"Highway to Dhampus" is notable for being the first project filmed entirely in Nepal by American filmmakers. The story follows a rich British heiress named Elizabeth (Rachel Hurd-Wood) who travels to an orphanage in a remote area of the country to get her picture taken making donations and laughing with children in hopes of improving her reputation. Her photographer, Colt (Gunner Wright), sees her superficial attempt at caring for the children as a mix between disgusting and downright insulting. In the course of their adventures, they become entwined in the lives of two Nepalesian people: their pilot, Ajit (Raj Ballav Koirala), and the head of the orphanage, Laxmi (Suesha Rana).
"Dhampus" raises questions about the role of self-publicity in the contemporary world of philanthropy. Elizabeth is a clear stand-in not just for the Paris Hilton types but for all the "rich white kid" stereotypes that pervade the Internet these days. It's a worthy subject to skewer. We're more interconnected than ever before and, as such, desperate cultural and economic worlds are more visible. When someone like Elizabeth travels to another culture with earphones in and a camera-tested smile, what good is she really doing the world? And beyond the gossipy, judgmental questions of her own personal motivations, does she even understand what good there is to be done? Do we, as comfortable Western viewers, truly understand the problems that children across the world face?
And what are we going to do about it?
Unfortunately, "Dhampus" doesn't dig deep into these questions. It remains content to be a character piece, largely focused on the lives of Colt and Ajit and the two women that flow in and out of them. In fact, the resolution to the question of Elizabeth's philanthropy is wholly questionable and somewhat defeatist about the whole endeavor. Around the middle of the movie, it shifts focus onto the buddy romance between Ajit and Laxmi. While compelling, the romance feels somewhat standard for the genre. It doesn't raise as many interesting ideas as the other arc. While it provides the emotional ending of the film, somehow it feels more like a missed opportunity.
It would be remiss not to add that "Dhampus" features absurdly gorgeous cinematography. The filmmakers had a stated goal to showcase Nepal, and they succeed. I watched a screener of the film on my home television and can only imagine how much of a treat it must be to watch it on the big screen.
Ultimately, "Highway to Dhampus" aims for the sky but blinks, contenting itself with easier targets. It's still an entertaining movie with good performances and characters, but it's a film where you'll walk out wanting something a little more substantial.