33 pm IST

Sivakarthikeyan in ‘Doctor’

Let me make a confession first: I had great fun watching the BTS videos that the team of Doctor put up. One of them has director Nelson waiting desperately outside composer Anirudh’s studio for a song. The composer strolls out, phone in hand, “ Ippo lam directors studio vella padhuturanga (These days, directors have started sleeping outside the studio) . They don’t understand that music composing is a creative process. ”

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There’s another funny interaction between the director and hero Sivakarthikeyan, where the former pulls the star’s leg about the Kalaimamani award he bagged recently.

Most of these videos are delivered seriously, but are packed with humour and witty repartees. Nelson continues that irreverence on the big screen in Doctor .

With his earlier film Kolamavu Kokila , the filmmaker proved that he could captivate audiences with the story of an ordinary family doing extraordinary things. He repeats the same trope in this outing, and the result: an intriguing tale of a family going to great lengths, to save a loved one.

Read More | Sivakarthikeyan on ‘Doctor’, the lessons he learnt from ‘Hero’ and why Siva 2.0 is just starting

That’s the gist, but the film begins with Varun (Sivakarthikeyan), a doctor with a stickler for discipline. He’s also practical about life, which is why the girl he likes (Priyanka Arul Mohan, who doesn’t have much to do) doesn’t reciprocate his feelings; she wishes for someone with more emotions, more heart.

In a while, she’ll see all that; when a child from their family is kidnapped, Varun jumps into action. Will he triumph?

Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Vinay, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Yogi Babu
Director: Nelson
Storyline: A doctor urges a family who has lost a loved one to take things in their own hands

The biggest USP of the film is that it isn’t about Doctor himself; Sivakarthikeyan, in this case. In fact, this is probably his most understated role so far. It literally robs him of his cheery and boisterous self, a quality that has endeared him to the family audiences. In Doctor , he’s like a Rishabh Pant staying quiet on the crease (Pant is known for his aggressive style of batting). Even his dialogue delivery is staccato-like. You could have placed Chitti from Endhiran here, and it wouldn’t have made too much a difference.

However, much like the Professor from popular series Money Heist , Sivakarthikeyan stays in the background while trying to galvanise a family to do something that is normally the police department’s job. The family is filled with memorable characters, and so are the people they meet in the roller-coaster process of saving their loved one.

The first half crackles with humour, with comedy actor Kingsley having us in splits with his brash dialogue delivery. Nelson packs a lot of comedy in the scenes, so much so that even action sequences have a dose of humour (check out the one shot inside a Metro train compartment). Though he loses the plot to an extent in the second half, the interesting set of characters he has designed and their performances keep you invested till the end.

Much like many Tamil films in recent times, Doctor too highlights a cause, that of human trafficking. Statistics and dialogues proving the cause are but a line or two… that’s such a relief. Also refreshing is watching Unnale Unnale Vinay play a character with shades of grey; it isn’t much to write home about, but boy, Vinay does still look fit and fine. Anirudh’s music and background score are major highlights of Doctor ; the use of a Carnatic melodic phrase (‘The Soul of Doctor’ track) to a slow-motion fight sequence surprisingly fits, as does the foot-tapping ‘Chellamma’ song. The cinematography — by Vijay Karthik Kannan — also gives us some greatly-lit frames. All these are richly packed in the 148-minute roller-coaster comedy that Doctor is. All these augur well for Beast , director Nelson’s next biggie with Vijay.

Doctor is currently running in theatres

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Home » Review » Doctor movie review: This Sivakarthikeyan-starrer dark comedy is hilariously bizarre and entertaining »

Doctor movie review: This Sivakarthikeyan-starrer dark comedy is hilariously bizarre and entertaining

What works in the movie is the humour even in sequences which involve fights and violence, thanks to the intriguing staging and performances by actors

A poster of the film

Thinkal Menon

Last Updated: 10.58 PM, Nov 05, 2021

Story: A military doctor, who is rejected by her fiancée, leads a unique mission to rescue her niece from a notorious human trafficking gang in an unexpected circumstance. He seeks the help of her family members and a few local gangsters as well to take on the dangerous gang based out of Goa. Will they be able to save the girl?

Review: Nelson Dilipkumar, who made the successful Kolamavu Kokila , with dark comedy as its genre, is at it again. With Doctor , he proves that he is not a one-film wonder. The film headlines someone like Sivakarthikeyan, who has a knack of making even a mediocre comedy scene entertaining, thanks to his comic timing and funny one-liners. But Nelson hasn't relied only on the protagonist. Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley and Arun Alexander, who were seen in impressive roles in the director's previous project, get meaty characters this time, too.

