SNAPSHOT
An Indian woman (Mahira Kakkar) studying in Prague and a lonely New Yorker (Andrew Pastides) begin an unconventional correspondence through video letters – two strangers searching for human connection in a hyper-connected world. When their relationship deepens, they must decide whether or not to meet face to face.Winner of the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, Hank and Asha is a film about identity, longing, and the irresistible appeal of entertaining life’s what-ifs. (synopsis via Coming Soon)
Let’s be honest – romantic comedies, though a genre I adore, have not exactly been innovative and envelope-pushing of late have they?
With the exception of some stellar examples like When Harry Met Sally, While You Were Sleeping, Sleepless in Seattle and Love, Actually, most romantic comedies have been either endlessly derivative or pale imitations of the Doris Day/Rock Hudson and Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn pairings of the ’50s and ’60s.
Enjoyable to an extent yes but hardly satisfying, and certainly not noticeable for their points of diffrence.
But Hank and Asha looks like it could be that rare rom-com that comes along with a whole other perspective and tells an intimate, raw human story in a way that doesn’t just tick the narrative boxes, but touches the soul too.
It’s a rare out of the box approach to the genre that Christopher Campbell of Film School Rejects marvelled about in the opening paragraph to his review of this charming film:
“Narrative gimmicks don’t always draw me in, but when I’m in the middle of watching a bunch of unremarkable festival films and something as original as Hank and Asha comes along, I’m easily seduced. That makes it sound undeserving, though, which isn’t the truth. The film is dominated by an unconventional structure that should in theory quickly become tedious for the viewer and a burden on the story, yet it carries on with great charm and a romantic spirit that’s rarely found at the movies today.”
And it’s a theme he returns in his closing paragraph confirming it made an impression with its unorthodox approach:
“So far we’ve seen teases of the epistolary film in movies featuring video diaries and chat, such as Easy A and the Paranormal Activity films. But I don’t think we’ve seen anything this consistent. I’m surprised it took so long, and I’m pleasantly surprised it ended up this enjoyable. Hank and Asha is a cute, clever and compelling little film that both satisfies and reinvents the indie rom-com for a new generation used to developing relationships through digital and virtual means.”
Out of the box approach or not, what really struck me about this film from husband and wife team Julia Morrison and James E. Duff is the sweet rawness of the emotions on display, portrayed with an authentic eagerness and vulnerability by Kakkar and Pastides, who seem perfectly suited for their respective parts.
I am looking forward to seeing how it their highly unusual relationships plays out when I finally get to see the movie.
For now Hank and Asha is playing only in New York, opening wider in Los Angeles on 18 April. No dates for Australia are available just yet.