Coming off of stellar performances in A24’s “The Green Knight,” and Wes Anderson’s Oscar-winning short “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” Dev Patel graces the screen, this time as both an actor and director in his directorial debut “Monkey Man.” Backed by production companies like Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, the film, set in India, follows Kid (Dev Patel), a young man making a living off of purposely losing to popular fighters for cash in an underground fight club. Fed up with this way of life and overcome with horrific memories of losing his mother, Kid seeks vengeance from religious figure and hungry capitalist Baba Shakti (Makarand Deshpande) and Police Chief Rana (Sikandar Kher), the men who stole his mother’s life and, in turn, his.
The film follows the classic Bollywood action movie plot, which to Bollywood fanatics can appear repetitive and tired: a boy watches his mother die at the hands of the government, witnesses his mother’s murderers remain in power and once he’s all grown up, takes matters into his own hands. However, the film brings in a religious element by critiquing India’s Hindu-Muslim divide, a bold decision on Patel’s part but done tastefully.
The film’s commentary on the corruption of Indian politics and the tactical methods politicians use to manipulate the masses, though not attached to a specific Indian city, works through its pacing. Plot elements such as Kid’s ties to Baba Shakti and Rana come to light through staggered flashbacks and television/radio running in the background, not weighing down Kid’s journey but providing the context necessary to understand his intentions. Within these flashbacks and television/radio murmurs, Patel weaves in critiques of the government and foreshadows crucial elements, namely the government’s treatment towards India’s marginalized communities.
In a few interviews, Patel mentions the challenges of making this film. At some points, he mentions in an interview with Letterboxd, they had to shoot on iPhones instead of cameras. It’s an action movie, and the fight scenes move at a fast pace with the focus remaining on Kid. It is in these scenes that the iPhone shots, though able to spot, work in the film’s favor by driving in the absolute mess Kid gets himself into.
Patel and his co-stars deliver captivating and dramatic performances, unfortunately coupled with some weak dialogue. In addition to Patel gracefully taking on the lead role of a shy man with an enraged inner child, Kher and Deshpande’s performances as villains leave audiences with chills. Kid’s sidekick, Alphonso (Pitobash Tripathi) provides all the comedic relief the film needs. Alpha (Vipin Sharma), Kid’s mentor, leaves a lasting effect with their tender gaze and words in such little screen time.
Though “Monkey Man” sticks to a common action movie format, its political commentary and strong performances create a viewing experience equal-parts devastating and entertaining. For a directorial debut, Patel delivers a grand slam.
4 ½ bundles of cash wrapped in Paan out of 5
