Displaying items by tag: The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir movie

THE EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY OF THE FAKIR

India, UK, 2018, 93 minutes, Colour.

Dhanush, Berenice Bejo, Erin Moriarty, Ben Miller, Gerard Jugnot, Barkhad Abdi.

Directed by Ken Scott.

An enjoyable mixture of Indian storytelling, comedy, song and dance, along with satire on the British, and dipping into French romance – with stops in Barcelona and Rome as well as a flight on a hot air balloon and landing on a ship in the Mediterranean.

Indian entertainer, Dhanush, is obviously enjoying himself, especially in telling his story to three 13-year-olds who are in danger of going into detention.

But, back to France There is a story of his being a youngster, mischievous, an absent French father, in the care of his mother. He also spent some weeks confined in a jail, a fellow prisoner, as in The Count of Monte Cristo, making contact and describing the outside world to him (and his later being moved by the story and writing it on a shirt while hiding as a stowaway on a plane). His ambition is to visit Paris and for his mother to go to Paris.

He is a street magician, gets the money, a valid passport and a fake bank note. Adventures in Paris, a roguish taxi driver, an encounter with a young American, some enjoyable scenes in a department store, reenacting home scenes with Mary, the American. While hiding in the store, his wardrobe is taken on a truck to England with refugees, an encounter with British officials, a satiric turn from Ben Miller, including an unexpected song and dance routine, friendship with the refugees from Africa, all finding themselves in Barcelona, then his escape in luggage to Rome, an encounter with a film star played by Berenice Bejo, good fortune, the balloon adventure, back to France, Mary with a new partner, his disappointment and his return to India.  Yes, an extraordinary journey.

Of course, happy ending, his finding his feet in teaching, Mary returning, and his mother buried in Paris.

1. The title and expectations? The Indian setting? The characters, Aja, young, growing up, adult, the various locations, Paris, London, Barcelona, Rome, the ship on the sea? The musical score, Indian style, songs?
2. Aja as a magician, as a boy, with the other children, playing, mischief? His being put in the cell for three weeks, the contact with the blind man, his descriptions? Later writing his story on the shirt? His absent father, the letter, France? Is mother, hardships? Her wanting to go to Paris? His growing up, his journey?
3. The framework of telling the story to the three boys, their age, his encouragement of them, their curiosity, response, avoiding jail, going to school every day?
4. Aja and his character, getting the passport, the fake bank note? The plane, excitement of arrival in Paris, the taxi driver, taking advantage of him, his going to the Eiffel Tower, encounter with Mary, his questions, the exchange, the polite kiss? To meet again? In the store, the re-enactment of domestic sequences with the furniture? His hiding in the cupboard, its being taken, on the truck?
5. The back of the truck, the refugees, their accepting him, the special friendship with Wiraj, destination England, passport control, running away, his magic on the policeman intrigued? Taken into custody, officer Smith, hardheaded, destroying his passport, assuming he was a refugee? The song and dance routine in the corridor? Being sent to Barcelona? The whole group?
6. Barcelona, customs, the phone call to England? The whole group rounded up, the dormitory, his getting jobs, cleaning, the locked door? Finding it open, getting into the luggage?
7. The flight to Rome, in the luggage, Nelly and her surprise, a style, actress? Confronting Aja at the hotel? His story, the shirt, reading the story, moved to tears? Her helping him with the money, selling it to her ex-husband? Her clashes with him? His giving the money, the encounter with the rival director, finding out the truth? At the club, the song and dance routines, the focus on him?
8. The pursuit, the hot air balloon, the film director firing at him? Happy flying, no gas, landing on the boat, the captain and his case full of money, surrendering it?
9. Back to France, the group, invading the ship, getting the money back?
10. The balloon, the phone call for Mary, his learning that she had found a partner?
11. Back in Paris, the taxi driver that he met initially, cheating him the first time, now taking his money, the escape? The encounter with Mary, with her partner?
12. Meeting the refugees, his money, the interviews with each of them, giving practically all his money away, generosity and happiness?
13. Mary, her girlfriend, the discussions about lesbians? The outings? Mary and her job, being promoted? The Eiffel Tower, Aja not turning up, the meeting with Peter, the bonding, the relationship? Meeting Aja? Her continued memories of Aja?
14. His getting the money, returning to India, teaching, the classes, Mary’s arrival? The happy ending? And the encouragement of the boys?