Varun (Sivakarthikeyan) is a stoic military doctor who looks at every challenge in a practical manner. He is disciplined, focused and straight-forward. But it's because of his honest nature that Padmini (Priyanka Arul Mohan), his fiancée, rejects him. She also finds him boring and too calculative.

When they are on the verge of separation, Varun gets to know that Padmini's niece, a school-going teenage girl, is missing. After lackadaisical response from the cops, Varun and Padmini's family members set out to investigate the missing case. Soon they realize that the girl has been kidnapped and that a big human trafficking network is behind it.

They nab each and every criminal who are associated with the kidnap and manage to find the whereabouts of Terry (Vinay Rai), who runs the human trafficking nexus from Goa. Varun and her fiancée's family members hatch a plan which looks bizarre with the help of a cop and a few local gangsters to rescue the girl from Goa.

However, Varun slowly realizes that he needs to crack a lot of challenges which reminds us of different levels in video games. Will he be able to destroy the dreaded gang lead by the dangerous Terry?

The prime positive aspect of the movie is the way several scenes, which might appear outlandish on paper, are neatly executed. If the main plot itself has confusing elements, the wafer-thin sub-plots appear even more likely to fizzle. However, the clever writing, aided by hilarious performances by Yogi Babu and Redin Kingsley, ensures that the viewers could have an edge-of-the-seat experience.

Unlike his regular outings, Sivakarthikeyan emotes in a subtle way, something which is out of his comfort zone. Yet, he manages to deliver what is required from the character. What is more interesting is that the antagonist essayed by Vinay Rai, too, comes up with a subtle performance.

Their combination scenes are one of the many highlights in the movie. Vijay Kartik Kannan's cinematography and Anirudh's background score elevate the mood in several scenes and help transport the viewers to the partly funny and partly serious world which Nelson has intriguingly created.

On the down side, the female lead, essayed by Priyanka, who gets a promising start, dissipates as the story progresses. Deepa Shankar and Archana Chandhoke get even more substantial roles in emotional and funny scenes. Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman as the twin kidnappers, too, play their part convincingly. Though the slow-paced presentation makes the dark comedy effective in certain scenes, there are a few instances where it could have been avoided.

Verdict: Sivakarthikeyan's underplayed performance and innovative screenplay make Doctor a compelling watch for those who love dark comedies.

Doctor is streaming on Netflix and Sun NXT.

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The Doctor Reviews

2 hr 5 mins
Watchlist Where to Watch

A fact-based story of a surgeon who learns the importance of compassion in a physician-patient relationship when he's treated for cancer.

This slick, well-constructed film, a fine sophomore effort by director Randa Haines (CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD), was loosely adapted by screenwriter Robert Caswell (A CRY IN THE DARK) from a book based on Dr. Edward E. Rosenbaum's 50-year experience as a medical practitioner. Jack McKee (William Hurt), an insufferably arrogant surgeon, gets a taste of his own medicine when he's suddenly diagnosed to have a malignant tumor and finds himself on the receiving end of a thermometer. In other words, he becomes a patient. Jack confronts his own mortality with an understandable sense of angst and vulnerability. He also quickly falls prey to the same thoughtless medical attitudes he has always unwittingly subscribed to. As a patient, he encounters a dispassionate, bungling hospital bureaucracy obsessed with minutiae, spends hours of needless waiting and incessant form-filling, and most disturbing, faces coldly patronizing colleagues whose general credo is cut straight, care less. Like the rest of us lesser mortals who have suffered all sorts of indignities dished out by Hippocratic oafs, Jack doesn't like it one bit. During the tedious waiting-room process, Jack befriends June (Elizabeth Perkins), a terminal cancer outpatient whose life could have been saved by a thousand-dollar test she was never given. (Hospital insurance precluded it.) Although their purely platonic interludes together occasionally border on the evangelical, she imparts to him an appreciation of life's fundamentals before she inevitably dies. This shattering experience causes Jack to reappraise himself personally and professionally. He repairs his eroding relationship with wife Anne (Christine Lahti), long a victim of his marital neglect. He heeds his newly discovered conscience by refusing to perjure himself at an upcoming malpractice trial for smarmy Murray (Mandy Patinkin), a member of his highly successful four-man surgical group practice, who is not above cheating--on his wife or in court. McKee also gains new-found respect for ear-nose-and-throat specialist Eli (Adam Arkin), nicknamed The Rabbi, who has been consistently maligned by the Gang of Four because of his unique sensibilities: he really cares about his patients. Jack's own conversion from clinically detached healer and husband into humane individual proves complete when he orders his young surgical residents to spend three days as patients to experience the same indignities they have cavalierly, thoughtlessly inflicted on others. In content, THE DOCTOR is the flip side of Paddy Chayefsky's THE HOSPITAL, a spirited satire on the incompetence within a major medical center and a black comedy which showed, short of murder, how easy it is to "lose" patients in the daily course of slipshod care. THE DOCTOR doesn't quite have that same hard edge or gallows humor because, in between the life and death surgical procedures, the film, after all, glorifies life. It's filled with a perverse but engaging humor--almost a stateside M*A*S*H--as it pokes fun at typical medical phenomena--from randy, raucous jokes in the operating room as blood spurts in all directions, to unflattering hospital gowns that leave little to the imagination, to barium enemas meant for someone else. Unfortunately, many of those same lax procedures and attitudes depicted still persist, but the film's upbeat ending leaves some hope for better "people handling" in the future from those in health care. Though vaguely simplistic and unlayered, THE DOCTOR's linear plot teems with adult, often pungent dialogue delivered by real pros--particularly Hurt, a master of nuance, and Lahti (SWINGSHIFT, HOUSEKEEPING), a superb, underrated actress, who, though not given much to work with, manages to delicately convey a strong sense of desolation. Though beautifully acted by Perkins, June's relationship with Jack is one of the film's only false notes. Arkin, as Eli, gives a short, sweet and absolutely convincing portrayal. THE DOCTOR is a welcome change from the usual Hollywood pap, and considering its rational thesis, should well be made mandatory for all med students and surgical residents who might think their job begins and ends on a hospital's cutting room floor.

