BEEBA BOYS
Written and Directed by Deepa Mehta
Starring Randeep Hooda
It is not very often that we see a Canadian gangster movie, let alone an Indo-Canadian gangster movie. Deepa Mehta (MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN) is responsible for bringing the Indian voice to Canadian film, with her latest film BEEBA BOYS taking an unusual route for the director. While Mehta often makes small films about family relations, BEEBA BOYS takes on a much larger scope.
The film follows the Beepa Boys, a group of Indo-Canadian gangsters working in Vancouver. The group is led by Jeet (Randeep Hooda), a charming yet ruthless man. With the help of his friends, Jeet must battle a rival gang set on seeing his downfall. Making matters difficult for Jeet is his new girlfriend Katya (Sarah Allen), who constantly demands his love and attention.
One has to admire Mehta for dipping her toes in unfamiliar waters. The director is trying something new, but unfortunately fails to successfully maneuver the genre. There’s a certain art to the gangster film, one that is not as simple as guns and coke. Aside from the fact that the characters are Indian, the story lacks originality. It’s adherence to convention and attempt at a final act twist will definitely have audiences rolling their eyes. Thankfully, Hooda is talented enough to keep things interesting. There is also a great supporting role by Paul Gross, which provides one of the film’s few memorable moments.
For the most part BEEBA BOYS is an exhausting film. Its few comedic moments and slight charm are able to keep things moving, but they ultimately cannot save it from being just another forgettable mobster film.
Respectfully, whereas I disagree with your comment that Hooda is talented enough to make this mess of a movie interesting – I found it too one-note and thought that Ali Momen’s performance as Nep was more entertaining to watch – your review is spot on. Allow me to add one other thing that I found irritating beyond belief. Being of Polish descent, Sarah Allen’s accent and butchering of the language was beyond insulting – it was Polish via Tourette’s syndrome. Whereas I can forgive Betty White pretending to speak it on “Hot in Cleveland”; I cannot forgive Deepa Mehta. Would she have allowed any of the Beeba boys to speak in a Jamaican accent?
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Good acting and yes it is light because the crime in Vancouver is thankfully not like that of America Gangs. This picture is about new immigrant middle class or upper middle class kids you have taken the wrong path. I wish Deepa Mehta had made it more real by mentioning other gangs like the United Nations etc. since they are all like a web.
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Lacks originality? How about lacks coherence, style, and anything interesting beyond the costumes. Wow. This was a terrible movie. Mehta’s dialogue is comletely tin-eared. The entire sub-plot about the Polish blonde generates zero sympathy; if you took it out of the movie, nothing significant would change. Scenes are set up and then go nowhere, over and over again. The gangsters dress in style, but only one of them has a discernible personality. I get that this movie is not intended for a Canadian audience, but honestly, if you are shooting Toronto to look like Vancouver, maybe not have the Rogers Centre, the CBC building and other prominent landmarks in the shot. The relationship between the gangster’s daughter and the double-agent is totally implausible and who cares anyway? I went to see this because of Mehta’s reputation as a quality filmmaker and couldn’t believe the amateur quality of this film. And its over TWO HOURS LONG!! Avoid at all costs.
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