News of the World : Movie review


Drishyam 2 seemed to be the favorite amongst my friend's to-see list last weekend. As I scrolled down Facebook, there were at least a few posts about this Malayalam film. Curious to see if it lived up to its hype, I logged on to Netflix. While searching for this particular title, I came across News of the World starring Tom Hanks. The synopsis piqued my interest and going by the past record, movies starring Tom Hanks were bound to be good. I particularly loved some of his earlier works- particularly Forrest Gump, Cast Away and The Terminal.  I decided to watch this one and shelved Drishyam 2 for another day. 

News of the World chronicles the story of a war veteran Captain Kidd who travels from one place to another to read news to audiences who paid for it. During his tenure, he crosses path with a ten year old girl taken by the Kiowa people and decides to take her back to her family. Together, they embark on a tumultuous journey, braving the harsh landscapes of Texas. They endure nature's fury in the form of a sandstorm, savagery exhibited by humans, dodge bullets and manage to escape death. 

What stood out to me was the camaraderie that develops between Captain Kidd and the girl whom he refers to as Johanna. Its wonderful to see them transcend language and cultural boundaries and develop a mutual trust over time. The resounding theme of loneliness is prevalent in the movie albeit in a subtle manner. We see Captain Kidd grieving over his deceased wife and Johanna yearning to go home. Another thing that struck a chord was how we meet people in the most unexpected manner in life and manage to develop a bond with them. In the movie, Captain Kidd feels a strange sense of responsibility towards the girl. Perhaps it was sort of redemption in a way as he couldn't save his wife. Interestingly this bond doesn't restrict itself to humans but can be developed with our four legged counterparts as well. 

The performances were powerful. We travel with the protagonists on their journey on unforgiving terrains, watch them battle enemies and their near to death experiences. The film no doubt melts the cockles of your heart and leaves a feel good factor lingering on your mind. 

There is nothing like watching a heartwarming film on a Sunday evening when the weekend is almost coming to an end. It certainly gives you some good motivation to start another hectic week ahead until the next weekend arrives. Hopefully Drishyam 2 lives up to the expectations. 



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