Danny Bolyle is a famous name in India considering the fact that he is a Hollywood movie director not an actor, he can easily give a run for the money in popularity to Steven Spielberg as well. However he had directed more than half a dozen movie in Hollywood before Slumdog Millionaire. One of those was A Life Less Ordinary in 1997.
The movie begins with Gabriel (Messenger of God), dressed in a professional outfit and pissed like a boss who’s bottom-line for the quarter has not been achieved, calling two of his employees (read Angels), who are in charge of the section that take cares of Love between Man and Woman on Earth. The problem being they have not been effective for some time and many of their cases have ended in divorce. As Gabriel himself is feeling the heat from Top Management i.e. God. He gives an ultimatum to the employees, that either they perform by cracking the latest case in hand, or they will be given pink slip.
The case in hand is a tough one, they need to make sure a beautiful and spoiled girl (Cameron Diaz) with a filthy rich father should fall in love with a floor cleaner (Ewan McGregor) who works for his father. The boy loses his employment because he is replaced by small robots who can clean floors more economically, his current girlfriend leaves him too, and whatever is left, is taken by the Angels, so that the boy can get into the play.
The boy decides to confront his ex-employer, and ends up in kidnapping his daughter in broad daylight. The girl is more than willing to help the boy in getting the ransom from her father, so that she could also have her share. She even couches the boy how to be a good kidnaper as well. (Ring any bells; I say a certain story idea lifted for latest Hindi Movie: ‘Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya’). How things go ahead forms rest of the story, and believe me things keep on getting wilder.
The thing that strikes you the most is the unassuming way in which humour keep on coming in the story, it will strike you where you expect least. Not to get away from the fact that the intervention by the Angels keeps the things interesting, the Angels keep on working hard on the case, getting humiliated and physically abused in the process just like a salesman. Love, Crime, Humour and Devine Intervention it has it all.
The movie is a dark comedy, and few times makes you laugh a loud, it remains on track for most of the time, however the climax is sort of a mix bag, and could have been better. However it makes a good watch for anybodies money.
Rating ***.
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