As the Toronto International Film Festival is in full swing, we got the opportunity to sit down and chat with “Shook” writer/director Amar Wala, his new film having its world premiere at TIFF this year. It’s always a pleasure to get to discuss films with filmmakers, and Wala was a pleasure to speak with. We talked about his transition from documentary filmmaking to his feature film debut, the personal aspects of story, and how it came to fruition and landed at the festival.
“Shook” tells the story of Ashish, a young late 20s novelist who is struggling to get his latest work published. Life begins to throw him loop after loop as he is still processing his parents divorce, his father is diagnosed with Parkinson’s, his mother is dating someone new, and he begins fall for a barista who may or may not be around for the long haul. All of these complicated struggles collide as Ash (Saamer Usmani) tries to make sense of it and find his path forward in his complex and uncertain life, all while trying to remain youthful and enjoy the last bit of the party life before he is forced to grow up. The film stars Usmani, Amy Forsyth, Pamela Mala Sinha, and Bernard White.
“Shook” is a charming dramedy that captures arrogance of youth in the face of adulthood looming, that time where you know everything and nothing at the same time and are newly navigating life as it throws one thing after another at you. As we discuss in the interview, “Shook” – and Ash for that matter – is never defined by one issue at a time. His father’s Parkinson’s is one of many things he needs to recon with, and Wala is careful to make sure that, much like life itself, it comes at you fast and is very rarely singular. Usmani delivers a great lead performance, and Wala meticulously crafts the world he knows well with incredible detail, transporting you to the heart of Toronto and the suburban life that surrounds it. Even in the details, “Shook” takes a personal story and makes it universal, and stands out as the kind of film where you can relate to even if the events don’t exactly line up with your experience.
And that’s the sign of a good movie; one that has you seeing yourself in the images and bringing to life shared experiences that unite us all. There is so much to enjoy in “Shook,” a true hidden gem of a festival that is sure to have you leaving the theater with a joy that you’ve experienced something special and relatable.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
“Shook” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. You can watch my interview below.
