sesht
Veteran director Sathyan Anthikkad's attempt at being one more up on actress Manju Warrier's hot comeback trail is effective, while being lightweight, in spite of skirting over many themes that could have taken this into heavy, dark territory. Now, as to whether that is an (actually, many) opportunity lost, or a director firmly in grasp of his medium, ensuring he covers everything with a deft/light touch, is something I am unable to make my mind up on. And that's not a bad thing, because I do remember being entertained for most of its running time, and is that not what most audiences, as well as film- makers want?For one whose life is not littered with achievements (character- wise, in this one), Mohanlal has to be playing one of the most self- assured characters ever rendered on the screen. A person who's egotistic to the point of being more than just narcissistic, who lives his own life by a few simple pointers he has laid out for himself, his character doesn't have an arc, as in a redemptive one, that makers are usually prone to inflict on mainstream, as well as Indie audiences, though, to be fair, that chances of that happening in an Indie production are less. He simply does not change, and is unapologetic about whatever he does, not even being PC when it has to do with treating those he considers as beneath himself, or lesser in stature than him. There are always 2 ways of looking at this. One, is to laud those behind the scenes in not compromising on bringing realistic characters to the screen, no matter how they might be perceived, or two, to be extremely critical of the makers for perpetrating stereotypes. I've found myself on both sides of the fence on this issue, and firmly believe that movies that make one think, instead of being a statement-of-fact make us belong to one or the other camps. On this one, in spite of its many mis-steps, which I will come to in a bit, I believe the makers were well-aware of what they were showcasing, and did so unapologetically.Manju Warrier looks better than she did in 'How old are you', and it seems like she's firmly on the road to get in as much good work as possible, considering the time she has lost in the industry. Not a bad thing. Between this and her earlier work post-comeback, this is more accessible, and more mature, and has fewer mis-steps than the previous one did. She also gets a chance to meta-refer her life, keeping the identity of her ex outta the frame for the running time.Mohanlal, on the other hand, has done a lot of trash between his last blockbuster, 'Drishyam', and this one. This falls into the realm of a comeback of sorts for him as well, and he has a firm grasp of the character, and for all its flaws, makes it his own, and endears himself to the audience in each and every frame he's in. Her characterization though, leaves a lot to be desired, and is not well-etched, when it comes to work. Also, it does not help to have a realistic kinda case and the laughable, falling-flat-at-humor denouement doesn't help her character, and blame for that should firmly be laid elsewhere, not at her feet.In spite of the fact that the classical dance-sequences seemed shoehorned-in, they're welcome, since it's been a while since I've seen it done well ('Sagarasangamam' always comes to mind, since the ones in this have been picturized as beautifully). If they were not shoehorned-in, they might have created more impact, but I'm not complaining.The underlying humor in each sequence, especially featuring Mohanlal, seems organic enough, and evokes the needed laughter, while keeping us engaged in the lightweight plot.One of the best things in the movie is how supporting characters remain in-character throughout, without allowing certain events bring about a sea-change in them, as they're wont to, in most mainstream productions that do not require thinking minds. Also, the female lead characters, and supporting ones, are perhaps given more to do than the lead male protagonist, and are all achievers in their own right. Given that, it is a testament to Mohanlal's performance, in spite of his character not having a typical-redeeming arc, that he manages to make his character endear himself to the audience (not sure if it is just to the males in the audience though) in spite of being surrounded by giants, in terms of standing tall in life.The background score is mostly OK, with the other departments chiming in to support the narrative. 1/2 songs are also pleasant- sounding, but do interrupt the overall flow. Not complaining hard, though. The in- car driving sequences in front of projected moving horizons are unnecessary, and call attention to the low budget/visualization capabilities of the makers, and along with some shoddy production design and location-work, divert from the movie- watching experience, and could have been done better, especially in this day and age, on digital, using real-locations. Sigh.So, what makes up for everything that could've been better? The finale. It's pitch-perfect, esp. since there are quite a few things going on by then, and any kind of a logical conclusion may have juxtaposed itself in a slipshod way, the way life is wont to do, with another ongoing thread. In fact, this is one of the problems with the flick, where nothing much happens in the first half, and too much happens post-interval. However, the ending kinda caps it off in a way that left me with no complaints. All in all, a movie worth your time, effort and dough, in spite of all things that could've been written/rendered better. A lightweight, easy watch, though you might not remember it when it comes to compiling this year's best.
