‘Four Samosas’ Review: Comic Caper in LA’s Little India Goes Heavy on the Twee

The cultural specificity of its Artesia setting notwithstanding, this self-aware indie never delivers on either characters or comedy

Four Samosas
IFC Films

There are some cinematic affectations that immediately let you know what kind of movie you’re getting into. A wide aspect ratio might prep viewers for sweeping, grandiose visuals; black-and-white coloring tends to invoke pretension. Such choices must be made judiciously, so as not to disrupt or overwhelm the film.

“Four Samosas,” the second feature directed and written by the actor Ravi Kapoor (“Miss India America”), is presented in a square aspect ratio with rounded corners. A warm tint washes over each frame. When text appears on screen, it is bright yellow, the font Cooper Black. This film seems destined to be gratingly twee.

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