The Doctor (1991)

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Doctor Movie Review: This inventive black comedy features an all-new Sivakarthikeyan

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

For a brief while, a few minutes into Sivakarthikeyan’s latest film, Doctor , I wasn’t sure if I’d stepped into a Selvaraghavan film by mistake. The protagonist, Varun (Sivakarthikeyan), sits quiet, staring mirthlessly at his fiancee, Padmini (Priyanka Arul Mohan), as she proceeds to call out his profound lack of emotion. His face, fittingly, is frozen—as it does for the remainder of this film—while he takes in her criticism. At this moment, the Sivakarthikeyan we have come to know over the years, might be expected to launch into a funny monologue, perhaps at the girl’s expense, but this role is a departure in his career. Later, the girl’s father approaches him and tries to establish male camaraderie by saying that his daughter, Padmini, needs a husband who can slap her and bring down her ‘ thimiru ’. Varun’s enjoyable riposte is this: “ Naanum thimiru pudichavan dhaan sir .” I laughed, in relief almost.

Director: Nelson

Cast: Sivakarthikeyan, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Vinay, Redin Kingsley

I wasn’t sure if this placid face of Sivakarthikeyan in this all-new avatar would go on to be sacrificed in this film for a more familiar version. However, I enjoyed—really really enjoyed—that this never happens. Someone, almost affectionately, dubs him, “ Loosu Doctor”. Someone else does one better: “ Paasakaara psycho”. This is Sivakarthikeyan in a comedy, albeit of the black variety, being secure enough to stay away from joining in, being secure enough to be a passive participant while characters around him chatter away. This is Sivakarthikeyan as we have never seen him before, and it’s admirable that he hasn’t just acted in this film but produced it as well.

I don’t remember the last time I laughed as loudly in a theatre as I did watching Doctor . This film’s jokes are so wild, so funny, that it makes you bide your time during the duller, no-joke portions, only so you can let director Nelson have you in splits again. The film is about child trafficking, about sex slavery, about a submissive family forced into acts of crime, but all this solemnity is a device with which to unleash inventive comedy. Sure, it’s rather risky because this is a film full of violence and darkness. Thumbs are lopped off, people are readied to be burnt alive, necks are carefully slit… And yet, with some terrific writing and uninhibited performances from actors like Redin Kingsley, this film finds ingenious ways of delivering laugh-out-loud humour. Director Nelson Dilipkumar shows an evident talent for it. Sample this. In one of several wonderfully bizarre scenes, a man’s kidney is removed, and he is told to comply, were he to need his organ back. Lying on the hospital bed, he doesn’t seem eager to comply. And that’s when a character throws the ultimate threat: “ Kidney-a thooki kakkoos la potruven .” It’s a warning so ridiculous, so unexpected, that it’s impossible not to spit laughter. Fear not, this film is a treasure trove of such absurd dialogues. As a man is whisked away on a boat towards his death, he demands a lemon because he feels seasick. Could a man really be as cool in the face of imminent death? These are questions you don’t ask, and frankly, shouldn’t, in a film of this genre, as it gets in the way of your appreciation of its humour.

