302. Jersey; movie review

 

JERSEY

Cert PG

170 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent mild violence, language

I love cricket and, after years of playing to a very moderate standard, passed the baton on to Master W who seized it with gusto.

Therefore, I was always likely to enjoy Gowtam Tinnanuri's Jersey - a movie about a man who finds redemption in the game.

I have to say, however, that any fan would find the storyline engaging but rather far-fetched.

Shahid Kapoor stars as Arjun, a 36-year-old who walked out on the game a decade previously when his immense talent went unrecognised by Indian selectors.

Now he has lost his local government job amid scandal and sits around the house all day, drifting into depression.

The light in his life is his son (Ronit Kamra) who he takes to cricket practice every day and who is desperate for an Indian team jersey for his birthday.

Arjun can't afford the shirt but, despite his need for money, consistently turns down the offers of his former coach (Pankaj Kapur) to join his old team's staff.

Instead, much to the disgust of his wife (Mrunal Thakur), he wants to return as a player and, despite his age, fight his way into the national side.

I was torn by Jersey - on one hand, the action scenes are truly impressive but, on the other, the narrative is more than a little daft.

Firstly, the very notion of a player returning to top-flight sport after such a long gap is unlikely. But, a quick glance at the career of boxer George Foreman will show it is possible.

Meanwhile, the detail of the matches is over-exaggerated. It is as if a batsman scoring a century is a piece of cake.

I also had problems with Arjun's wife because it is so difficult to understand what she wants from him.

However, in saying all of that, Kapoor excels and the ending to Jersey is brilliant. It is just a shame it took so long to arrive at it.

Reasons to watch: If you accept cricket can be romantic

Reasons to avoid: If you are not a cricket fan

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? Rustomji Jamshedji Dorabji Jamshedji made his debut for India against England in 1933 at the age of 41 years and 27 days and is still the oldest Indian on his debut.

The final word. Shahid Kapoor: "I spent almost five or six months just learning the sport which was very gruelling, because you know I’m not 19, so you know it was tough on the body and tough on the mind. To pick up a skill and make it look legitimate for being a first-class player or a player who can play at the national level, it was definitely challenging." Saari

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