Growing up in India with his family and its hotel-zoo, young Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma) finds that as he tries to figure out who and what he is, he's open to many different religions; Muslim, Hindu and Christianity. His friends and family laugh at him, questioning what he's up to. As a teenager, Pi's family is forced to move, sailing to Canada across the Pacific in a huge cargo ship that's packed with their zoo animals who have all been sold. The ship sinks in a horrific storm, and only Pi manages to survive, saving himself by crawling aboard a well-supplied lifeboat. He's not quite alone though as there are other occupants aboard, including a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. How can resourceful Pi survive? Can he survive on the open seas, battling not only the elements but also a ferocious jungle predator?
Add this film from director Ang Lee to the list. I could try for weeks, but a one-paragraph plot synopsis ain't going to cut it. This is a movie that is so much more than one simple paragraph. From a novel by Yann Martel, 'Pi' encapsulates so much more, and for the better. It is a movie about religion, faith, personal convictions, survival, family, friendship and so many other things. There isn't a movie out there you can fairly compare it to, and that's a good thing. If I ramble here, so be it, I'm not quite sure how to explain and/or spell out why I liked this movie. You've been warned.
The storytelling technique utilized here is nothing flashy or new. It's told in flashback. We meet an adult Pi (played to perfection by Irrfan Khan), now living in Canada talking to a writer (Rafe Spall). While in India, the writer met a man who told him of a man -- Pi -- who had a story that would make him believe in God. He seeks out Pi and asks to hear the story, and away we go. We meet a younger Pi (Ayush Tandon), learning the origins of his name, his childhood, his days in school. We see him grow up, become a young man and start to think for himself, including the religious beliefs. A majority of the 127-minute movie focuses on Pi's survival at sea, but these other portions do a great job of fleshing out the character. Quick departures to an adult Pi break up the story and then move it forward again quickly. Seeing Pi grow and mature works in highly effective fashion, credit to all three actors for bringing the character to life.
As for the message or goal of the story, it tries to accomplish a lot. As I mentioned before, it is about religion, God, faith and survival among a laundry list of other things. It is never heavy-handed though. It doesn't try to force a message on you. 'Life' presents it and lets you make of it what you will. I commend Lee for making that decision as a director. It is about religion, but even that is limiting. I think the most appropriate thing I can say is that it is about human beings and living, appreciating what life offers. Through his trials and tribulations at sea, Pi comes to a new understanding and perspective on what life really is.
Watching the shipwrecked survival time as he floats at sea with a Bengal tiger (a phenomenal character in itself) named Richard Parker -- with a perfect backstory as to his name -- is an incredible visual. The story and its flashback technique works perfectly, but the story is at its best when its with Pi, Richard Parker and a lifeboat floating on the Pacific. Pi's narration is moving and effective but never tedious. The relationship that develops between young man and tiger is transfixing to watch. Both want to survive, but the tiger's first instinct is to kill Pi, the one providing for him. There is a simple beauty to this survival story, but it's more too. It's both simple and highly complicated, but it manages to find a way to work. I loved where the story went as days turn to weeks and weeks to months on the seas, some twists and reveals coming along the way that I could have never seen coming. Sharma especially delivers a memorable performance as the lifeboat-bound Pi.
Okay, enough with the hokey, pretentious bigger meaning that I took away. When I saw the trailer for this film originally, I was intrigued visually more than what the story looked to offer. This is a stunningly beautiful film, cinematographer Claudio Marinda fully deserving the Oscar for cinematography. It is a visual treat to watch, the screen always full of light, color and shadows that resemble paintings. The shipwreck scene is haunting and uncomfortable to watch coupled with the beauty of the scenes on the open seas as Pi struggles to survive. I saw this film on a Blu-Ray player, and I couldn't look away. If you get a chance to see it on a big screen, jump at the opportunity. It belongs on a level with films like 2001: A Space Odyssey and basically anything Terrence Malick directed as one of the most beautiful films ever made. It's unreal how this movie looks.
The final act too provides a bit of a twist as we learn more about Pi's story. Obviously, we're talking to him and seeing him so we know he survived his trials at sea, but how? Is his incredible story true? I don't want to give too much away overall because what develops late didn't even cross my mind as the story developed. It works though in a huge way, Pi's final line going a long way to bringing it all together. It's an ending that will disappoint some while others will no doubt love it. I see the flaws and/or issues viewers may have with it, but it worked. Also look for Adil Hussain and Tabu as Pi's parents in key supporting parts. I loved this movie, and I think it can only get better on repeated viewings. Highly recommended.
Life of Pi (2012): *** 1/2 /****
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