Where is all the rave coming from?

Rating: 7/10 (18 February 2009)

I'll give you that the story is good as with the acting. The film's colors are probably one of the best I've seen, in an Indian dominated movie.
However, have all the critics gone nuts? If you break it down, this is a very simple 2-3 tiered story involving a boy and his search for his love.
The movie has put to frame some of the worst places and conditions on our planet and made it barely tolerable for the eyes to watch. The spoken language is English with very heavy Indian accents at times, but that is comprehensible. It is after all an Indian-centric cast and story.
What I do find annoying, and not the fault of this movie, is the fact that everyone now tries so hard to make the Muslim's such victims. I mean we don't have to make them bad, but we certainly do not need to put them on the other end of the spectrum.
A few odd-balls do not make the whole population bad or good.
Growing up in a multicultural mix in Singapore, I've learn to appreciate each culture's good and quirks. I've also learn that the thing about Indian movies are the dances... it is what's unique about them. However, I don't really see a point for them in this day and age. That said, this movie have left only one dance sequence at the end and it is not obstructive. This is the point where people who cannot tolerate this sequence to leave the theatre. Nice touch for an optional dance.
The actors are all pretty believable in their acting. Much to my surprise considering their ages. Seems Bollywood has come of age of late. Even the young ones are getting so good. Of course the veterans are important supporting casts, leading the young actors on the screen whenever they pop up. They are of course more natural at acting.
I think this movie is worth the ticket you are paying to watch. However, I cannot understand the hype critics give it.