What Am I Doing Here? (2013) User Reviews (3)

An artist's greatest nightmare (warning: spoilers)

[tashfeenmahmud · 9/10 · 20 December 2013]

This is a beautiful, heartfelt film that deserves more attention. I had the good fortune of watching it at UBC earlier this year and it stood out for me because of the daring of its subject matter, Wahid's acting, and a lovely soundtrack.

The lead character, also called Wahid, is a Bangladeshi student who leaves his family to pursue a film degree in the West. His dream of becoming a filmmaker is a ticking time bomb - his mother is ill and his relationship with his wife is strained. The scenes where Wahid communicates with his family over Skype are poignant and underline the two very different realities this very likable character is caught between. To top it off, he's not doing great at school either.

By the end of the film Wahid has flunked an assignment, his relationship with his wife has deteriorated further, and his mother has passed away. Our hero finally heeds his wife's caustic advice and starts to run in an effort to ward off heart disease, before he breaks down crying. It's a beautiful, but heartbreaking scene.

This is the kind of film that grows on you. You enjoy it when you first see it, then you grow to love it as it becomes part of your nostalgia. You end up wondering what happens beyond the film, and how Wahid is doing these days - the real Wahid, as well as the fictional one.

The central theme of an artist pursuing his dream at the expense of his loved ones is no doubt autobiographical, and represents any artist's worst nightmare. Seldom has it been portrayed with such brutal honesty in film. Hats off to a very brave artist, and a fine actor - a solid 9 out of 10 stars. May his worst nightmare never come to pass.

Amazing Short!

[blissismyname · 10/10 · 18 December 2013]

I had the chance to see this some time ago, and man did it hit home on so many levels! It tells the story of a young man who left his home in the East to chase his dream as a writer in the Western world. It talks about dreams, the creative and technical process of writing a story, love, family, tradition, sacrifice, and the American dream. What I love about this little film is that it doesn't fall into the many clichés that these "inspirational" stories tend to fall into. It's a very original story, and I could feel the film makers unique voice guiding us through. It just felt so real and refreshing. It's also smart, moving and surprisingly very funny. The way the humour is used to denote truth and irony makes this story even more so universal.

I couldn't help but cheer for this guy. I could easily identify with Wahid and his struggle, and personally, I think everyone who saw this film with me felt the same way. Wahid Ibn Reza, the director, writer and star of the film just makes a home run of a debut with this. The guy is clearly multi talented! The main character's name is Wahid, just as the film maker himself. I can't help but wonder if this little story is autobiographical in any way. I think it is, and for that matter, I think that's why it works so well.

Like great art, the piece itself is supposed to be personal to the artist in order to make that connection with the audience. Wahid did exactly that! The performance itself is great. He doesn't have any dialogue throughout the film, yet Wahid manages to communicate so much. It's a beautiful performance. Speaking of great performances, Lisa Parvin is amazing! She is such a force! Both headstrong and hilarious, Lisa was perfectly cast for her role, and just steals the scenes that she is in.

I believe that the title of the film "What Am I Doing Here?" is the question that this character is asking himself. He is so far away from home, trying to make it big, trying to adapt to a foreign culture. His family doesn't quite understand why he left, and that makes Wahid confused, juggling both his dream and his roots. I can't wait to see more from this guy - whether he's directing, writing or acting.

If you have a chance to see this short film, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. As for Wahid, keep an eye out for this one, because we're gonna hear and see more from him pretty soon.

Quick, yet strong punch! Thumbs Up

[javedkaisar-37-138610 · 10/10 · 22 December 2014]

First of all, I am one of those luckiest men who had a chance of watching this film at the earliest of chances.

The very title of the film "What Am I Doing Here?" was intriguing enough to try this short film. Now, I am not a big fan of short film. The main reason - it seems, a short film often fails to disseminate the intended message within the stipulated time. Often I had this feeling - I had my lunch and I had this empty stomach rumbling with no clue what I ate!

Unlike my previous 'lunch', I could remember my menu and every bit of taste with this one. I was amazed, moved and sympathetic. The central character stays far away from his home, trying to reach for the big catchment; a dream of becoming a successful writer in the world he is trying to fit in. As the story developed, I was feeling a sensible of tug of war between his long cherished dream and his deeply rooted emotions; emotions even he knew not.

Just to conclude in one sentence - if you are a thinker, this short film will confront your viewpoint of close relations, aspiration, surrounding and the ultimate upshot.

Take a bow Mr. Wahid Ibn Reza! You made me laugh, you made me cry. Not too many could do that to me; know it man. Looking forward to seeing you pretty soon….