The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir | Telescope Film
The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir

The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir

Critic Rating

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  • France,
  • United States,
  • Belgium,
  • Singapore,
  • India
  • 2018
  • · 96m

Director Ken Scott
Cast Dhanush, Bérénice Bejo, Erin Moriarty, Barkhad Abdi, Gérard Jugnot, Ben Miller
Genre Adventure, Comedy, Drama

Aja, a clever young street magician from Mumbai, sets out on a journey to find the father he never knew. He discovers love in a Swedish furniture store in Paris, mortal danger with Somali migrants in England, fame on a dance floor in Rome, and adventure in a hot-air balloon over the Mediterranean sea.

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What are critics saying?

70

Los Angeles Times by Michael Ordona

The film, based on Romain Puértolas’ novel, has clever touches and is consistently engaging, if meandering.

70

The New York Times by Ben Kenigsberg

Despite the film’s syrupy sweetness, it takes some risks ... and its relentless earnestness is tough to resist, even as the film sugarcoats intimations of real danger.

60

The Hollywood Reporter by Jordan Mintzer

Journey mostly works thanks to Dhanush's radiant charm, with the actor adding humor and sincerity to a project that can feel too overstuffed and wacky for its own good — mixing magical realism, deadpan comedy, musical numbers and moments of tear-jerking drama.

58

Original-Cin by Jim Slotek

With random elements of Bollywood, Western musicals and unlikely episodic plot contrivances, it is made to please everybody. The result is inoffensive.

50

Film Threat by Alex Saveliev

The film vacillates so wildly, it spins out of control. As for the love story sub-plot – the less said about the poor, vacuous hole of a character that is Marie, the better.

50

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by Brad Wheeler

An exercise in naive commentary and globe-trotting magical realism, the film dares viewers to take it seriously.

50

Screen Daily by Lisa Nesselson

Undemanding movie-goers may enjoy this oddly wholesome entertainment peppered with positive messages about generosity, overcoming adversity and hoping that your karma straightens itself out in this lifetime.

50

Movie Nation by Roger Moore

Here’s a sweet, slight little samosa of a Euro-Indian comedy, a tale that’s a little bit topical, a tad picaresque, with just a hint of Bollywood thrown in spice.