WATCH any movie set in India and chances are it’s going to feature Dev Patel.
If the same film is set in an Indian guesthouse, those odds rise greatly. The star of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is well known for his appearances in the ‘Exotic Marigold Hotel’ features, but his latest offering provides anything but a relaxing sleepover. Based on true events, ‘Hotel Mumbai’ tells the story of the 2008 terrorist attacks on the Taj Hotel, as staff and guests avoid being shot by rampaging gunmen.
It’s a tense affair with a high body count that isn’t for the faint hearted, but your attention will be held for the two-hour runtime. Catch it in theatres and on Sky Cinema. We award it a review score of 3 solid stars.
A number of other recent releases are unfortunately less entertaining. ‘The Goldfinch’ is an adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize winning novel starring Ansel Elgort and is a perfect example of how not to turn a book into a script. Not knowing what story it wants to tell, the film gets lost after a decent start and never really recovers.
‘Don’t Let Go’ is a popcorn thriller featuring a detective who gets a call from his murdered niece and stars David Oyelowo and Storm Reid.
A decent setup that becomes overly confusing and inconsistent, this may provide some enjoyment if you leave your brain at the door.
‘Ready or Not’ stars Samara Weaving as a bride forced to play a game of hide and seek on her wedding night to gain acceptance from her partner’s family.
It’s a comedy horror that tries to emulate ‘Get Out’ but fails, and although it didn’t appeal to us, many will find its craziness amusing.
Lastly is a Netflix original also getting a cinema release: ‘The Laundromat’, starring Meryll Streep and Gary Oldman in a dramatisation of the Panama Papers scandal where the super rich launder their billions.
It’s a serious subject given a comic touch by director Steven Soderburgh and despite some amusing moments and a charismatic performance by Oldman, it ends up being a little too light and preachy.
Paul O’Rourke