Tejas Nair
Sathyan Anthikad is the man. Some of his classics of the 80s and 90s are THE greatest Malayalam movies of all time and his Nadodikattu (1989) is my favorite Malayalam film of all time. Although he lost the old satiric perspective of things, he had entered the new millennium with a fair amount of average films. But his latest venture with some second-rate writers is far from appealing. It is a disaster.Starting from the beginning, Ennum Eppozhum invites trouble. At a time when people want to directly dive into the film to relax after a day's work, here we have the credits appearing like it's a presentation. After at least seven minutes, the film begins with an off-putting Mohanlal whose terrible demeanor corroborates one's doubt about his "acting completeness," if you know what I mean.Vineeth (Mohanlal) is a careless, bad-mannered, irresponsible, shameless, self-righteous, lazy quinquagenarian who works as a journalist for a family magazine. He drives a TATA Nano, you know, to suggest the people's man nonsense. Vineeth, hated by his colleagues and bosses, is assigned the task of interviewing Deepa (Warrier), a virtuous yet smug advocate, single mother, fierce yet namesake activist, Bharatanatyam dancer, and other hundred things. After Deepa became a media personage for advocating the perils of unending stream of potholes in her city, she becomes what she became in How Old Are You? (2014) - a sensation. Then everything in the plot happens for a single reason - to champion Manju Warrier as a sensation with unbeatable panache for going against all odds, thereby cramming the line between fiction and reality. The writers who intend to cash in on Warrier's unsurprising allure should understand that one is bored with stories that are relative to the actors who play the characters. The plot simply brands Warrier as a lady with superpowers. Otherwise, why else would she be characterized as a celebrated advocate a la her comeback film (2014) whose one daring, pretentious gimmick drives the whole film into becoming a chafing drama? Deepa is a lawyer, but one is hardly entertained by court proceedings or actual advocacy happening in the plot even when there were many occasions to do so. The film, which moves with a slow pace with fast-paced idiotic humor, totally loses it when Deepa is seen giving a Bharatanatyam performance during a bar association conference. Terrible!Moreover, the whole film is based on fallacy. If Vineeth wanted to interview Deepa, he should have either intimated her through his respectable magazine editors or have directly called her for an appointment. But, no, Vineeth goes on a blundering spree - frequently showcasing childish antics - to get to Deepa, making her take him as a debaucher. Why should I sympathize for such a character? His ways are ridiculous and totally unprofessional, and since the whole film is based on this one interview, one should know better what to expect in the even numbing second half. The pointer is that suddenly the characters undergo a transformation after a cliché, and voilà - a happy climax.There are at least two unnecessary characters who could have been used to depict some that seemed more important in the play, but are kept in the background. Mohanlal fumbles throughout, whose slapstick is cringe-worthy. Revisiting old films (Ayal Kadha Ezhuthukayanu [1998] & Gandhinagar 2nd Street [1986]) doesn't work either. Warrier is good, but not great. Innocent overacts to the core. Lena and Jacob Gregory were fine, but could you please go back to the first sentence of this paragraph?Ennum Eppozhum may have the basic ingredients, but there is no story long in sight. And if it had a message to convey, it is lost in the useless intricacies of drama. There's an Anthikadan attempt at humor with Renji Panicker's help, which if, I believe, was attached to the plot line with a bigger arc could have salvaged the film. The music is cranky, dialogs are bland, production design and setup are average, writing is nonsensical and the title makes bland sense.BOTTOM LINE: At best, it is a poorly made family drama that may appeal to older (45+) and younger (10-) folks. One should thank heavens it is not a love story, because sitting through 147 minutes of emptiness would already be a daunting effort. If you want to see some boxing and Bharatanatyam dancing from a journalist and a lawyer respectively, then you will relish the idea of Ennum Eppozhum. Otherwise, sit home and watch the developments of the Cricket World Cup 2015 final. 2/10 - Avoidable!Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
