Four Samosas (2022)
88%RT Audience Score: 100%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Four Samosas is a colorful and quirky heist comedy that attempts to channel the spirit of Wes Anderson, but ultimately falls short of the mark. While the film’s hipster aesthetic and endearing characters are certainly charming, the script lacks the substance needed to truly elevate the overstylization. Despite this, writer-director Ravi Kapoor’s direction is nearly flawless, and the film’s freewheeling charm and engaging cast make it a fun and enjoyable romp through the Indian enclave of Artesia. Overall, Four Samosas may not be a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s a likable and entertaining film that will leave you smiling.
If you’re looking for a heist movie with a side of samosas, Four Samosas might just be your cup of chai. Critics are divided on whether it’s too Wes Anderson-esque or not enough, but one thing’s for sure: this scrappy rom-com has heart. With endearing characters, a freewheeling charm, and even a Bollywood production number, Four Samosas is a fun and quirky ride through the Indian enclave of Artesia. Sure, the dialogue might be a bit mundane and the acting a bit over-the-top, but who cares when you’re smiling by the end? Plus, who doesn’t love a good samosa?
Production Company(ies)
Asian Stories, VOD
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles Thirty Mile Zone, California, United States; Los Angeles, California, United States
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
2022
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 20m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 2, 2022 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 2, 2022
Genre(s)
Comedy/Action
Keyword(s)
starring Venk Potula, Sonal Shah, Sharmita Bhattacharya, Nirvan Patnaik, Karan Soni, Summer Bishil, directed by Ravi Kapoor, written by Ravi Kapoor, produced by Ravi Kapoor, Rajiv Maikhuri, Venk Potula, Craig Stovel, PG-13, comedy, action, romance, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Noel Murray, Simon Abrams, Beatrice Loayza, Lena Wilson, Nadir Samara, Todd Jorgenson, Mark Dujsik, Christopher Lloyd, Brian Orndorf, Neely Swanson, Roger Moore, Zachary Goldkind, heist, diamonds, misfit dreamers, family caper, Christmas, feel-good
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Sonal Shah – Paru
Sharmita Bhattacharya – Anjali
Nirvan Patnaik – Zak
Karan Soni – Self
Summer Bishil – Self
Ravi Kapoor – Director, Producer, Writer
Rajiv Maikhuri – Producer
Venk Potula – Producer
Craig Stovel – Producer
Director(s)
Ravi Kapoor
Writer(s)
Ravi Kapoor
Producer(s)
Ravi Kapoor, Rajiv Maikhuri, Venk Potula, Craig Stovel
Film Festivals
Tribeca
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (17) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (6)
Its plot may run out of gas, but “Four Samosas” never stops being likable.
December 2, 2022
Noel Murray
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
There’s simultaneously too much and not enough Wes Anderson in the Indian-American comedy Four Samosas, a warm-but-flat heist pic.
December 2, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
Simon Abrams
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
Colorful and handsomely composed like a Wes Anderson movie, but far from that director’s world of gloomy, globe-trotting dandies, “Four Samosas” is a jovial romp through the Indian enclave of Artesia located outside of Los Angeles.
December 1, 2022
Beatrice Loayza
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Excessive hipster-ness can be endearing, if done right, but “Four Samosas” woefully lacks the substance needed to buoy such overstylization.
December 1, 2022
Lena Wilson
TheWrap
TOP CRITIC
Writer-director Ravi Kapoor’s second feature is hysterical, heartfelt, and beautiful to look at. His script and direction are nearly flawless. December 4, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Nadir Samara
Screen Rant
This scrappy romantic comedy compensates for its low-budget constraints with endearing characters and freewheeling charm.
December 2, 2022
Todd Jorgenson
Cinemalogue
If there’s a major issue … it’s in how much effort Kapoor puts into making all of this come across as quirky.
December 1, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
Mark Dujsik
Mark Reviews Movies
A precious comedy about a ill-considered grocery store heist that just isn’t nearly as cute and engaging as it thinks it is.
December 1, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
Christopher Lloyd
The Film Yap
There’s a fresh, engaging cast here that’s ready to play with the material, offering bright performances and decent timing in this somewhat strange but likable study of mistakes and community peculiarities.
December 1, 2022 | Rating: B
Brian Orndorf
Blu-ray.com
The dialogue is mundane and the comedy is rather juvenile. The acting is not particularly good, with everyone trying too hard. Despite all of that, and this is the intangible, the film will leave you smiling. Go figure.
November 28, 2022
Neely Swanson
Easy Reader (California)
The picture kind of goes to pieces in the third act, but not before we’ve had a fantasized Bollywood production number — produced on the cheap — and lots of gags about haplessness, loserdom and goat feces.
November 17, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Roger Moore
Movie Nation
Four Samosas clings to a straining aesthetic emulation — an ideologically regressive derivative of Wes Anderson — yet derisively so (and oblivious to it): its formal aspirations falter at the hands of more conventional characterization.
November 17, 2022
Zachary Goldkind
In Review Online…
Plot
Happy-go-lucky, underachieving, wanna-be rapper Vinny is dismayed to learn that his favorite ex-girlfriend Rina is planning to marry his smarmy arch-nemesis. Determined to disrupt the wedding as well as fund the dreams of his family and friends, he and his band of neighborhood pals concoct a plan to steal Rina’s dowry jewels from her father’s supermarket safe. But can this motley crew actually pull off a heist?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Venk Potula, Sonal Shah, and Sharmita Bhattacharya.
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