RAW-Romeo Akbar Walter, Movie Review: This John Abraham-Mouni Roy Film Is Raw, Indeed!

John Abraham makes a valiant attempt in RAW-Romeo Akbar Walter but it is for all to see how it just goes up in smoke due to only one man, Robbie Grewal. The director has messed up simply everything. Mouni Roy has nothing substantial to do

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Updated on Apr 04 2019, 22:53:20

RAW-Romeo Akbar Walter, Movie Review: This John Abraham-Mouni Roy Film Is Raw, Indeed!

Robbie Grewal had all the ingredients in the world but he just didn't cook his dish. Now what feeling would you get if you're served all the ingredients of any food item in a hotel, raw? You would question and you would feel exasperated, wouldn't you? So, I think I have told you how's Robbie Grewal's Romeo Akbar Walter (RAW) in a nutshell, haven't I? Now, for the questions and the exasperation.

Why does a war/patriotic film (almost) begin with a song where the singer has only wailed? The less said about the inexplicable (and sadly so noticeable) background score (Hanif Shaikh), the better. Why is the narrative so confusing? Quite inspired by Raazi even if Grewal denies, I think he should have accompanied me at least three times (before making this) when I went to see that Meghna Gulzar's classy film six times in a theatre? Why is the editing so shoddy? You just can't wait for the interval to happen! And since when did an espionage thriller (set out to be one) become a film of only disguises? Above all, why give John Abraham such a raw deal? The man looks earnest, and mind you, he was good in his last outing Satyamev Jayate.

A Still From Romeo Akbar Walter

Abraham tries to save the film earnestly but the screenplay is so weak that even his affectionate moments with his mother fail to connect you to the movie, he has been very selective in his approach of late and hence one can understand what he must have felt as the shoot went along. No actor is clueless about the final taste of the product. The Romeo, Akbar and Walter in him go all out blazing against the enemy, but almost every time on most such occasions Grewal pulls the carpet beneath his feet by inserting weak and insipid dialogues (Grewal's very own writing).

A Still From Romeo Akbar Walter

Mouni Roy has nothing much to do, so what can I really say about her? Heart bleeds for Jackie Shroff. Sikandar Kher and Raghubir Yadav's efforts go in vain. The film is slipping in front of your eyes right from the first reel and the maker is only complicating it by the minute. And who to blame for the hard-on-ears music- four men are wearing the music director's hat, Ankit Tiwari, Sohail Sen, Shabbir Ahmed and Raaj Aashoo?

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Heart bleeds also for Bunty Walia who makes a comeback of sorts as a producer with his wife Vanessa's name in the credits.

Push, push, push... I am going with TWO-AND-HALF.