Film Review: Picture This

This romance drama based on Australian film ‘Five Blind Dates’ dropped recently on Amazon Prime Video, with ‘Bridgerton’ favourite Simone Ashley playing the lead in the British Indian tale.

Pia (Ashley) is determined not to give up on her passion of portrait photography in a world of smartphones and quick clicks. With the help of her gay bestie Jay (Fetherston), the duo has been beating the odds of mounting unpaid bills to keep their quaint little photo studio running in London’s Hackney.

With her younger sister Sonal (Chadha) ready to get hitched to the love of her life, Pia is forced to confront many of her life choices that have taken her away from her small-town family home and childhood love Charlie (Tiffin) – the best man of the groom at the big fat British Indian wedding.

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As the single older sister of the bride and with mum Laxmi (Vee) resorting to divine intervention in the form of rotund priest Fugga (Ghir), the struggling photographer soon finds herself agreeing to five blind dates in the hope of meeting a partner to change the course of her life.

Will any of the dates her family have lined up for her prove to be the one or will their history draw Charlie and Pia together towards the wedding altar?

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This flimsy love story could have been so much more given some heart-warming performances by its leads. However, their lukewarm chemistry and an uninspiring script packed with cheesy lines end up creating a less-than-appetising mashup. Gone are the days when a colourful desi wedding, complete with glittering outfits and song and dance numbers, could overcome the lack of a proper plot.

The result is that despite all its best intentions and some beautifully shot scenes of London, ‘Picture This’ will leave audiences quite underwhelmed.