Set in 1960s India, The Archies sees Archie and his friends embarking on a mission to save their town’s beloved park, all the while navigating the complexities of love and friendships. The musical comedy is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
The film tells the story of 17-year-old Archie and his gang, which takes place in Riverdale, a hill station in India, in 1964. In Riverdale, a park called Green Park is very important to the residents. The park holds the town’s history, as every child born in the town plants a tree there at the age of five.
A rich businessman, Mr. Lodge, wants to build a plaza and a hotel in Riverdale. He wants to build the hotel on the land that belongs to the park. However, to do that, he needs to get permission from the town council.
Mr. Lodge comes to the town with his family. His daughter, Veronica, used to date Archie before she left the town two years ago. Archie still likes Veronica, but he also likes Veronica’s best friend, Betty, who is also his neighbor.
When Archie and his friends learn about the redevelopment projects, they realize that their town is changing. While trying to find a way to preserve their roots and history, they learn a thing or two about love, friendship, and more.
Performances
Agastya Nanda is extremely charming as Archie. There are times when the audience will disapprove of the character’s choices, but Nanda’s portrayal makes him appear so guileless that it is hard to dislike him even then.
Suhana Khan and Khushi Kapoor’s performances bring out the differences between their characters. Khan’s Veronica is alluring and dazzling, whereas Kapoor’s Betty is sweet and gentle whose quiet moments of reflection speak louder than her words. The two actors fit their roles perfectly.
Vedang Raina successfully portrays Reggie as a boy who is dashing, smart, and nice with an unwavering resolve. Then there is Yuvraj Menda, who does not fail to win hearts as Dilly.
Lastly, Mihir Ahuja is entertaining as Jughead, and Aditi Saigal, also known as DOT, gives a satisfactory performance. It is because of the cast’s performances that the characters in the film come across as interesting.
Positives
The Archies depicts a fictional town that is colorful and lively; it is almost like a character in the story. It has its own history and culture, and through the course of the film, the audience will come to appreciate it and will understand the characters’ need to prevent it from losing its distinct touch.
This coming-of-age story of a group of friends who start understanding themselves and their responsibility towards their community is light-hearted. The relationships, friendships, and heartbreaks in the film have a sense of innocence that is charming in its own way.
The characters come to terms with the various aspects of one’s identity. While one character finally recognizes the significance of his cultural roots, there is another whose sexual identity is accepted by his friend in a tender scene that is crafted with care.
The film is able to discuss a number of subjects as the characters start gaining an understanding of the world around them. They talk about public interest as well as the need to be political, which are important subjects when the plot is taken into account.
The redevelopment project brings changes to the town that call attention to the negative impact of capitalism. Due to the opening of new salons and restaurants owned by big corporations, small businesses that make the town unique face losses.
Betty and Veronica, the two friends Archie is in love with, both stand out without overshadowing the other. The film successfully depicts two female characters who are very different from each other as equally stunning.
The performances in the film do leave an impression. The cinematography, choreography, set designs, and costumes work together seamlessly to produce captivating dance numbers.
Negatives
While the songs in the film are highly entertaining, most of them are not remarkable. The audience will enjoy them when the characters sing them in the film, but they will not stay with them once the scene is over.
As stated above, the film tries to underline a lot of issues, be it coming to terms with one’s identity or experiencing one’s first heartbreak, that matter to young adults. However, not all of them will strike a chord, despite being very significant parts of the characters’ stories.
Verdict
The Archies is a film full of spirit and color. With upbeat music and dance numbers, it tells the story of a group of characters that the audience will thoroughly enjoy.
The Archies
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Date Created: 2023-12-07 03:03
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Also Read: The Archies summary and ending explained