The last Hindi film set in Goa was probably the Abhishek Bachchan starrer Dum Maaro Dum, which showed the picturesque state as a den of vice, rife with drug dealers and unscrupulous killers. However, with Love, Wrinkle-free, a light-hearted English romantic comedy, one gets to see the old world charm of Goa, which had been missing from the silver screen since a long time.
Revolving around the Montero family, the film has Savio Montero (Ash Chandler), a sales rep and a dreamer who wants to make it big by dealing in 'edible underwear', an idea that he thinks will take the state of Goa by storm, while his wife Annie (Shernaz Patel), a sweet Goan wife has problems of her own dealing with age and the possibility of being ousted from the church choir. Moreover, their adopted daughter Ruth (Arika Silaichia) wants to get rid of her chinki eyes with a surgery. If that was not all, Annie is pregnant, much to her joy and Savio's anxiety. To further complicate matters, Savio meets up Natalie (Seema Rahmani), a bohemian photographer who the hapless Savio feels drawn to, with comical consequences.
The movie, without a doubt is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face as you follow the adventures of the members of the Montero family while they deal with their respective problems ranging from pregnancy to a shady business deal to wrinkles to an expensive surgery to a Goan gangster Bruno Corrieo (Sohrab Ardeshir) and his son Jacob (Ashwin Mushran), who has his heart set on the clueless Annie.
The humour is light and fresh and Chandler's Savio is as endearing as he is comical (watch out for the scenes when Savio mimics Marlon Brando from The Godfather as and when the fancy hits him, much to his daughter Ruth's exasperation and Natalie's amusement). Shernaz Patel also puts an honest performance as the supportive wife, who wants to set things right for everyone, including herself and the interactions between Savio and Annie are amusing because they are so very natural. The rest of the cast too does not disappoint and Ardeshir and Mushran as the Goan father-son gangster duo are a treat in themselves too.
Apart from the acting and humour, special mention must also be made of the cinematography, which shows Goa in a mellow and loving light, reminding one of lazy siestas and provoking a strong desire to take the next flight to the land of beer, beaches and old world bungalows.
However, one does end up feeling that the film could have been a bit crisper as there are times, especially in the second half, when the viewer might end up feeling that the story is losing its pace. But nevertheless, Love, Wrinkle-free is a safe bet if one is looking for ways to spend a lazy weekend afternoon and come out smiling
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