Rockstar - Something different

Rating: 8/10 (21 November 2011)

This is an interesting film to start off with. The opinions are as contrast as they are extreme. Here's my two cents' worth ( if I had a nickel for every time I offered my two cents' worth...well, I should ideally have seven hypothetical cents).
The movie is clearly an experiment. And as we all know, experiments can go either way. I would give Imtiaz Ali (the director) full marks for his courageous attempt to narrate a complex story in the chosen fashion. I'll admit it was a rather refreshing change to see a romantic/musical tale be told so differently.
I won't go into the details of the story since the movie has been out for more than a week.
The film, as the name suggests, is almost like a musical. There's no doubt about it. A.R Rahman (and Mohit Chauhan) plays a vital role in making the film what it is. It is surprising how unsurprising it has become that he outdoes himself every time. Yes, I am a huge A.R Rahman fan... but then again, who isn't? 'Sada Haq', 'Jo bhi main' and 'Tum ho' in my opinion are the 'creme de la creme' of the soundtracks of the film.
This brings me to the next best thing about the movie - Ranbir Kapoor. After already having established his acting prowess in films like 'Rajneeti', 'Wake up Sid' and 'Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani' he steps it up to the next level. He is almost as good as Nargis Fakhri is bad. I want to say more good things about his acting but you get the point...
Surprisingly for an Imtiaz Ali movie, the quality of the film does drop in the second half. The narration becomes a little sloppy and the films tends to stretch just a tad. The ending is a little obscure but overall, I don't believe is a deal breaker. Despite its drawbacks and unconventional style, Rockstar works. Definitely a one time watch.
Rating - 7.5/10