Reviews & Ratings for
Breakaway More at IMDbPro »

Page 1 of 2:

[1] [2]

41 out of 52 people found the following review useful:

A fun warm movie!

Author: Paul Ingram from Canada
17 September 2011

This is a great little movie. Easy and fun to watch. It is cliché and predictable at times, especially towards the end but that does not take away from the heart warming story that is at the core of this movie. The music is great and the few Bollywood type scenes add to the fun and festivity of the movie. Vinay Virmani gives a great performance as does Camilla Belle and Rob Lowe. The best performance of the show however is "the dad" Anupam Kher. His stern yet tender performance is believable from the very start of the movie. Russell Peters seemed a bit stiff and not nearly as funny as his stand up but that does not slow down this movie. A great popcorn movie.

14 out of 20 people found the following review useful:

486th Review: Bollywood on Ice, Actually a cute smart sports comedy

Author: intelearts from the big screen
31 January 2012

We liked Breakaway - sure it's pretty much lightweight sports comedy but its heart is the right place and it was fun.

I guarantee this movie will be make it big, even if it's being treated with some disdain in Canada.

Here's why:

1. There's a reason why Russell Peters is currently the number one selling comedian in the world. The global diaspora of Indian populations in the UK, the US, South Africa, Dubai, not to mention India itself will buy this.

2. No other country on earth has as many cinemas and cinema goers (and not downloaders, but real paying cinemas with seats and people) as India and they love movies that celebrate their culture abroad.

3. The UK has a huge following for Peters and this: Peters sold out Wembley Stadium for three nights twice, and Indian TV is huge this is going to run and run on subscription TV channels forever.

4. It's a fun, innocent, sport movie - and people like that worldwide......

I agree it may not be Canada's number one movie, but I think this is marketing savvy and I bet you the receipts when added up in twelve months time make it the number one earner globally of any Canadian movie of the year.......

All in all if you like sports comedies like Men with Brooms and / or what an insight into Sikh culture in Toronto, while enjoying a competent sports movie you could do much worse (now you can vote me down).....

12 out of 18 people found the following review useful:

Watch it... Avoid it...

Author: harjotsandhu from India
25 September 2011

My rating and review is strictly based on dubbed Hindi version.

There are two kind of audience to this movie. One, who have seen Patiala House(PH); and second, who have not. Movie carries a lot from Akshay kumar's PH. Change the cast, remove cricket and add Ice hockey & insert a friendly uncle instead of cousins and you get Breakaway.

It also carries the same flaws that PH had. The plot has so much to deal with that its neither a full patriotic sports movie like Chak de, India! nor a family/love story like PH or Apne. Most of the comic situations are lost in translation. I hope that Russell peters' joke must have been good because I couldn't get a laugh in dubbed version. Most disappointing fact was that someone else(probably Raju kher) did the voice-over for Anupam kher.

All in all watch it ONLY if you have access to Breakway and steer clear of Dubbed version, Speedy Singhs.

19 out of 36 people found the following review useful:

An un-necessary film with nothing but repetition.

Author: bobbysing from India
29 September 2011

Right from the day when the first look of the film was revealed, SPEEDY SINGHS failed to create any kind of excitement even in the northern Punjabi belt of the country due to its repeated, uninteresting and forced kind of content. There was nothing new in the storyline, no novel idea to offer in the name of sports and no freshness in its looks, concept or presentation.

So, without going into its story details, which is easily predictable, I would like to share that whenever a movie like SPEEDY SINGHS comes, it simply forces me to think that there has to be some other fishy reason to make and spend time on such worthless projects. Because otherwise, there is no way, someone can think of making it with any kind of cinematic vision at all. In short, it's a silly mixture of all seen before sequences which do not give you even a single moment to enjoy in the whole film.

Now, why Akshay Kumar associated himself with this and even produced it with his full spirits again sends me into the suspicious zone. Frankly I think Akshay is now overdoing and dangerously playing with his popular SINGH IS KINNG image in a very funny way. At times it becomes quite hilarious to see the desperation in his SIKH portrayal on the screen with that entire fake make up. And with SPEEDY SINGHS he is again going to experience failure, like his last unsuccessful venture PATAILA HOUSE based on an identical sports theme of Cricket. Hence its time he switches on to a different fresh mode at the earliest.

