The first thing you should know about7 Daysis that, yes, it is yet another romantic comedy about the first days when the public became aware of COVID and entered into the uncertainty of lockdown. After more than two years of living this in reality, such a premise carries with it a whole lot of baggage and previous attempts at tackling such material have been met with generally mixed results. Be it in the gimmickyLocked Downor the more seriousTogether, these films have ranged from being hollow to passable without leaving much of an impression. This makes it all the more of a delight to see how7 Daysis able to largely succeed where others before it have failed at making the most of their initial premise. This is because directorRoshan Sethi, in a strong debut film, works within the confines of the story without being defined by them. Even as it eventually loses steam on the way towards a rushed conclusion, the film’s prevailing charm and characters shine through such struggles.
The story, written by Sethi and co-writerKaran Soni, follows two young people who end up accidentally going on the longest first date of all time set up by their traditional Indian parents. There is Rita, played byGeraldine Viswanathanwith a sharp wit mixed with a deep vulnerability, who is independent while still struggling with her own sense of direction. Then there is Ravi, played by Soni himself with great comedic timing built around self-deprecation, who is more repressed yet resolute in checking off all the boxes to ensure that his future life is a happy one. On their first pre-arranged meetup things don’t go quite as planned and start off quite awkwardly though the two begin to warm to each other. If you are at all familiar with the work of theDuplass Brothers, who are executive producers on the film, then you’ll know how this type of playfully meandering yet melancholic story goes. However, there is an added layer of reflection built around wanting to make sure we do right by our parents without losing our sense of self that hits quite deep while still being consistently chuckle-worthy.
Said chuckles start right out of the gate as we observe how Ravi planned to take Rita on a romantic picnic by the water based on the images he saw online. As it turns out, he should have done a whole lot more research into where they met up for their first date. Due to this lack of preparation, the duo ends up sitting in a desolate reservoir on the dirt and attempting to make small talk. This is then interrupted when both their phones light up with a whole host of push notifications informing them that everything is shutting down. All the bells and dings punctuate the shift into what is the main thrust of the plot which is that the two will have to both stay at Rita’s home together for at least the next several days. The direction is all about framing the same setting in new ways, becoming tactile in making the familiar feel fresh from different angles. It conveys a sense of scale and visual storytelling that elevates the material.
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The film, which rightfully won anIndependent Spirit Awardfor Best First Feature, finds its humor in uncovering the pitfalls and pressures both characters are facing to be happy. This first is introduced when they both talk to their parents about the date on the phone mere feet from each other. Funny yet simultaneously enlightening, they must convince their parents that it went well, even as it didn’t, and keep up appearances that they are both being good kids. For Rita, she must go on all these cringy dates in order to keep in her mother’s good graces or risk losing her housing which is the one place she feels she can actually be herself. For Ravi, he is fearful of a potential future defined by the loneliness that often manifests as profound anxiety. The film becomes about the process of how the two characters learn more about each other while also sharing more of their genuine self than they have with anyone. Rita in particular has secrets that, while mostly kept at the margins, still reveal some of her own insecurities that she has done her best to keep from those around her as long as she can.
It is in this simple yet sweet story where both Soni and Viswanathan show how they are more than capable of acting with the range required to hit a range of emotional beats. Comedic performances are underrated for how challenging they can be and that is even more so when it requires actors to seamlessly shift into the more dramatic moments. This is made all the more praiseworthy when considering how the film completely relies on the charisma of the leads to carry the story. Save for some phone calls sprinkled throughout, there is no one else that is really present in the film beyond Ravi and Rita. As the film delves deeper into their respective flaws and fears, you become completely won over by both of these people. You care about them and their struggles. It is both an honest and heartfelt portrait of their respective struggles, making both feel abundantly real. They both make plenty of mistakes and the film doesn’t shy away from them, creating a slice of life story that finds beauty in the everyday lives of two people caught up in an unexpected catastrophe.
Further realism is found in the way the film addresses the pandemic, becoming almost tragically poetic in how it keeps it an arm’s length of online updates and uncertainty until it all comes rushing in. The claustrophobia and isolation of the primary location of the home, likely done for budgetary reasons, are used to the film’s advantage. It proves that necessity can indeed be the mother of invention as the film finds joy and sorrow in unexpected places. There is still an unfortunate feeling that the ending becomes a bit rushed when juxtaposed against more of the delicate and patient way the early parts of the film had been handled. In particular, Rita is somewhat sidelined in a way that is sufficiently explained in regards to the plot but still contributes to emotional disconnection when it needn’t have. It holds the film back from being great even as it is still quite good. Thankfully, it fills in some of what is lost through interviews with real couples about how they met that bookend the film. This ensures that the film’s fleeting flaws can be forgiven, leaving a largely light yet loving look at its characters that creatively transcends any constraints of its premise.
