The cinematic landscape could truly benefit from having more directors like Nida Manzoor. We don’t often witness the immediate birth of such a promising young voice that emerges with little fanfare, but immediately is established as an essential talent that will define their generation of visual storytellers. In her feature directorial debut, after a few years of well-received television work, the director has chosen to make Polite Society, which makes it clear from its very first frames that it will be a special work, albeit one that does require a certain level of suspension of disbelief, if only to prove the value of a more off-the-wall style of filmmaking. A story focused on the interactions between a young woman having to choose between the traditions that come with her mixed Pakistani-British upbringing, or her own ambitions that go actively against the ambitions her parents held for her, the film is a fantastic and layered comedy with a satirical edge and a lot of heartfelt humour, the likes of which can sometimes feel quite divisive, but at the very least still possess a level of honesty and joyfulness that will be a delight to even the most cynical of viewers, who will likely find some value in even the most absurd of scenarios, of which there are countless scattered throughout this film. Hilarious and irreverent, but fully in touch with every emotion that should drive any film that purports to be this bold, Polite Society is an exceptionally charming and always very compelling project that shines a light on a truly promising young filmmaker, who captures our attention almost immediately, and makes it clear that she is someone whose career we are going to relish in watching in great detail, especially since there is so much potential embedded in this film, which may sometimes be slightly rough around the edges, but has a subversive quality that proves the merit in giving a voice to those who did not previously have the opportunity to tell such stories, which is a thrilling conversation all on its own.

In many ways, Polite Society feels like a film we have seen many times before – not necessarily in the specific story, but rather in how this is essentially a film derived from piecing together fragments of prior works, whether directly influenced by early films and television shows, or paying tribute to entire genres. Manzoor has a very specific manner of storytelling, and through the process of making this film, she puts together a comedy with many ambitious ideas embedded within it, primarily in the form of it being an action film that acts as a tribute to a number of genres within it – martial arts, Bollywood and the heist thriller are all major inspirations behind this film, and while some may think that Polite Society is slightly too overstuffed with thematic and visual references, it all works spectacularly well in context, with Manzoor’s direction being sharp, precise and always wickedly entertaining, which is all we should expect from a film such as this, which never aimed to be more than it appeared to be at a cursory glance. However, it is not entirely one-dimensional, and it soon becomes clear that this is a film with a lot of hidden complexity, a lot of which is embedded deep within the conventions, which is where the director places many of the most intriguing ideas. The filmmaking itself is objectively remarkable, but it’s the details that occur alongside it that feel so enthralling. Manzoor works closely with her team to bring this film to life, and we find ourselves engaged from its opening moments, where we are immediately taken by the wonderful style – the simple but evocative cinematography that captures every nuance of Manzoor’s exceptional screenplay (which is bursting with a wit that we may not expect based on a surface-level analysis), the rapid-fire editing keeps everything moving along at a steady pace, and the stunt work is incredible. There is always something so enthralling about seeing a film that forms itself around testing the limits of the human body, and while it may not be the most revolutionary in this regard, Polite Society does manage to be a lot more captivating than we may initially expect, which proves the power of the collective effort that went into this film.

