American Kamasutra is an independent film from 2018 that is categorized as a drama. It was directed by Jacky St. James. Like other works, like the series Fifty Shades of Gray, it involves the complex relationship between an older gentleman and a younger lady. However, it goes beyond romance and apprehension. It also explores the fundamental conflict between an individual and the incentives of a lifestyle that is at odds with one’s values.
The story is centered on a young aspiring writer, Ashley. Ashley is passionate as well as hardworking and possesses a plethora of aspirations. However, it is only with time that her deep potential is unlocked. This potential is notable when Ashley makes the intellectual leap of meeting Elliot. Elliot is an individual possessing great wealth and is a sophisticated writer. Elliot takes a special interest in Ashley and not only in her career but also in how he can expand his domain.
The relationship between Ashley and Elliot is that of flattery and intrigue. Elliot is not simply a sophisticated gentleman, but also a man who holds great promise. Ashley’s career is also not at risk because Elliot offers her a sophisticated future. However, Ashley soon realizes that the relationship is not equal. Unlike other people, Elliot offers Ashley a unique arrangement that tests Ashley’s self-sufficiency.
With deeper involvement in the project comes the diverging internal battles that Ashley has to face head on. She attempts to mend the disconnection that exists in her own life because of Elliot’s unreasonable standards. Those who support her like family and friends begin to express their concerns about the choices she is making. The conflict within the self spirals steeply out of control. ‘Identity’ is the question of the hour. The path Elliot has set out comes Ashley’s way in the future and she shall have to decide, will she take it or does she have the courage to redefine and detach herself from the domineering soul that she has embraced?
The words of the title American Kamasutra represent the juxtaposition of one’s own self. It is American society today where the self is lost or missing and the purpose of the sutra is to reclaim it. The exploration of one’s own self is the center of the title, and more. It is also sophisticated sutras of physical and psychological self, and contemplating the self in the steps of a young woman with balancing ambitions, love and power, is a distinct perspective to possess.
Cast & Characters
There is a variety of new actors within the film’s use of cast and the higher level of enthusiasm and focus in their portrayals is admirable.
Ashley, also called Ashlynn Yennie, is the center character of the film. The pivot of the story is the journey of Ashlynn Yennie. With Elliot’s constant presence, and influence in her life, success seems more of a given rather than a possibility. The character begins as a new motivated writer, who is hopeful and very much in love with the idea of success, but is unprepared for the hurdles that Elliot brings with himself. The Ashley character is performed with a great level of relatable vulnerability and Ashlynn’s quiet strength is what makes people more able to connect with the character, for all face adversity within their set and defined boundaries of personal core values.
Eliot (Justin Berti): Eliot is an enigmatic publisher and multi-millionaire who is shrou in sophistication and composure. He is more than a character representing romance, he is also a character representing great temptation in regards to the price Ashley has to pay for her autonomy. Berti’s portrayal reinforces the split of Elliot’s charm and dominance, making him an intriguing character.
Sideline Characters: The friends and acquaintances of Ashley serve the purpose of providing equilibrium to the storyline. They act as the voices of rationality, warning and also cheering Ashley, helping her rediscover herself in Elliot’s grasp. Although these people do not have primary focus in the film, they do serve the story in the capacity of ethical centers.
Direction & Approaches
Filmmaker Jacky St. James has an interest in the mental and moral dynamics of the narrative in the film. Focusing on more than just the show, he prefers to focus on the interactions of the characters and the conversations that are present, as well as the emotional battles that Ashley has to endure. This shifts the film more into the realm of character study, as opposed to traditional romance.
Differences between Ashley’s daily life and that of Elliot’s life are strongly emphasized within the cinematography. Ashley’s home, as well as the friends she has, are depicted in warm tones and simplicity, while Elliot’s spaces are modern and polished. This reflects the decisions that Ashley has to make between charm and authenticity. The deliberate pacing in this work gives the audience time to think and reflect, while still providing elements of tension.
The score complements the emotional tone, moving from gentle tunes during the quiet moments of Ashley to more intense focus during her emotionally turbulent moments with Elliot.
Themes
Although marketed as singularly a romance drama, the film American Kamasutra delves into more complex issues that allow for more diversity in its resonance.
Ambition and Temptation
Ashley’s journey mirrors the the pesky reality of needing to chase dreams that require some degree of values to be compromised. Elliot is the essence of illicit fast-tracked promise, whereas her instincts are the driven forces towards genuine artistry.
Power and Control
The film explores the balance of power in relationships. Elliot is the dominant character and Ashley must choose to either give in or resist her power. This theme moves beyond the boundaries of romance, sparking issues of professional domination and self-determining will.
Identity and Independence
The core of self Ashley is grappling with in the mother of all tensions is the journey to self-discover. Her change hinges on the misplaced focus on why external approval is important and learns the value of self-empowerment and individuation.
Choices and Consequences
The film portrays every decision Ashley makes as consequential. Every decision she makes is either to stick with Elliot or her friends. The film leaves its viewers with the notion that every choice made is a reflection of one’s character as well as one’s profession.
Rating One and Reception Critique
With a 3.4/10 rating on IMDb, American Kamasutra seems to on judgement and scrutiny from the critic within the film industry. They focus on the film’s attempts to shape relationships constructed from the lust and power and dominion, only to criticise the tangible sidelining of originality. They remark on the film’s brilliance to the narrative and ideological depths of the relationship, and lack thereof, framing the allure of power driven connectivity on the foundations of originality.
Worthy of the film’s praise, there seemed to lack a boundary from which a viewer could criticise the disparity of Ashlynn Yennie’s character “Ashley”. While the film’s genre attempts to frame the narrative of romance and passion, there is an overwhelming depravity of fresh understanding allowed to fill the genre of passion.
Paradoxically, there is a sliver of understanding which suggests a film of this nature attracts a crowd of buffet audience, focussing on sitcoms and satires. For not its popularity, the notion of principal, ambition, and self interest is paradoxically void.
Final Statement
American Kamasutra is a film sewn together with the delicate threads of romance, drama and mental exploration, released independently. From the prospective lens of Ashlynn and Elliot, the film tries to capture the neoteric world of self belief and self dominion through a soft focus lens of ambition. The primary focus is lost within the framing of a romantic drama, for it involves the delicately tethered concepts of dreams and self values, flown in the creative head of a woman.
The film, even with the negative reception, still stands out for attempting to characterize stories within the drama’s structure. To some, it is a narrative around the themes of self-respect and independence when the course of one’s life is drastically altered.
Ultimately, the American Kamasutra is not about the glamour, but rather the journey of a young woman’ s self-discovery. It highlights the fact that while aspiration is the cornerstone of any achievement, it is the inner enlightenment coupled with self-understanding that truly carves out a person’ s lifetime journey.
Watch Free Movies on Fmoviesadult
