Lovely Movie Review: A flying fantasy that never quite takes off
Mathew Thomas tries his best to act genuinely moved by an insect with a traumatic past. He brings loose charm in the early scenes and taps into emotional vulnerability later. But the script offers no natural progression. One moment, he is mildly amused by a talking fly; the next, he acts as if his entire life depends on it. That shift never feels organic. Supporting actors like Ganga Meera, Manoj K Jayan, Prashanth Murali, and Aswathy Manoharan show up, deliver functional performances, and vanish just as quickly. They all hover on the periphery without leaving any meaningful impression.
Technically, the film has a few strengths. Aashiq Abu's cinematography, soft-focused and warm-toned, adds a lucid, dreamlike visual palette suited to the premise. The visual effects, especially the animated fly, are clean but too sterile to feel truly integrated into the world. Considering the budget, it is a decent effort. The much-touted 3D element is a non-event, offering no real enhancement to the experience. Where Lovely utterly collapses is in its writing. The script reads like a first draft nobody bothered to polish. Scenes drag without rhythm, tonal shifts jar the experience, and the dialogue is painfully on the nose. What could have been a surreal exploration of loneliness, friendship, or even redemption reduces to juvenile banter and clunky exposition. Subplots emerge only to pad the runtime. Even those that seem promising fizzle out with no payoff.
By the time the climax arrives, Lovely has thoroughly tested your patience. Attempts at emotional catharsis feel unearned, and the supposedly feel-good ending lands more bizarre than uplifting. Even worse, a disturbing third-act choice by the protagonist is handled so offhandedly that it severs any remaining empathy for him. It is a shame. There is a bit of charm buried in the concept. But what we get is a film that mistakes quirk for substance and sentimentality for depth. In the end, Lovely is less a soaring adventure and more a clumsy crash landing.
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Eega makers issue copyright infringement notice to Lovely team
The makers of SS Rajamouli's 2012 film Eega have sent a notice to the team behind the Malayalam film Lovely, which released this May, alleging 'unauthorised use of copyrighted character. ' Lovely, directed by Dileesh Nair and featuring Mathew Thomas , features a housefly, the design of which the Telugu filmmakers claim has been stolen from their film. Lovely features a housefly by the same name who befriends a youngster who has been wrongfully imprisoned. What the notice says? In the legal notice, Eega makers allege that the housefly design is their sole property and, "Our client (the production house) holds exclusive rights to all visual, artistic, and narrative elements of the film (Eega), including the said character. Any reproduction or imitation of this character, without our client's explicit consent, constitutes copyright infringement under said law." They claim, "The central character, a reincarnated housefly, was conceived and developed through advanced VFX methodologies including macro photography, anatomical modelling and behavioural studies of real flies. These visual effects were led by professionals including RC Kamalakannan and Pete Draper of Makuta VFX, establishing the housefly as a unique and recognisable creation owned solely by our client (the production house). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo " How can one say that we can't use anything in housefly category as a character? Dileesh Nair Speaking to us, Dileesh Nair said, "How can one say that we can't use anything in the housefly category as a character? We have all the properties related to the development of this character, including the mesh. Also, Eega was released in 2012. Why would we take an outdated model? There is a big difference in quality (of the visuals of the housefly). We will respond to the notice suitably. Stating that the character announcement for the housefly was made two years back, the director adds, "They are demanding royalty from our film's revenue, but it didn't do that well theatrically. Filing a suit this close to OTT release of the film seems like a planned move to us."
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Did ‘Lovely' copy the housefly from 'Eega'? Rajamouli's team sends legal notice to the Malayalam film
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) The Mathew Thomas starrer fantasy film 'Lovely' is facing heat after being accused of copying the iconic housefly character from SS Rajamouli's cult Telugu hit 'Eega' (Makkhi in Hindi). As reported by On Manorama, the controversy erupted when the production house behind 'Eega', sent a legal notice to Lovely's team, alleging that the housefly in their film is strikingly similar to the one painstakingly created for 'Eega'. A fly too familiar? The legal notice, which was sent by Neo Juris LLP on June 17, claims that the 'Lovely' team used the housefly character without permission, violating copyright. According to them, the fly in 'Eega' wasn't just any digital bug — it was carefully crafted using advanced VFX, macro photography, and detailed studies of how real flies look and behave. The filmmakers of 'Eaga' believe that Lovely's fly borrows heavily from that design, right down to its appearance and movements. What are the makers saying? So far, the Lovely team hasn't issued a public response. But if the allegations are proven, the film could face serious consequences. Talking to the media, the 'Lovely' director claimed that the team has enough proof regarding the creation of the fly in the Mathew Thomas starrer. He also expressed his disappointment when 'Eega' production house claimed that the animated character's idea was stolen, while months were spent to create it. Actor Unnimaya Prasad's face was used to motion capture the housefly in 'Lovely', as per the director, who also said that the fly in his film is female, which contradicts the gender of the fly in the Nani starrer. Lovely - Official Teaser Streaming starts, controversy follows Interestingly, 'Lovely' began streaming on OTT on June 20, just days after the legal notice was issued. While the movie has been getting attention on OTT, this legal twist could complicate things. Reportedly, the notice asks the makers to immediately stop using or showing the character, whether it's in the film, posters, trailers, or any platform, including digital, theatrical, satellite, or DVD formats.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Producer of multilingual superhit 'Eega' issues copyright infringement notice to Malayalam movie 'Lovely'
KOCHI: The producer of the 2012 superhit multilingual movie 'Eega', directed by noted filmmaker S S Rajamouli, has issued a copyright infringement notice to the recently released Malayalam film 'Lovely' for portraying a housefly as a character. The Hyderabad-based production company Vaaraahi Chalana Chitram, in a press release here, alleged the movie 'Lovely' has reproduced, appropriated and exploited the character of a housefly 'visually' and 'narratively' identical to the housefly protagonist in its 2012 film. However, the makers of the Malayalam 3D film have denied the charges and said they will face the case 'legally'. They maintain that the film tells the story of a young dreamer who is capable of conversing with a housefly. On the other hand, the film 'Eega' is a revenge drama in which a murdered man incarnates as a housefly to protect his lover and take revenge against the antagonist.
