The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir

This film tells the story of a young Indian man who goes to Paris in search of his father, with no money in his pocket.

The journey is truly incredible. It is beyond my wildest dreams, yet most of it is believable. It is a fantastic, eye opening journey that educates the brain and the heart. I find the film very entertaining, fun, touching and imaginative. I really enjoyed it.

Since others here have said it, this delightful!! movie may not be a 100% representation of the book. I don't know, I don't read French and apparently this was a French book of some repute. So? Charlton Heston in the Ten Commandments certainly did not portray that book (lol) 100% accurately. Yet, a lot of people for decades have enjoyed that movie. No, this isn't on par, but, this was a very nice movie, with no parts that were NSFW. And today, that is something different. Watch it. For just easy entertainment value, 10 out of 10. As a movie overall, 8 out of 10.

This is the sort of movie that they don't make anymore, the kind you remember as a child, where everyone is bigger and grander than in real life, where magic can take place, where romance can sweep the globe, and love conquers all. I haven't enjoyed a film so much in years.

The intentions are good, the combination of styles is interesting, but the result is disappointing. Bringing to screen a novel by French author Romain Puértolas ,'The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir', directed by Ken Scott tells the story of an Indian conman whose dream to travel to Europe comes true, only to be mistaken for one of the millions of refugees trying to find a place under the European skies. Bollywood meets French literature meets European road movies meets refugees drama meets Hollywood. It's a mix that works only to some point.

What I liked. The mix of innocence and bravura of the hero is well served by the acting of Dhanush. Cultural differences are treated with a light comical touch and some of them succeed beyond the stereotypes. The funniest scene that takes place in the immigration office at the English airport and it's gorgeous, combining music and dance in a way that reminds Bollywood but also the Hollywood musicals. The way the European prejudices towards people whom they suspect are refugees because they look different makes its point without being too obvious or insistent. And 'a real fake passport' is a bright line.

What I liked less. The use of off-screen voice is excessive and pretentious. True, the film brings to screen a novel, but there are better ways to do it than have the character read text. The way the refugees and their dramas are presented is schematic. The romantic story is not credible - not in the way it starts and especially not in the way it ends.

'The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir' tries to make its audiences feel well while dealing with serious topics. For me, at some moments it succeeded, at other it was boring. With less caution and more sharpness in the comical approach it could have been a better film. As it stands it belongs to the category 'only if you have nothing else better to do'.

I have not read the book so can't compare to it. But it's a nice feel good type of movie that has that sense of wonder and magic about it. There are way better movies of the genre out there, and to be fair a lot worse also! It's good enough, but nothing truly "extraordinary".