The Lift Boy (2019)

Language : Hindi / English / Marathi

Director :  Jonathan Augustin

Writers :  Jonathan Augustin | Ashish P. Verma

Cast : Moin Khan, Nyla Masood, Sagar Kale, Neha Bam, Damian D’Souza, Aneesha Shah

Genre :  Comedy | Drama

Imdb: The Lift Boy (2019) 

Streaming on Netflix

The Lift Boy (2019) is the kind of film that made me start this platform, to share such beautiful underrated gems with the whole world…devoid of any barriers. It’s also one of the best Netflix movies I’ve ever watched! I am not the ideal customer profile of Netflix and probably will never be, but this movie is perfect for me in a lot of ways and touched me deeply.

Who is this movie for?

For people who love simple, slow, heartful, and soulful movies, I highly recommend this. People who love independent movies, because this is one. This film is not made for money; it’s made to simply tell a story, to make your heart smile, and we slowly become a part of this heart-warming story.

There is nothing over the top and unheard of that really happens in this film. But there is a lot of grace, love, and soul in this small flick.

There are some really good Bollywood films without any attention, hype, or star cast, and this one is right up there.

Who should not watch this?

If you are looking for excitement or any major event to happen in the film, this is not your cup of tea or adventure ride; skip it completely.

The writing and attention to detail are top-notch in the film.

Some Personal Thoughts

I personally believe a great movie is something that excites a small set of audience and influences them deeply, and I would want to make such a movie one day.

Make something for a small section but make it really important for these people;

Rather than trying to please everyone everywhere in the world.

(Disclaimer: Nowhere am I saying that my thought process is the one and only objective truth. Feel free to think in any direction you feel is right. I just shared my perspective, and it’s only my perspective and it need not be yours. What I’m trying to say is that the film aligned a lot with my thought processes, experiences, and vision, and I would like to make a small film like this one day, with a lot of heart, passion, and honesty, without being worried if it will make serious money)

Some Spoilers and Inspiration: (Section for those who have watched the film or if you are a rebel :D)

The Lift Boy draws inspiration from classic works such as O. Henry’s Last Leaf, and it references pop-cultural icons like Harvey Specter and Mike Ross from Suits and other modern contemporary pop-culture shows/films, which shows how attuned the director/writer is to both mature audiences and a relatively younger audience. The film isn’t overly preachy but shows the coming-of-age transformation of a boy incredibly well and also shows how his attitude changes with respect to the responsibilities of a man and how to apply/exert himself productively in the world. It’s a story of self-discovery and you can see different shades and tiers of India from two sorts of lens if you look closely in the movie (One-very emotionally as an insider and with a good chunk of pride and the second lens is that of an outsider, consultant looking to see problems as an outsider and trying to critically view problems without emotion and solve them in the most effective manner: This has a lot to do the with the director’s background and his own story, he is able to view it in the second lens because of his work experiences and stints outside India. The second lens is not usually possible for a guy who has only lived in India his whole life.

This is a slow, beautiful film that should ideally be watched on a rainy day with a cup of hot tea. It shows the details, beauty, and intricacies of daily life ever so well. Serious subjects such as class divide are also shown so well, along with different shades of love, the huge generation gap between Indian parents and their children in urban areas, and how fast life and society have evolved in the suburban and urban areas. It also shows how love has evolved over the years and also explores male friendships and a very tension-filled father-son dynamic with great attention. The writing of the film must be commended, but not everyone will get all this attention to detail, and I completely understand if this film is not your cup of tea. But it certainly is mine.

Verdict: 5/7 stars