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Written by: Riz Ahmed, Bassam Tariq (story by), Riz Ahmed, Bassam Tariq
Directed by: Bassam Tariq
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Anjana Vasan, Aiysha Hart, Nabhaan Rizwan
Rated: NR [R]
Watch the trailer
Plot
A British Pakistani rapper is on the cusp of his first world tour, but is struck down by an illness that threatens to derail his big break.
Verdict
An artist's decline exposes his fears about his past, present, and future. It's more surreal than I expected, capturing Zed's mindset through dreams and visions. I also feel like I'm missing important points by being unfamiliar with Pakistani culture. This movie doesn't explain details about the culture
It depends.
Review
It's easy to compare this to Sound of Metal. Both are recent movies starring Riz Ahmed as a musician facing a crisis. Of course the movies approach that differently. Sound of Metal portrays a musician trying to adjust to life altering circumstances. This is a surreal look at cultural differences and heritage.
Zed (Riz Ahmed) is a New York rapper on the cusp of stardom as he plans a world tour. He's sent money back home to take care of his parents, but they don't accept his gifts. They'd rather he actually visit. This is his first visit in a long time.
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| Riz Ahmed plays Zed |
The family get together feels authentic. These scenes capture the culture divide Zed is trying to reconcile. There's where he used to live and where he lives now. Zed and a cousin argue over Zed's name. Zed's name was changed from Zahier by English classmates so they could pronounce it easier. Zed states he owns that name. The family member argues he was forced to use that name. Zed didn't choose it, and at this point Zed is just trying to rewrite the circumstances.
Zed's leg cramps act as a harbinger of things to come. With the cramps comes visions and dreams, but it's insight into his mind. Zed is scared about being in the hospital and not knowing what's wrong. Why are his muscles breaking down right as his career is poised to take off? I wondered how this would pay off the setup. Does he have to give up his promising career? Does he find the strength and value in his family?
This tour is Zed's last chance. He's aging out of the industry, and rapper RPG (Nabhaan Rizwan) is less skilled but getting the breaks Zed wished for. Putting all of the tattoo's on RPG makes him seem a bit comical. I get the point the movie is making. Zed is mad that of all people this guy is taking his spot.
Throughout the movie Zed is in decline as he deals with these emotions and fears. He has to acknowledge that his dream may not pan out. Zed and his parents lash out as they all feel helpless in the situation. His past and present collide in this moment. His heritage and his parents, he's avoided. He's taken on a different persona. It's not quite selling out as his lyrics talk about his Packistani background, but he also doesn't go home often.
I like a lot of this movie,but I didn't quite connect to it. I imagine that's the cultural barrier as the movie doesn't explain anything. "Toba Tek Singh" is changed at the end. That's the name of a short story about a prisoner. That certainly seems apt to Zed's situation, but the movie never explains it. I feel like I'm missing a few points, and I probably am.
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