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Reviews
Kumaré (2011)
Must-see
I gave this film a 6/10 and still believe that it is a must-see. As I began watching this film, I was under the impression that it was meant to be a Borat-type film in the way that the protagonist(?) Kumare had the intention of making a mockery of his subjects and the guru-style spirituality. However it quickly became evident that he didn't have the goods to bring it in that fashion. It didn't take much more than ten minutes of the documentary unfolding for me to realize that he didn't quite know where he wanted to go with his premise. It was almost as if he approached this project without a plan. It seemed to me that this guy was not ready for a filmed endeavor into a subject of this magnitude. He is still too incomplete as a person.
This film is a must-see because it teaches a very valuable lesson, although it may not have been the lesson Kumare had intended. Kumare admitted that he began to enjoy the lifestyle that his guru-hood afforded him. I would imagine that virtually every self-made guru begins the same way Kumare did. He simply reinvented himself and started a new life. He created a life for himself that he found meaning in and fell in love with it. See, the problem here was the fact that in recklessly pursuing his own understanding of spirituality, Kumare dragged several other people through the mud with him. And let's make no mistake about it... Kumare was nothing more than a child playing at finding himself throughout this film.
In the end, he didn't have the heart to stay on course with his plan to 'reveal' himself. He half-assed it. This didn't surprise me. But, what choice did he have? If he was going to release this film and try to save at least some face at the same time, he would have to handle the situation the way he finally did. The coward couldn't even 'reveal' himself in person. He made his victims watch it on a TV screen before he would even enter the building.
I cheered when some of the more honest folks left when he finally showed his face. The others frantically adapted to the folly and accepted his ruse. What else could they do? No one wants to walk away looking like a fool.