Reviews of IFC’s Bollywood Hero and HBO’s Boy Interrupted
Bollywood Hero
August 6-8 at 10pm on IFC
**1/2
Here’s a novel premise for a mini-series: when a washed-up comedian (former Saturday Night Live star Christ Kattan, playing a character called…uh, “Chris Kattan”) tires of the scarcity of good roles in Hollywood, he outsources himself to the Bollywood film industry.  Once on location in India, he’s confronted by such problems as producers that aren’t impressed by his questionable star power, dance sequences that demand more talent than he possesses and cultural differences that land him in hot water (like planting a kiss on the lips of a major female star in full public view).  In the pitch session, this probably sounded like a slam-dunk.  In execution, however, it’s fairly uneven.  While the Indian locations and nods to Bollywood cinema (like the insertion of random musical numbers) are amusing Kattan himself remains something of a one-trick performer.  He’s fine with slapstick and other bits of broad comedy, but whenever the script calls for moments of honest human emotion, he’s not up to the task.  (Granted, I did only see the first episode in this three-part series, so it’s possible that he settles into the role in the subsequent installments.)  Bollywood Hero is a decent effort, but if you’re really interested in Indian cinema, bypass this series and check out an actual Bollywood film instead.  May I suggest Lagaan or Bunty aur Bubli?
Verdict: Stream It

Boy Interrupted
August 3 at 9pm on HBO
**1/2
At age 15, Evan Scott Perry killed himself by jumping out his bedroom window.  In the aftermath of this tragedy, his filmmaker parents Hart and Dana Perry decided to make a documentary about their troubled child, who had battled severe emotional problems for years before he took his life.  The result is this very intimate–at times almost oppressively so–film, which features extensive interviews with virtually every member of the Perry family, as well as Evan’s psychiatrist and teachers from his various schools.  While it’s impossible not to feel sorrow and regret for Evan’s short life, Boy Interrupted all too often feels like a movie that was made specifically for his family rather than a wide audience.  Despite his parents’ best efforts to make us feel as if we know and on some level understand him, Evan remains a distant figure throughout the 90-minute film.  At the same time, if the film helps educate parents whose children are experiencing similar problems, then the Perry’s deserve credit for sharing their story.
Verdict: Stream It