Do you love musicals? Serious “camp,” song and dance?
Check out “Basmati Blues,” starring Brie Larson.
Whim and whimsy—Basmati Blues
I picked it up on a whim, at my library. My husband read the back of it and at first refused to watch it. I insisted, because I love musicals, and I’m always up for a fresh one.
In Googling some info to write this, I find “Basmati Blues” got a lot of bad reviews, including the accusation of being racist. My response to that is this: musicals are created on generalizations and stereotypes. None of the actors took their characters seriously (except to make us believe them enough to come along through the story), so feeling insulted by stereotypes about India is… well, beside the point. I could just as easily feel insulted about the assumption that smart white girls are clueless, as Brie Larson’s character apparently is.
What I enjoyed…
Rather than arguing with the bad reviews, let me tell you what I enjoyed:
- I loved the range of music. Rather than choosing a single songwriter, they used a variety. That makes it eclectic, and even better, an interesting cultural blend.
- “Cultural blend” felt like a lot of what this musical experiment was about. At first I was looking for “Bollywood.” Didn’t get that full-out “cast of thousands” dancing until the final number. Instead I got to reminisce about different musicals I’ve enjoyed as I watched this one.
- I loved that this “fluff” movie took a serious agro-business-social-issue as the heart of its plot: agri-business attempt to sell GMO seed to the developing world.
- Love conquers all… isn’t that the solution we all want at the end of a musical? Works for me!
- Seeing Donald Sutherland take on his very first song and dance number ever was a kick in the pants! Loved that he was flanked by musical veteran Tyne Daly. (I never knew she had pipes like that when I was watching her on “Cagney and Lacey!”
- The final message that speaking up for what we believe can change the world… We ALL need a great big dose of optimism to balance the daily news!
Ready for “Fluff” and “Camp?”
Last week I saw “Mama Mia: Here we go again,” and I had a terrific time with that campy fluff, too! I say put aside the desire to judge. Try “Basmati Blues” just for the fun of it. Because that’s what I loved best: its spirit of FUN through music and dance.
Coach’s Challenge:
If you, like me, tend to take life and yourself too seriously, it’s time for a little “camp” entertainment. Whether it’s “Mama Mia” or “Basmati Blues,” take time this week to put down your cares and concerns, and be entertained!