Manzoor has a fantastic eye for detail, but we cannot pretend like she was entirely original in the construction of this story – however, the film never claims to be bespoke in its vision or intention, but rather the accumulation of many years of similar stories, just told from a different perspective. This is where the conversation becomes slightly deeper and more interesting, since there is something far more complex about the director’s intentions in telling this story. Representation is a vital issue in contemporary art, and while we usually tend to think of this subject as being restricted to works that are explicitly about the struggle those within a community face, whether in the past or present. However, inclusion doesn’t always mean telling the sombre and sobering stories, but also being given the opportunity to have a place at the table when it comes to the broader genres and subjects, which is exactly what Manzoor was doing with Polite Society, a film built on the very concept of subversion. There have been many films in the past that tread similar territory and are just as entertaining, but having a director who is a woman of colour at the helm allows for a further level of authenticity, especially considering the story being told. Manzoor’s presence brings a sense of genuine detail to the film, since she offers insights into her own culture, the influence of which is scattered liberally throughout this film, and which exists almost entirely to be a foundation on which the story can be built, which is as good a reason as any, and something that adds depth to an already complex film. Yet, the great marvel of Polite Society is that it never once feels overstuffed or unnecessarily convoluted, with Manzoor’s approach to the film – both visually and thematically – showing a director firmly in command of her craft, enough to take some bold risks, secure in the knowledge that it will make sense once the audience is able to grasp onto the film’s wavelength. It can arguably be predictable in some parts (although there is a level of surprise that is quite unexpected), but it all feels very much aligned with a deeply sincere style of storytelling, which likely comes about through the very deep personal connection the director had with this story, which draws on a lot of her own experiences, culturally and in terms of the kinds of stories she appreciated, but very rarely was able to see herself reflected in, Polite Society filling a gap and contributing to the overall rise in inclusive cinema.

One of the more surprising elements that we find throughout Polite Society is that the performances are almost uniformly excellent, quite a rare occurrence for a genre that doesn’t always offer the most complex characterization, and usually prioritizes actors who are physically capable rather than particularly strong in terms of the more dramatic elements. To be fair, there is a version of this film that has a similar trajectory, and it would still be relatively entertaining, but the aspect that really elevates it is the fact that both of the leads are beyond charismatic, and plays their roles with so much dedication and pathos, it’s bewildering to imagine that anyone could see this and not be thoroughly engaged with the material. Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya are not particularly well-known, but both have done a solid amount of work, the latter in particular being marginally recognizable. However, this film pushes them to the point where this can be considered star-making performances, which is thoroughly earned, since both of them do exceptional and complex work, perhaps more than was ever required. The triangulation between the three main qualities needed to play these roles is easily conquered – they’re hilarious and handle the comedy extremely well, while not neglecting the more dramatic aspects that ground the film, and naturally they take on the physical components of the role without any hesitation. Interestingly, this film uses the actors’ physical prowess not only in the fight scenes, but also in other areas, such as a gorgeous dance scene that occurs towards the climactic moments, in which Kansara only further proves that she is the very definition of a star. A special mention has to be given to Nimra Bucha, who plays the film’s main antagonist – and not only is she absolutely brilliant, using every moment she is on the screen to her advantage, but she also contributes to the revolutionary spirit of this film – very rarely do older women of colour get to play such deliciously deceptive, deeply unsettling villains, where they are simply allowed to be evil for the sake of their own desire, rather than being wronged by society or having some justification. The unapologetic nature of the film extends to the actors, who help make Polite Society such a wonderful spectacle.

One of the more important realizations we have to make when considering directorial debuts is that it is entirely impossible that every filmmaker will start their career with an earth-shattering, revolutionary masterpiece, and for every enormous success that changes the way we view cinema, there are those that are simply following conventions in a simple but effective way. Polite Society is squarely in the middle of the two extremes, which seems to be an appropriate place for it to exist, at least logically. More than anything else, this is a film that primarily exists to be entertaining, offering a much-needed dose of escapism when it is most valuable, which is not something that many of us may necessarily expect, but which this film makes sure we are well aware of beforehand. It never overstays its welcome – it is an economical 100 minutes, with each moment being meaningful and enjoyable, and where there are very few instances where it resounds as anything less than authentic, which is quite an achievement for a debut. In fact, the film doesn’t feel like it is Manzoor’s first outing behind the camera in terms of scope – it feels as if it was directed by a seasoned professional, someone in full command of her grasp, and where this kind of fluid direction flows freely and without any sense of hesitation on her part. It only proves the theory that experience, while beneficial, is not always necessary, and that some of the finest works are sometimes derived from unexpected sources, which is always a pleasant surprise – the hypothesis being that when one believes enough in the material, as well as finding a personal connection in some way, the process of bringing such a story to life becomes almost effortless. Charming, compelling and always on the cutting edge of what makes for a truly brilliant film, Polite Society is an absolute delight, and one of the year’s most enjoyable diversions.