The true star ofPolite Societyis writer/director Nida Manzoor, who delivers a powerful, fun and funny, genre-bending outing inher directorial film debut.Manzoor was the brainchild behindWe Are Lady Parts,the exceptional series that chronicled the members of a Muslim female punk band, mostly told through the eyes of a geeky PhD student (Anjana Vasan), whose brought in as the band’s unlikely lead guitarist. Like that series, the release ofPolite Societygives viewers a bold protagonist to root for and somebody who must overcome a bevy of obstacles. My, how fun it is to watch Ria (Priya Kansara) here, a spirited UK teen who dreams of becoming a movie stuntwoman.
Ria’s high hopes wobble when her older sister Lena (Ritu Arya ofThe Umbrella Academycast) gets engaged to Salim (Akshay Khanna), a handsome, seemingly grounded, suitor/doctor who has plenty of cash flow and a fake-smiling mother, Raheela (a savagely brilliant Nimra Bucha), who quickly becomes Ria’s arch enemy and formidable foe to conquer.
You see, Ria and Lena are tight. More so after Lena left art school. Why, Lena has encouraged Ria to venture forth on her journey to become a stuntwoman. Ria is “the fury!”, after all, akick-ass martial arts,body-spinning-in-air wannabe. She doesn’t want Lena to leave. Plus, she suspects something is off with momma’s boy Salim, regardless of how charming he can be. Let the games begin.
Polite Society: Sabotage in Five Tricky Parts
With the help of her school pals (Seraphina Beh and Ella Bruccoleri), Ria concocts a plan to sabotage the engagement and prevent Lena’s wedding from ever happening. First, she decides to get some dirt on Salim. She calls in the troops. In this case, her best friends (Seraphina Beh and Ella Bruccoleri), Off these fierce teens go, modern-day walkie-talkies in tow. It’s another “mission” to tackle, sure, but these teens go about it with the kind of stakes-are-high tenacity you’d find in one of the stunt-heavy,action-packed, martial arts filmsRia so desperately longs to live in.
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It’s fun to watch the lengths Ria will go to protect her sister and when one plan fails, she quickly finds another way to thwart the upcoming wedding. Fittingly, the film unfolds in chapters as Ria goes about her quest. Ultimately, Mommy Fearest sniffs out a predator and turns up the dial on her efforts to secure her son’s future. The way Raheela sees it, women are simply potential partners for her dear Salim. Like Ria, she’s on her own mission, which proves to be wickedly twisted once it’s revealed.
Sure, Ria always knew Raheela was a threat, but when her future in-law secures a brutal waxing session she’ll never forget, Ria becomes more determined than ever. It’s here where Manzoor reveals how Ria’s desperate attempts to save her sister is something more symbolic. Ria wants to overthrow an archaic prejudice. Are women merely objects, used on a whim, for the needs of, well, anybody, anyone, everywhere? Manzoor’s spit-fire dialogue is something to marvel if not appreciate, too. But there’s so much that makes this film a kick-ass romp you must experience.
Let’s Cut and Color, Shall We?
It’s fitting that Manzoor recruits herWe Are Lady Partschums here. Bravo to editor Robbie Morrison, whose keen sense of timing and precision elevate the already funny script. Most of the martial arts sequences here are breathtaking and a joy to experience. Superbly cut. There is a brilliant fight sequence with a library monitor. Meanwhile, another confrontation between Ria and Raheela will have audiences howling. The climactic end scenes are swift and wildly fun.
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Manzoon also brings along costume designer PC Williams, who expertly provides an elevated sense of detail to the characters in this film, from the vivid red-and-gray uniforms the schoolgirls wear to the vibrant hues we see in the wedding that may or may not happen. New to Manzoon’s team is cinematographer Ashley Conner (Madeline’s Madeline), who gives editor PC Williams plenty to play with — intense midair kicks and spins, flowing fabrics, and so much more. It’s groovy-good.
Often, Manzoon keeps all her creative plates spinning effectively. The execution of the third act nearly veers far off course, but the writer-director mindfully reels things in to create a refreshing cinematic experience that ispart satire, part-social commentary, part-martial arts action-comedy, and part-sisterly love story. Mostly, it is a welcome and robust tale about a strong young woman who defies convention at every turn. Ria is far from polite. Thank God!