If Kolamavu Kokila hadn’t convinced us that this filmmaker is an admirer of Breaking Bad , this film confirms it, with the assassin twins idea (Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman). This is a film full of inventive ideas, like Yogi Babu’s ‘ ara kai ’ game, for instance, as part of which participants smack the back of each other’s hands—a game I dare say might be at home in Squid Game . Even beyond the joke portions, director Nelson shows an eagerness to do away with the usual. Composer Anirudh’s songs may have gone viral, but look at how the two most popular songs (‘ Chellamma ’ and ‘ So Baby ’) are used away—one at the beginning and another at the end—so the film can do its job without distractions. Look at how he deals with the mandatory fight sequence. He sets it in a train—okay, that’s not exactly novel—but then, he switches off the lights and equips the parties with infra-red goggles, and even better, proceeds to elicit non-stop laughter, as people fumble along. While on mandatory angles, in a film featuring Sivakarthikeyan, by now, it’s no surprise that some portions are going to involve his bond with children. And so yes, he rescues children here, but then again, the formula of it all is offset by how this is hardly an innocent film. Nelson even manages a great emotional moment when the otherwise quiet Varun tells the girl child that he rescued her, not to win favours with her aunt, but because he genuinely loves her.

However, each time the jokes come to a trickle and the film soldiers on through its troughs under the delusion that it’s communicating some real tension, you get impatient. The villain (Vinay) is a cardboard cutout you learn nothing about, and yet, Nelson seems keen to project him as a serious threat. For lack of well-written transitions between the serious portions—particularly in the second half—and the comedy, you are sometimes left confused. I remember at least once when I had barely caught my breath back after laughing that I was pushed into an emotional scene that seemed to come out of nowhere. If I had to use an analogy as morbid as the humour in this film, I’d say that I felt like I were spotted laughing at a funeral.

I also didn’t care for a few jokes that come at the expense of women, with one particularly uncomfortable idea being about a man made to wear a nightie and called Gomathi. More importantly, Padmini (Priyanka Arul Mohan) might have benefitted from having something to do in the story, instead of being all dolled up and looking meek (in much the same way this actor does in her Telugu film, Gang Leader ). Perhaps even Nelson realised this at some point, for he throws in a jibe at her expense, when someone asks her, “ Summa lipstick pottutu unna madhri naan okaandha, unakku epdi irukkum ?” Till the end, I wasn’t really sure what Varun truly saw in her. Perhaps her ‘ thimiru ’? But we don’t see a whole lot of that either, after the opening scene.

However, it’s a film with some daring, astonishing ideas for jokes, and for that, I’m willing to forgive its weaknesses. There’s even a beautiful idea underneath the story that speaks of how empathy and emotion isn’t just about words, how it isn’t just about caring for those we know. In a world that is rather unkind to those who may not be great with the words, Doctor is a story of a woman realising that her understanding of what constitutes emotion and empathy is rather superficial. That Nelson has communicated such a difficult idea whilst having us in splits, is an indication that Tamil cinema has a unique directorial talent in him, one I pray that the star system doesn’t go on to stifle.

The Film Doctor

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Post date March 30, 2024

The Doctor’s Diagnosis: B+ Low expectations can sometimes be a blessing. Based on the trailers, I expected Immaculate to be another jump-scare filled possession movie, the sort that makes up about 90% of modern horror films. In particular, the film looked nearly identical to Prey for the Devil, last year’s shitty jump-scare horror movie […]

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Drive-Away Dolls

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The Doctor’s Diagnosis: D Drive-Away Dolls is the first solo directorial effort from Ethan Coen, one half of the legendary filmmaking duo the Coen Brothers. When Ethan combined with Joel Coen, the Coen Brothers brought us such films as Miller’s Crossing, Fargo, The Big Lebowski and No Country for Old Men. The brothers semi-retired […]

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Critic’s Notebook

‘Doctor Who’ Season in Review: The Doctor Might Be on a New Path

Ncuti Gatwa shined as the 15th Doctor. But the long-running show feels at a crossroads as it concludes its latest season.

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A man in an orange coat and a red beanie stands low on a grassy area.

By Maya Phillips

“Doctor Who” is a show of paradoxes. At its best, it’s a show about a time-traveling, space-venturing alien who ceaselessly untangles the mysteries of the universe, and often invites his own. At its worst, it’s plagued by its contradictions — incoherent or unintelligible narrative logic, inconsistent writing, uneven tone.

