Friday Night Plan review: Coming-of-age drama with paper-thin plot falls short

THERE have been a lot of movies about teenagers getting into trouble, while in pursuit of having a good time and that is why it was always going to be difficult for Friday Night Plan to stand out.

The low budget coming of age comedy drama revolves around two teenage brothers with distinctively different personalities, who decide to attend a party while their mother is away. Things don’t go to plan as they find themselves in a series of slippery situations and learning some important life lessons.

The film, which recently had a streaming site premiere on Netflix, doesn’t really have anything new to offer and largely rides on a paper thin plot. It borrows elements of much better Hollywood movies, which have implemented the same story troupe. Unlike many of those movies, which have often had outrageous jokes, Friday Night Plan largely plays it safe with the various misadventures and conversations the protagonists find themselves in. While this gives it a uniqueness, the movie isn’t able to capitalise on that fully and kind of just drifts along without any major surprises. What keeps you engaged is the decent performances from the two leads, including late actor Irrfan Khan’s son Babil Khan, who is outstanding in the lead role. Unlike most Bollywood films where the teenager is played by someone who obviously looks much older, the two young protagonists suit their characters and bring a realness to them.

The supporting cast of unknown names also deliver impactful efforts in their respective roles. Unfortunately, debutante director Vatsal Neelakantan is out of his depth and is unable to elevate the formulaic film to a higher level. What remains is a comedy-drama that attempts to punch above its weight but is unable to rise above the average.