The Miranda Brothers Movie Review : This football drama about loss and redemption misses the mark

Story: Two brothers’ quest to become football stars takes a tragic turn when their activist mother dies under suspicious circumstances. As the loss leads to a clash of values and how each deals with the tragedy, will their professional football dreams also end?

Review: Julio (Harshvardhan Rane) and Regalo Miranda (Meezaan Jaferi) are devoted to each other and share a dream of sporting glory, but their distinct personalities and values set them apart. Julio, a hot-headed young man, is entangled with a local drug gang led by Morocho (Rahul Dev), whereas Regalo is responsible, caring, and level-headed. Despite their differences, they're united by their love for each other and their mother, Susan Miranda (Manasi Joshi Roy). When her sudden, mysterious death — sparked by her courageous stand against a local minister's deforestation plans — fractures their bond, the brothers must confront whether they can reconcile, revive their dreams, or face an uncertain future.

Directed by Sanjay Gupta, the movie has a largely unfocused narrative. The overarching theme is loss and how the brothers, with polar opposite personalities, deal with it and the role football plays in their lives. However, the movie does no justice to any of these, and every aspect is merely touched upon cursorily.

Regalo, as an adopted child devoted to his elder brother and indebted to him and his mother, and Julio, as a rebel, are both bound by their love for their mum, presenting immense potential to portray each one's vulnerability in the face of tragedy. However, this potential remains unexplored, and thus, a missed opportunity.

The movie prioritises showcasing the actors' brawn and Goa's vibrant nightlife over substance. The first half is filled with song and dance routines, delaying the main conflict's introduction and consequently limiting character development and narrative arc. The film's football matches are realistically depicted, with the final tryout for the Goa Football League delivering thrilling moments that showcase the actors' athletic abilities

Harshvardhan Rane's character is one-dimensional, offering limited scope for showcasing his personality's depth. In contrast, Meezaan Jaferi's Regalo is a more nuanced character, balancing confidence and sensitivity as a rising football star. Regalo's character shines in key scenes, such as when he supports his friend Sol (Saher Bamba) through an unwanted pregnancy and responds calmly to selector Guerrera's (Naved Jaffrey) rebuke, "You're late!" after his mother's funeral, saying, “But worth the wait.” Despite his potential, Jaferi remains underutilised. Sanjay Suri delivers a decent performance as Coach Carter. Saher Bamba performs ably, and Jennifer Piccinato, as Julio's girlfriend Isabella, has a limited role.

Lacking conviction and focus, "The Miranda Brothers" squanders its promising premise through unfocused storytelling, underdeveloped characters, and prioritized glamour over substance. Ultimately, the film's unfulfilled potential leaves viewers with a lingering sense of missed opportunities and unexplored depths.