May 16, 2018
Welcome back to Worldwide Wednesdays. Today’s movie is “Sometimes” (2018), the Indian Tamil-language Netflix Original drama written and directed by Priyadarshan. The film follows seven individuals from various walks of life taking AIDS tests, along with the receptionist who is struggling on her own. The group decides to bribe the receptionist for early results, but only learn that one is positive, making them wait for the full results.
Spoilers ahead.
I think this is an important film. Raising HIV awareness is important to stop the spread of infection and to dispel myths about HIV-positive individuals. Most countries still stigmatize folks living with HIV, usually for a universal fear of being infected themselves, but sometimes each culture can express that fear uniquely. Which is why having a culturally specific film about the fears and facts around AIDS today is especially important.
I just wish the film didn’t feel like a public service announcement. Each character is meant to portray a different scenario for how they believe they could have been infected, touching on unprotected sex, swapping needles, rape, blood transfusions, and coming into contact involuntarily with bodily fluids. It definitely works, but it feels a little too canned at times, especially with dialogue that feels read off a pamphlet. And with seven individuals each walking up to receive their results, the ending becomes so drawn out that it stops being tense and starts being boring.
I know, I feel terrible about the criticism, and trust me, I felt all sorts of remorse for my criticism when I read Priyadarshan’s message at the end. The core cast does a great job, including Prakash Raj as Kristhnamurthy, a family man who slept with another woman while on a business trip; Ashok Selvan as Bala, an expectant father who discovers a former girlfriend had died of AIDS; and Shreya Reddy as Deepa, the financially-strapped receptionist who takes a bribe to find out the results early, and who ultimately lies to them about those results.
“Sometimes” (2018) is an important film with an important mission. A great cast works well with a story whose primary goal is communicating information, followed by character development. And it succeeds in both raising awareness and helping to dispel myths, although with a slightly contrived story. Fans of ensemble dramas may appreciate this film, but be ready for a crash course in the facts and myths about HIV and AIDS.
Rotten Tomatoes: NR
Metacritic: NR
One Movie Punch: 6.6/10
“Sometimes” (2018) is rated TV-14 and is currently streaming on Netflix.