This isn’t particularly surprising for a show with a decades-long history spanning the classic series (1963-89) and the reboot (2005-present). But now with Disney+ onboard as a co-producer, the series is caught between past and present, between pushing its boundaries and fitting into a more generic, brand-friendly mold. This played out in the latest season, which just released its finale, “Empire of Death,” on Friday.

Stacked with effervescent charms and staggering emotional range, Ncuti Gatwa, as the 15th Doctor, is the perfect representation of this new era of “Doctor Who.” He’s the show’s first Black, gay Doctor, bringing diversity to a show that has severely lacked it. In just one season Gatwa has delivered perhaps the strongest acting of the character, certainly in recent years. His performance is more tactile than those of his predecessors; the 15th Doctor fully inhabits his body, dancing, gesturing and throwing every bit of his physical presence into his line deliveries. The 15th is also more sensual and openly flirtatious than any previous incarnation; he exudes chemistry with every scene partner, including Rogue, a space bounty hunter played by Jonathan Groff in Episode 6. The kiss the two share is the first openly romantic, same-sex kiss the Doctor has in the series.

The kiss was a remarkable leap for the show, especially happening in the first season under Disney, a brand that has historically been hesitant to depict queer relationships. How far the show will actually push this relationship, however, remains to be seen. The flirtation between the Doctor and Rogue builds rapidly just to be abruptly halted when Rogue is lost to another dimension, undercutting the moment.

And despite the show’s fresh attention to diversity, this Doctor’s race has been barely even alluded to. The episode “Dot and Bubble” implies that one of the very rich, very white inhabitants of a planet under attack rejects the Doctor’s help because of his race, but the implications are so subtle that some may miss the racial undertones completely. And the episode “Rogue” takes place in a “Bridgerton”-inspired alternative version of 1813 as a flimsy workaround for placing a Black Doctor in the middle of Regency-era England without needing to deal with such sticky topics as slavery.

The new “Doctor Who” is a lighter, brighter affair in several other respects as well. For all of the sparkling humanity Gatwa has introduced into a typically more emotionally guarded (read: alien) hero, his Doctor also lacks the ruthlessness and darkness that occasionally surfaces in the character, who has been scarred from witnessing every kind of genocide and war. There’s a risk that this tonal shift is a harbinger of a larger, more permanent change: Disney may be in the early phases of transforming the BBC show much as it has done with other I.P., like Star Wars, which grew into an ever-expanding franchise at the expense of the original product.

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Doctor Who finale 7-day ratings confirmed for Empire of Death

The final ratings for Doctor Who season 14 are in.

Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday in Doctor Who. She is holding her hand up and there are cracks in front of her

James Hibbs
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The final 7-day ratings for an episode of Doctor Who season 14 are in, with the season finale, Empire of Death, being watched by 3.69 million people across the period.

The episode was originally watched overnight by 2.25 million people , but this didn't account for iPlayer viewings, which as a proportion have been up considerably this season, due to the show's new release schedule.

This 7-day consolidated rating leaves the episode in around the middle when it comes to viewership this season, with it getting more viewers than Boom , Dot and Bubble , Rogue and The Legend of Ruby Sunday .

It got less viewers than Space Babies and The Devil's Chord , which were both released on the same day on BBC iPlayer, and 73 Yards , which was the season's high-mark when it comes to viewership.

Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Bonnie Langford as Mel Bush in Doctor Who's Empire of Death. They're sat on an orange Vespa and are wearing white helmets, looking worried at something off camera.

Showrunner Russell T Davies and the BBC itself have both commented on the show's recent ratings, with Davies saying that "it's not doing that well in the ratings, but it is doing phenomenally well with the younger audience that we wanted".

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Meanwhile, a BBC spokeswoman told The Times : "Overnight ratings no longer provide an accurate picture of all those who watch drama in an on-demand world.

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"This season of Doctor Who premiered on iPlayer nearly 24 hours before broadcast, and episode 1 has already been viewed by nearly 6 million viewers and continues to grow.

"Doctor Who remains one of the most-watched programmes on iPlayer and is the BBC’s top drama for under-35s this year, making it one of the biggest programmes for the demographic across all streamers and broadcasters."

Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor will next be seen in Christmas special Joy to the World , which has been written by former showrunner Steven Moffat and which Davies has described as "one of the maddest Christmas specials you'll ever see".

