The timely leitmotif of the Indiepix Festival Favorites Volume 5 from Indiepix Films is the plight of downtrodden immigrants. The first of these three separate April 17, 2018 DVD releases is the 2010 drama "that girl in yellow Boots." The other two (to-be-reviewed) films are "Entre Nos" (2009) about a Colombian woman facing desperation in New York, and "Jermal" about a boy struggling with his tough life in a new environment.
"Boots" centers around hardened 20-something English woman Ruth Edscer, whose search for the Indian father who abandons her at a tender age results in living an impoverished existence in Mumbai. Giving massages in an unlicensed parlor pays the rent; offering customers a "handshake" for an additional fee provides the funds needed to locate the man who deserts his family after a tragedy.
This highly feminist film is realistic in depicting every man in the life of Ruth as a villain and/or weak and is less realistic in not showing anyone whose reproductive organs are on the outside as having any positive characteristics. Conversely, every woman is a sympathetic character.
The most toxic man in the life of Ruth is her boyfriend Prashant, who is a weak-willed drug addict. His begging for sex and whining when provided a "handshake" initially establish him as a not-so-great catch.
A scheme of Prashant going awry creates further problems for Ruth in that it brings very rough trade to her door looking for a few forms of compensation. This prompts Prashant to attempt a form of rehab that robs him of the little dignity that he possesses.
Other interaction with a customer triggers a childhood memory that creates workplace turmoil that (of course) makes the man look foolish. Fairness requires stating that this scene depicts how many men view casual sexual interaction.
The worlds of Ruth further collide when learning more about her father shows that he is what can only be described as a sick fuck. This understandably sends this girl on a quest into a tailspin.
This being neither a Hollywood nor a Bollywood film results in the end being a far cry from a tearful family reunion in which father and daughter board a plane to reunite with mother. Rather than trying to make the audience feel good, "Boots" is wonderful cautionary tale about a mother facilitating a man being a father figure.
The bonus feature include a Q & A with director Anurag Kashyap and the theatrical trailer.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Boots" is encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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