Society Girls

Ms. Spenser let me pick the movie, and I picked Polite Society (2023). Might be my last pick for a while.

It stars Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya as the Khan sisters, living in London with their parents of Pakistani origin. Arya, the older sister, wants to be an artist, but has lost confidence. But the real star is Kansara, a high school girl who wants to be a stunt woman. She has her sister filming her attempts at a spin kick, with little success. 

Kansara has two friends at school, and a bully. The first big action scene is a fight between the bully, the physically imposing Shona Babayemi. It's full of martial arts posturing and wire work. And she is defeated. Also, her guidance counselor doesn't think she should intern with famous stunt woman Eunice Huthart (who she emails daily, getting no reply). Her parents agree, she should become a doctor, or at least a receptionist.

Their mom is a bit of a social climber, and gets an invite to Nimra Bucha's fancy Eid party. At this party, Arya meets son of the house, Arkshay Khanna, a handsome eligible doctor, who is obviously being shopped for a wife. Soon, they are dating. Arya gives up art, and seems to be in love. Kansara is not having it, and with her friends, schemes to sabotage the relationship.

The hijinks are mostly fun, but a little low-key. They are pretty much high-school attempts at James Bond super-espionage. But it's been awhile since the last action scene. 

In fact, there are only two or three of those heightened action scenes in the whole movie. There is a dance scene, but it's quite short. I've heard this movie described as Bend It Like Beckham mixed with Scott Pilgrim, directed by Sammo Hung. It's more Bend It with a pinch of Scott Pilgrim. 

Of course, Bend It was a great movie, and maybe this is too. Kansara is a very appealing star, and so are her friends (and bully). Bucha has real presence as the sleek, sophisticated, evil mother-in-law to be. Reminded me a lot of Shohreh Aghdashloo, with less warmth. 

But we were set up to expect a lot more action, or at least hijinks. Ms. Spenser's analysis is that it didn't know what it wanted to be. When they got a little more crazy, it was more fun - except the ending, which was pretty crazy, and felt unearned. I'd say more, but it wouldn't be polite.