The film raises many valid interesting questions regarding its overused plot and execution. Obviously the makers were not focused on the Indian Market since they have chosen Ice Hockey in the script which is not a sport played in our part of the world. So, Indian market was just going to be a bonus for them in case the film was a HIT.

But, I seriously couldn't understand why Akshay and Anupam Kher said yes to the script, when they both had already done a similar movie in the past dealing with two different sports. Surprisingly Anupam Kher plays an exactly identical role to what he played in Gurinder Chaddha's BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM which revolved around Football. And Akshay himself played the lead in recent PATIALA HOUSE which talked about a Punjabi underdog player willing to play Cricket for England against the will of his father. Incidentally in that film too there was a sequence explaining Akshay's "Hair Cutting Act" as shown in SPEEDY SINGHS, which has been deliberately added only to satisfy the religious sentiments of a particular section of viewers.

Actually the film is called BREAKWAY in its original English title and is directed by Robert Lieberman, who amazingly uses all 'ages old' Indian ingredients for his foreign film. There is family drama, a love angle, a group of friends as a team, a deliberately added Punjabi comic character, and almost everything which we repeatedly see in all the Regional Punjabi films made nowadays. But the weakest part of SPEEDY SINGHS is that despite of being a Sports Film, it never offers a great crescendo kind of euphoria towards its end, featuring the obvious win of the SINGHS team. And the viewer keeps wondering, Is this really a film written around an exciting sport?

However, in case you loved its groovy track "Shera Di Kaum Punjabi", heavily promoted by Akshay himself, then I would like to comment that SPEEDY SINGHS has simply got nothing even close to a Sher (LION), Speed or Sport. So better play an indoor game at home with your entire family instead of watching this un-necessary film in the theater.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:

Check 'Em Like Beckham....

Author: dweber34 from United States
15 July 2012

....that is all....

But since I need to have 10 lines to get the succinct review contained in the title published, I guess I'll tell you how much I am looking forward to the 2020 movie "Turban Powered" in which a misunderstood Indian boy growing up in North Carolina has to prove himself to the good ol' boys on the NASCAR circuit and try to gain the understanding of his disapproving grandfather (played by Anupam Kher) the same weekend as his niece's wedding, which takes place the same day as the first Camping World Truck Series race the misunderstood Indian boy is set to drive in.... and the 2029 film "Hand Ball" in which a traditional Soccer-American couple living in Silicon Valley (played by Parminder Nagra and Jonathan Rhys Meyers) are forced to come to terms with their teenage daughter, who has chosen to accept a basketball scholarship to Stanford over a soccer scholarship to her mother's alma mater, Santa Clara. Anupam Kher appears as the kindly grandfather, Mr. Bhamra. Hilarious scenes at the traditional Irish wedding of Meyers' sister, which takes place on NCAA Letter of Intent signing day.

6 out of 11 people found the following review useful:

A fun family film

Author: sanghvi4 from Canada
2 February 2012

The movie was enjoyable overall. The film was nearly identical to Bend it Like Beckham. Anupam Kheer played the same role. The film has a solid cast and many local Toronto celebs.

The film is worth watching for Camilla Belle alone. She is a beautiful women and she looks amazing in Indian clothes. She is not the best actress, but makes up for it in looks.

The film had it's funny moments, but could have been so much funnier with Russell Peters playing the future son-in-law role. If you are looking for a fun, entertaining, and light hearted film, this is a good movie.

