Stolen is a movie I heard about in passing. I heard that it was very good from someone whose opinion I trust but I didn’t know much more about it other than that it was inspired by real events.
In hindsight, it was good that I didn’t know much because I definitely didn’t know where the story was going and it hit me more than I expected. The reason I’m writing a GCReacts rather than a review is because it would be so easy to say too much and I think it’s just one of those movies that’s just best digested when watched. However, I did still want to shine a light on it to get it on your radar if it wasn’t before.
Stolen is a very low-budget first film by director Karan Tejpal, who was so disturbed by a real-life incident that he felt compelled to make a film around those events. The filmmakers considered making the film a one-taker but did not end up going with that idea in the end. However, the bones of that are still visible in many very long and immersives takes.
The themes of the film are both complex and in some aspects, very localized to rural India. You feel the lower budget of the film, but in all the good ways where they are doing a lot with very little and letting the great acting and writing carry the film. You will be hard-pressed to not be immersed in the journey the film takes you on. The twists and turns keep you on your toes while making you question who you should root for until the end.
Since I don’t want to delve too much into the movie, here are some acclaim that the film has received thus far:
- Venice Film Festival 2023
- Won Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Cinematography at the Beijing Film Festival 2024
- Best Asian Independent Drama at the Zurich Film Festival
This film doesn’t have enough audience scores to even have a Popcornmeter score. You have the opportunity to help get this underrated film some views!
GCReaction
It might not blow you away in every aspect, but the poignant performances of the actors along with the compelling story made this is an excellent watch for me. It’s a quick watch that I doubt you will regret. On top of that, there is some great filmmaking at work here. With the amount of expensive uninspired films out there, it feels good to give attention to the films doing the most with little resources. Don’t look anything up and watch it!
