Good Newwz Movie Review
Varun Batra (Akshay Kumar) and Deepti Batra (Kareena Kapoor Khan) are an urban upper-middle-class couple from Mumbai trying hard to become pregnant. Honey Batra (Diljit Dosanjh) and Monika Batra (Kiara Advani) are another rich couple from Chandigarh who are also trying to have a baby. They both end up at a high-end IVF clinic run by Dr Joshi (Adil Hussain) and his wife (Tisca Chopra). Due to a similarity in their names, there is a mix up in the clinic and Deepti gets incubated with Honey's sperm and vice versa. The Mumbai Batras can't come to terms with the loud ways of the Chandigarh Batras. Thinking that the yuppie Batras might abort their baby, the rustic couple flies down to Mumbai and buys a house in the same building as Varun and Deepti. Whether the couples end up as friends and would get to reconcile their differences forms the crux of this comedy.
It's a harsh reality that childless couples even today face all kinds of questions about not bringing in some good news for the family even after years of marriage. And this is true for every stratum of society. IVF is a costly option for such couples to try and that's what the film propagates as well. Though it isn't as easy or pain-free as it's made out to be in the film. And the mix-up depicted in the film would put the people concerned into a high state of emotional trauma, something that again is quite glossed over in the film.
The only one suffering from some kind of emotional turmoil is Kareena Kapoor. But even she stops feeling any stress after a while. It feels like we are being asked to overlook these real-life concerns because it's a comedy after all. And adoption as an option is hardly explored at all. It's mentioned in passing but no serious thought is given to it. Both couples aren't even shown even thinking about the option. Akshay Kumar's character has been written in as an insensitive guy who doesn't even make an attempt to understand what's going on around him. Kiara Advani's character is shown to be an airhead while Diljit Dosanjh's character is a stereotypical loud Punjabi male.
While the story lacks depth -- again naysayers may question whether that's such a big necessity in a comedy -- the dialogue is witty indeed throughout and is the hero of the film. There are digs about our obsession with star kids and how film stars have made IVF into a glamour statement. The screenplay too shows glimpses of sparkle in between. But overall, given the premise, a little more effort in the writing department would have raised the level of the film. While the first half zips by, the second half does lag a bit. The resolution of the crisis feels to be hastily put together.
One has to say it for Akshay Kumar that he gives more than his 100 per cent to every kind of project. Here too he does everything that was asked of him and more. His big moment comes when he's all smoked up and can't stop laughing in a serious situation. Kareena Kapoor is both fiery as well as vulnerable in the film. She has again got an author-backed role and runs away with it. She shares definite chemistry with Akshay and the duo feed off each other in their screens together. Diljit and Kiara by contrast sportingly play the OTT characters and one wished there was something more to their roles than just that.
Good Newwz is loud, silly and cheesy in places but is also funny by and large. It does make you laugh and hence this adult comedy is certainly worth a one-time watch...
Trailer : Good Newwz
Sreeparna Sengupta, December 26, 2019, 4:26 AM IST
Good Newwz Story: When a couple trying to have a baby, are unable to conceive naturally, they decide to go for an IVF (in-vitro fertilization) procedure. But a mix up by their doctor leads to much confusion.
Good Newwz Review: Deepti (Kareena Kapoor Khan) and Varun Batra (Akshay Kumar) are a posh, high-flying married couple, living in Mumbai and are much involved with their respective careers. Deepti also has her heart set on having a baby and after trying for a few years and then, some prodding by the family, both Varun and she decide to consult one of the best fertility specialists in the city. The doctor advises IVF and they are ready for it. Only hitch, few days after the procedure is through, Deepti and Varun are told there has been a sperm mix-up with another couple with the same last name. Enter 'the Batras from Chandigarh' into their lives. Honey (Diljit Dosanjh) and Monika (Kiara Advani) are a loud Punjabi couple and now it’s a complete clash of sensibilities between the two sets of Batras. As both Deepti and Monika soon find out they are pregnant, the rest of the film forms how the couples come to terms and deal with this unusual situation.
Through much of its runtime, director Raj Mehta ensures that 'Good Newwz' stays true to its genre with several light-hearted and funny moments. Add to that, the pace of the film stays mostly tight. Although given the subject and premise the narrative, at times, treads into a problematic zone and stance. And some of the jokes seem off-colour. There’s also a tendency to over explain and simplify in some portions which stick out. Also, the screenplay barely scratches the surface when it comes to getting into the depth and complexity of the situation.
However, the performances are top-notch. Kareena Kapoor Khan steals the show and delivers a knockout performance as the sophisticated Deepti, and her character’s emotional arc is developed well. Akshay Kumar hits the right spot with his comic timing. As does Diljit Dosanjh, who sinks his teeth into his character and plays it with full gusto. Kiara Advani is sincere and makes an impression. Adil Hussain as the straight-faced doctor, at the core of all the confusion, is a hoot. And as a couple, both Kareena and Akshay play off each other well and many of their interactions come off as very relatable.
At the heart of it, 'Good Newwz' is a light and breezy comedy and certainly makes for an entertaining watch.