11 out of 21 people found the following review useful:

a Fun Movie

Author: UrMovieReviewR from India
1 October 2011

Speedy Singhs is a smart little surprise package. It's a cheerful film that makes you smile with its subtle humor, its repartee-filled screenplay, its deftness at handling the umpteen relationships and its finely-nuanced performances. Leading this pack of oddballs is Russell Peters who packs a punch as the offensive, scheming Punjabi groom who not only wants the suitable Punjabi girl as his bride but also her dad's business which might just be handed over to the hockey enthusiast nephew, Rajveer. Rajveer, on his part, is equally charming as the die-hard hockey player who smiles his way through all the lows and never loses focus, not even when his dad throws him out of the house.But more than the performances -- and the hockey matches -- it is the sundry relationships that form the core of the film. Rajveer's unflinching bond with his family, his tentative romance with law student Camille Bell, his highs and lows with coach Winters, his camaraderie with his team mates and his love-hate relationship with bro-in-law Russell Peters make for some compelling viewing. A little more spice and edge to the delineation of the game itself would have made the film an action-packed adventure too. Nevertheless, Speedy Singhs, with a guest appearance by Akshay Kumar (as himself), is an entertaining watch. Its nothing special about this movie but still...It keeps smiles on your faces while watching it....

Thumbs up for this entertainer..watch it!

New favorite sports film and a whole lot more.

Author: (dunsuls@hotmail.com) from Round Rock Texas
13 April 2013

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This is the sort of film Hollywood was famous for making back in the day and has now forgotten how to make.Thank GOD for a vibrant Canada film industry.Bollywood has learned how to try to reach more western filmgoers and this 2011 release that runs 101 minutes has everything you need.The standard coming of age and rebellion of family,sports and ethnic adjustment to a white world while keeping its ethnic pride and truths.There is nothing wrong with this film,nothing.A great group of ethnic actors with 2 familiar white faces for the masses and the timeless story of being accepted while remaining true to ones own identity and family pride.Throw in interracial romance as the final tie in and well,its now my favorite sports movie but its a whole lot more.My favorite part is when the all Sikh hockey team is ready to play in a tournament final,their appeal to not wear helmets,because their religion dictates a turban at all times, is finally rejected and they might have to forfeit the finals,is avoided by the white girl friend and sister of the team's white coach showing that the new design of a metallic headdress in place of the standard helmet MUST be accepted because of rights protection under the law.This also works for the Sikh's because its modeled on the metal helmet worn by a famous historic warrior.Thats a compromise !!!!!Enjoy this film as I did.

A Smorgasbord of Fun!

Author: jpaphx from United States
15 March 2013

Are you kidding me? What a blast this movie was to watch. A beautiful cast to gaze upon, even the medically enhanced Lowe. A remarkable musical journey through upbeat and disconnected tunes that don't fit together or have anything to do with the plot points they bracket. Super fun cameos that come out of nowhere really deliver the surprise element. A Bollywood initiation for those not familiar with the genre, as two lavish, colorful sequences materialize out of the ether and a handful of middle school night wet fantasies let us into the mind of Sikh youth. Also a crash course in the Sikh culture although not the religion itself, which in all honesty could go a long way in educating those not otherwise familiar with the Sikh. Pointedly addresses intolerance, and not just at the Sikh, but also women, as the true unsung heroine is the 20- Something law student who sets a land speed record in defeating social injustice while studying and dating full time. Watching the subtle transformation of Belle into Sikh light is the entire point of the movie as a metaphor for the ongoing march of multiculturalism. Sure the ending was saccharine, but if you're in a candy shop for 90 minutes do you really think you can leave without a sweet taste in your mouth? I didn't think so.

101 minutes of my life I will never get back! :(

Author: M44-Fan from Canada
16 February 2013

Dumbfounded. How this film ever got funding is beyond belief. Since the CBC was involved in the it's production, I guess I helped pay (with my tax dollars) for this film and for that I am truly sorry.

I enjoyed Bend It Like Beckham (a similar film), I like Russell Peters (saw him live when his tour came through Ontario) and I like Indian films (Delhi Belly is one I loved), but Breakaway has the cheesiest dialogue, very poor acting, weak plot and some of the worst hockey I have ever seen. The only laugh I had in the whole movie was a scene were the main character Rajveer is alone on the ice in a dimly lit arena skating laps through a slight fog. The scene cuts to a waste-up shot of Rajveer skating and I burst out laughing. It's so obvious that Vinay Virmani is not skating(it looks like he has never skated).

Don't believe the reviews that gave this film any praise. They obviously have a financial interest in the film.

Page 1 of 2:

[1] [2]

Add another review

Related Links