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Movie Reviews

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When David Lean's "Doctor Zhivago" was released in 1965, it was pounced upon by the critics, who found it a picture-postcard view of revolution, a love story balanced uneasily atop a painstaking reconstruction of Russia. Lean was known for his elaborate sets, his infinite patience with nature and climates, and his meticulous art direction, but for Pauline Kael, his "method is basically primitive, admired by the same sort of people who are delighted when a stage set has running water or a painted horse looks real enough to ride." Sometimes one must admit one is precisely that sort of person. I agree that the plot of "Doctor Zhivago" lumbers noisily from nowhere to nowhere. That the characters undergo inexplicable changes of heart and personality. That it is not easy to care much about Zhivago himself, in Omar Sharif 's soulful but bewildered performance. That the life of the movie is in its corners (the wickedness of Rod Steiger 's voluptuary, the solemn pomposity of Tom Courtenay's revolutionary). That "Lara's Theme," by Maurice Jarre , goes on the same shelf as "Waltzing Matilda" as tunes that threaten to drive me mad.

And yet the stage has running water, and the horses look real enough to ride. "Doctor Zhivago," restored and revived for its 30th anniversary, is an example of superb old-style craftsmanship at the service of a soppy romantic vision, and although its portentous historical drama evaporates once you return to the fresh air, watching it can be seductive. Consider, for example, the early shot of the red star glowing above the dark tunnel opening where the workers march in and out. The shot of a child peering through a frosted pane with the claws of branches tapping against it. The cavalry charge on the Bolshevik marchers. Or the way snow crystals dissolve into flowers, and a flower dissolves into Lara's face.

Lean did nothing less than recreate Moscow and its countryside at the time of the Russian revolution, using locations in Spain and Canada (which supplied the vast landscape with the tiny train making its way across it). He accepted the challenge of setting most of the key scenes in winter, with all the attendant difficulties of photographing snow (both artificial and real). There is a moment when Zhivago and Lara enter the abandoned dacha, and the snow and frost have preceded them, turning everything into a winter fairyland. It is a scene where you simultaneously think about the skilled set decoration, and catch your breath at the beauty.

The story is based on Boris Pasternak's novel, much praised on its publication in 1958 as a daring defiance of Russian censorship.

So it was, but today the story, especially as it has been simplified by Lean and his screenwriter, Robert Bolt , seems political in the same sense " Gone With the Wind " is political, as spectacle and backdrop, without ideology.

The specific political content of "Doctor Zhivago" is seen mostly as sideshow: Charges by the Czar's troops on demonstrating students; the caution of Alec Guinness' Soviet official; the unyielding way in which Tom Courtenay's general, once a poet, now says "history has no room for personal feelings." "Doctor Zhivago" believes that history should have a lot of room for personal feelings - that the problems of its little people do amount to more than a hill of beans - and that's perhaps why the Russian's didn't like Pasternak: He argued for the individual over the state, the heart over the mind.

The first two hours of the 200-minute movie are the best, and the most personal. Rod Steiger gives one of the performances of his career as Victor Komarovsky, the investor and scoundrel who victimizes first a woman and then her daughter, Lara ( Julie Christie ). Zhivago (Omar Sharif) first meets Lara at this time; he attends at the mother's deathbed, and later looks on as she enters a wedding party and shoots at Komarovsky, gaining a vision that he will carry with him through his marriage to the loyal and steadfast Tonya ( Geraldine Chaplin ).

Zhivago is cold to Komarovsky: "What happens to a girl like that when a man like you is finished with her?" The response is colder: "Interested? I give her to you - as a wedding present." This sets up Zhivago's romantic obsession, which finds its moral justification when the doctor meets Lara, now a nurse, behaving heroically on a battlefield. There is the temptation to get so swept up in their idealism that we forget (come on!) that the old doctor-and-nurse routine is a venerable building block of soap opera.

Watching the film again, I found it hard to believe that the Chaplin character could be so understanding. Later, when Komarovsky offers Lara an opportunity to save the life of herself and her child, call me a realist, but I thought she should have taken it. And the final pathetic scene, with Zhivago staggering after the woman on the Moscow street, is unforgivable. So, yes, it's soppy and manipulative and mushy. But that train looks real enough to ride.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Rated PG-13 For Mature Themes

200 minutes

Yuri Omar Sharif as Dr. Zhivago

Julie Christie as Lara

Geraldine Chaplin as Tonya

Rod Steiger as Komarovsky

Directed by

Robert Bolt

Based On The Novel by

Boris Pasternak

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'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F' review: Eddie Murphy brings Big Dad Energy

After 40 years, Eddie Murphy can play his iconic detective Axel Foley in his sleep. It’s the little details, though, that make his latest “Beverly Hills Cop” movie a true comfort-food throwback: retro Bob Seger and Pointer Sisters tunes, that signature Detroit Lions varsity jacket and the impressive commitment to on-duty ridiculousness.

