Lovely movie review: Stellar visuals can't save Dileesh Karunakaran and Mathew Thomas' thinly written 3D fantasy

Lovely movie review: A movie about a housefly and a human being who establish communication and eventually share an adorable bond. As soon as one hears this logline, it's almost impossible not to assume that we're talking about director SS Rajamouli's blockbuster Telugu fantasy actioner Eega (2012). But no, this actually forms the crux of director Dileesh Karunakaran's (formerly known as Dileesh Nair) 3D fantasy film Lovely, with Mathew Thomas in the lead.
Unlike Eega, which blended action and romance too — featuring the male protagonist (Nani) reincarnated as a housefly to avenge his death and protect his lover (Samantha) from the villain (Kiccha Sudeepa) — Lovely is envisioned as a feel-good drama. While the Eega (fly) in the Rajamouli directorial was, in essence, a human being at heart, Lovely is, as Mathew Thomas mentioned during one of his interviews, 'a cute, next-door kind of (actual) housefly'. However, even though the movie is conceived as a feel-good story, does it actually leave the audience feeling good after watching it? Yep, that's the question.
Soon after joining the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) as an LD Clerk through compassionate appointment, following the death of his father while in service, Bonny Baby (Mathew) finds himself embroiled in controversy after he mistakenly offers a packet of condoms to a female stranger. He is soon booked under Section 354 and remanded to judicial custody, after which he is lodged in the sub-jail. During his heartbroken days there, Bonny meets a fly, and to the shock of both, he can understand what she's saying. Though sceptical at first, Bonny gradually grows emotionally attached to the fun-loving, bubbly fly, whom he names Lovely — his only solace in the loneliness of prison. While his family works from the outside to secure his bail, Bonny and Lovely become close friends, and she even reveals why she has never attempted to leave the jail and live in the outside world. However, Bonny is eventually released on bail, severing their bond and leaving him devastated. Will they find their way back to each other? That forms the remainder of the story.
Lovely is, simply put, one of those films where nearly every member of the technical crew has done an excellent job, but their efforts are ultimately wasted due to subpar writing. While Dileesh is also credited as the writer of Lovely, it's hard not to question why he's listed in that role for a film where the writing feels almost nonexistent. Or was it the makers' way of emphasising that no one but him was responsible for this wafer-thin narrative, where a string of pointless scenes are stitched together in the editing room despite them clearly lacking any cohesive flow? What's unfortunate is that, regardless of the efforts of others, not a single moment in Lovely stands out for its writing, and the contrived dialogues only make matters worse.
From the very beginning, we're presented with scenes that not only fail to gel with one another but also make no effort to engage viewers or draw them into the story or its characters. The film even fails to make us care about Bonny, which prevents any emotional investment in him, his dreams of migrating to a 'top-tier' country like Canada or his reality of taking up a government job here out of necessity. Even when he lands in trouble, the lack of emotional depth and the poor character development leave the audience detached, wondering why we should care at all.
Even after the arrival of Lovely and with a zillion possibilities to elevate the script, Dileesh delivers only silly, outdated and painfully undercooked scenes, one after the other. In fact, this also makes us question how and why Bonny and Lovely became so close in the first place. Not only are their conversations too plain, but beyond the initial 'wow' factor that he could have felt while meeting a talking fly, the film offers nothing meaningful to justify Bonny finding a best friend in Lovely.
From lectures on arapaima fish, Canada, and the characteristics of houseflies to the age-old 'Gandhi also went to prison' joke, random characters appearing out of nowhere, and already established ones being completely neglected, the script only worsens as the movie progresses. As if hammering the final nail into the script's coffin, Dileesh even includes a sickening sequence towards the end in which Bonny contemplates molesting the woman who filed the complaint against him, just so he can return to jail and meet the housefly again.
Although Dileesh's vision as a director — a role he returns to after over a decade since Tamaar Padaar (2014) — isn't quite as poor as his writing, he makes a significant misstep right at the beginning that severely detracts from the viewing experience. Instead of leaving the events open to interpretation as fantasy, the film opens with an unnecessary disclaimer, 'you are about to enter someone else's dream,' and this gratuitous explanation nips any sense of intrigue in the bud. As the film unfolds, even though whimsical, fantastical and dreamy sequences like the song 'Bubble Poomottukal' showcase flashes of his imaginative vision, the execution of the more mundane and dramatic moments falls miserably flat, undermining the entire narrative.
If there's anything as clueless and misguided as Dileesh's writing, it's Mathew's performance. His portrayal of Bonny's lost-in-thought, dissociative moments makes one wonder whether he was attempting something unconventional that backfired or if he simply chose not to act. Even during his supposedly 'adorable' chats with Lovely, his performance feels stiff and artificial. The rest of the cast fares no better, with none of the performances standing out. Nonetheless, Sivaangi Krishnakumar's voice acting for the fly is commendable, even though the dialogues are weak.
Despite the film's innumerable narrative flaws, the technical crew deserves immense credit for their exceptional work. Director Aashiq Abu, as a cinematographer, delivers outstanding and jaw-dropping visuals. Equally impressive is CGI director Aneesh Kutti's work and Kiran Das' editing elevates the visuals significantly. Not just that the fly appears believable, but the way it's integrated into the frames, making us almost sense its presence without any jarring or dizzying camera movements, is no small feat, especially for a 3D film. In fact, the makers could have easily made Lovely a 2D film and it would still have offered the same visual experience, thanks to the strength of the technical craftsmanship. Vishnu Vijay and Bijibal's music is also good, but unfortunately, it isn't enough to compensate for the film's narrative shortcomings.
Lovely movie cast: Mathew Thomas, Manoj K Jayan, Aswathy Manoharan
Lovely movie director: Dileesh Karunakaran
Lovely movie rating: 1.5 star
Anandu Suresh is a Senior sub-editor at Indian Express Online. He specialises in Malayalam cinema, but doesn't limit himself to it and explores various aspects of the art form. He also pens a column titled Cinema Anatomy, where he delves extensively into the diverse layers and dimensions of cinema, aiming to uncover deeper meanings and foster continuous discourse. Anandu previously worked with The New Indian Express' news desk in Hyderabad, Telangana. You can follow him on Twitter @anandu_suresh_ and write (or send movie recommendations) to him at anandu.suresh@indianexpress.com. ... Read More

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