Review of Being There (2011) by Niloo R — 20 Nov 2012

Heard a lot of good things about the film, but after watching it I can't say that i'm a fan. it wasn't a bad movie, but I found it to be on the whole very bland. I felt nothing for any of the characters, as I found all the performances (peter sellers in particular) to be very one-note.

I found that I couldn't relate to the characters because I didn't understand what their thought-processes were or what the point of it all was. it was very arbitrary and coincidental, to the point where it became unbelievable.

I think the film took the easy way out every chance it got, playing with a simple concept (people misunderstanding the simple man and finding profundity in his simple words) and didn't take it anywhere.

nothing happened or changed - everyone was immediately blown away by chance and they were still just as blown away by him at the end of the film. even the people who were investigating him didn't have a reason to, and when they discovered who he was didn't pose any problems for him.

I suppose what this film lacked, and it is a great lack indeed, was conflict. chance and his safety were never threatened even in the slightest - he moved from one millionaire's house to another's almost seamlessly and everything seemed to go uphill from there.