Three decades after Axel’s last assignment, “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” (★★★ out of four; rated R; premiering Wednesday on Netflix ) is a confident fourth outing in the action-comedy franchise. And while it's a very modern release – via streaming rather than movie theaters – everything else leans pretty old school.

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Chaos and wanton property destruction – plus Harold Faltermeyer’s synth-groovy “Axel F” theme – again follow Foley from his beloved Motor City to Southern California. A bunch of old faces return, new personalities freshen up the series and Axel, this time boasting Big Dad Energy, further cements himself as Murphy's top cinema character. (Sorry, Donkey .)

After a crazy-pants incident in downtown Detroit involving a snowplow and bad guys on ATVs (all set to Seger’s “Shakedown,” naturally), Axel gets a call from his old buddy Billy Rosewood ( Judge Reinhold ), who’s left the Beverly Hills police and is now a private eye investigating department corruption. Axel’s estranged daughter Jane (Taylour Paige), an LA defense attorney, has become embroiled in these shady shenanigans by taking on the case of a cop killer and her life has been threatened, which leads to her dad hopping on the next flight out.

But there are a lot of hard feelings between Jane and Axel – especially on her part. When Billy goes missing, father and daughter reluctantly team up to uncover the conspiracy, with the help of Jane’s detective ex Bobby (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

Director Mark Malloy makes his film debut with “Axel F,” which is interestingly self-aware: Bobby runs down Axel’s prior Beverly Hills escapades, including one in 1994. "Not your finest hour,” Bobby says, a sharp jab at the forgettable third film. The franchise on the whole nicely borrows a page from the playbook of the similarly toned “Bad Boys” movies in recent years, in this case building out the mythology with debuting characters.

These personas allow Murphy to showcase different parts of Axel. Kevin Bacon’s shady Captain Grant gives him a complicated foil. (Between this and the new horror flick “MaXXXine,” Bacon is enjoying a nifty bad-guy period.) Gordon-Levitt gives Murphy a fun guy to banter with while Paige lets the longtime star dig into Axel’s parental emotions. Why he and Jane haven’t spoken in years is slowly revealed, but Murphy shines in the moment when Axel sees his grown child in person after so long apart, and the chatty cop is left speechless for once.

Familiar players return in supporting fashion, such as Bronson Pinchot’s flamboyant realtor Serge, Paul Reiser’s embattled Detroit police captain Jeffrey Friedman and John Ashton’s Axel pal John Taggart, now the head of the BHPD. One of the biggest disappointments is the limited screen time with original “Cops” stars Murphy, Reinhold and Ashton, separated mainly by plot but energizing when all together.

While the franchise has never been known for hard-hitting police drama, “Axel F” does veer too earnest at times and is at its best when embraces a sillier side, like a chase through Rodeo Drive with Axel driving a meter maid car and “Neutron Dance” pumping through the speakers.

It’s an irresistibly arresting “Beverly Hills Cop” that knows when to play the hits.

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Sharply funny 'Janet Planet' perfectly captures the feel of a long, hot summer

Justin Chang

Mother and daughter Janet (Julianne Nicholson) and Lacy (Zoe Ziegler) share a slow New England summer in Janet Planet. Courtesy of A24 hide caption

Amid the current crop of summer movies, I can’t think of one that captures the feeling of summer more evocatively than Janet Planet. Much of the story takes place in a rustic house in woodsy Western Massachusetts; by day, sunlight streams in through enormous windows, and at night, chirping crickets flood the soundtrack. The celebrated playwright Annie Baker, here writing and directing her first film, has uncanny powers of observation and a talent for evoking time and place. She also has two memorable lead characters and a sharply funny and moving story to tell.

It’s the summer of 1991. The story begins when 11-year-old Lacy, played by the terrific newcomer Zoe Ziegler, calls her mom from camp and demands to be taken home early; her exact words are “I’m gonna kill myself if you don’t come get me.”

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Lacy is a shy misfit with big owlish glasses and a flair for deadpan exaggeration. She and her single mom, Janet, who’s played by a subtly luminous Julianne Nicholson, are extremely close, as we can see when Janet duly comes to fetch Lacy and bring her home. Later at their house, Janet puts Lacy to bed and listens to her vent.

Baker isn’t one to hurry her characters along. Her plays — the best known of which is her Pulitzer-winning 2013 drama, The Flick — have been justly praised for bringing a new kind of naturalism to the stage, especially in the way the actors retain the stammers and silences of normal conversation. She brings that same sensibility to Janet Planet .

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Baker includes a few loving nods to her background in theater; at various points, Lacy plays with a small puppet theater, complete with handmade clay figurines, and in a later scene, she and Janet attend an outdoor performance featuring actors in elaborate costumes. But the movie never feels stagey. It was shot on 16-millimeter film by Maria von Hausswolff, who previously filmed the visually stunning Icelandic drama Godland , and her use of natural light and precise, fine-grained details feel transportingly cinematic.

The movie is divided into three loose chapters, each one focused on a friend or significant other of Janet’s who becomes a houseguest for a spell. First up is her boyfriend Wayne, played by a gruff Will Patton, who has a daughter around Lacy’s age but doesn’t take too kindly to Lacy herself. He’s soon out the door.

In the second chapter we meet Regina, played by a wonderful Sophie Okonedo, a free-spirited drifter who comes to stay with Janet and Lacy after leaving a local hippie commune — basically a cult, though everyone is careful not to use that word. Regina initially brings a breath of fresh air into the house, though she proves insensitive and tactless, especially around Janet, and soon overstays her welcome.

The third houseguest — Avi, played by Elias Koteas — is Regina’s ex-partner and the leader of that hippie commune. Avi is the most mysterious presence in the movie, and it’s through his short-lived relationship with Janet that we fully grasp how profoundly unhappy she is.

The title Janet Planet has many meanings — it’s the name of the acupuncture studio that Janet operates out of the house. It’s also a passing reference to the nickname that Van Morrison gave the songwriter Janet Rigsbee, who inspired a lot of his love songs during their five-year marriage. But the title is most meaningful as it frames our understanding of Janet, whose quiet magnetism really does seem to draw other people, especially men, into her orbit. As we see in Nicholson’s heartbreaking performance, it’s been as much a curse as it is a blessing.

One of the movie’s subtlest achievements is the way it clues us into Janet’s perspective, even as it keeps Janet herself at a bit of a distance. Much of the time we’re studying Janet through Lacy’s eyes, and what’s uncanny is the way Baker captures a sense of the girl’s growing disillusionment — that intensely specific moment when a child begins to see even a doting parent in a clear and not always flattering new light. By the end of Janet Planet , not much has happened, and yet something momentous seems to have taken place. You want Baker to return to these characters, to show us how Janet and Lacy continue to change and grow, together and apart, in the years — and the summers — to come.

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Absurd comedy. sanjithkumar1995 11 November 2021. This is the first time this type pf comedy worked in Tamil cinema. Dialogues and acting are quirky. Especially Yogi babu, Mervin and Deepa. They were on fire. But overall acting of others was nothing great. Story was unbelievable at times and doesn't keep you hooked.
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In Doctor, the serious issue of human trafficking becames a black-comedy-cum-thriller. Anirudh really gets Nelson: You get both the tones of a black comedy and a thriller, but in very different instrumental shades. Cinematographer Sivakumar Vijayan had made Kolamavu Kokila a very colorful film (with neon, etc.).
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2021 2h 28m Action TRAILER for Doctor: Trailer 1 List Doctor: Trailer 1 Doctor: Trailer 1 2:29 View more videos Reviews An army surgeon assembles a team to help him track down his fiancee's ...
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Doctor is a 2021 Indian Tamil-language action comedy film written and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar.It is produced by Sivakarthikeyan under Sivakarthikeyan Productions, in the company of KJR Studios. The film stars Sivakarthikeyan and Vinay Rai, in the lead role, alongside Priyanka Arul Mohan (in her Tamil debut), Archana Chandhoke, Yogi Babu, Milind Soman, Redin Kingsley, Deepa Shankar, Sunil ...
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Doctor Movie Review: Nelson Delivers an Unbelievable, Yet Utterly Enjoyable Film With An In-Control Sivakarthikeyan. The film's biggest success is how writer-director Nelson brings together a motley group of quirky fools, led by a somewhat intelligent but also clueless doctor, to navigate a dangerous and high-stakes mission. ...
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In another scene, scurrying around the War Room, he slips, falls to a knee, rights himself, and carries on. Kubrick the perfectionist left the unplanned slip in the film, because Scott made it seem convincing, and not an accident. "Dr. Strangelove" (1964) is filled with great comic performances, and just as well, because there's so little else ...
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John Seale. Anyone who has ever been through the medical system - even with the very best of treatment - will identify with this film. "The Doctor" tells the story of an aloof, self-centered heart surgeon who treats his patients like names on a list. Then he gets sick himself, and doesn't like it one bit when he's treated like a mere patient.
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