Ranjith Sankar is perhaps one of the most promising filmmakers of modern Malayalam cinema. Yet this romantic drama is his weakest.
Malini (Anu Sithara) is a young homemaker who is married to Elvis (Joju George), a philandering, alcoholic filmmaker who is almost bankrupt. One day, together with their family friends, Malini, Elvis and their daughter drive to a resort in Vagamon to spend some quality time. There she meets Raman (Kunchacko Boban), the pseudo-intellectual owner of the resort. It is Raman who gives Malini the strength to try new experiences, especially as a method to add happiness to her otherwise slavish life. Things go for a toss when both Raman and Malini get enchanted with each other...
The story is something that a four-year old can guess, yet the makers portray it as something philosophical. Philosophy and toothless, pretentious wisdom is primarily what Raman's character is woven with, which apparently has a certain impact on Malini's life and motivates her to take control of her life. The dash of romance in the middle is cringe-worthy, which makes the film annoying from the first sequence itself.
The only natural thing about the film is the resort (Vagamon Heights); rest everything is contrived and forced. Like the parts where Malini is left alone so that she can bond with Raman. How convenient! There are some cool conversations here, but other than that nothing much entertains in this film that primarily preaches the importance of self-centered hedonism and attributes it to natural causes.
Sankar's writing is below par, compared to his other recent screenplays. The sequences do not gel well with each other, nor do the subplots. Aju Varghese plays a character so shoddy that he wreaks havoc with the whole flow, even though it was already crooked. Viewers are going to be reminded of Bash Mohammed's 2015 film, "Lukka Chuppi" where couples meet up, exchange wits, and go back with hard truths about their own matrimonial lives in their hands. While that one was logical enough to be considered as one of the best of that year, Ramante Edenthottam does not even touch the sensible path.
Why is Raman attracted to Malini? Is it because she shares her name with someone who was close to him? Malini is vulnerable because of her patchy married life, but why does she change her stance all the time? The film pillars on these unanswered questions, ultimately giving its viewers naught.
The only real character here is that of Elvis, played wonderfully by George. This may be the story of every other household where verbal abuse is omnipresent and physical one just around the corner, thanks to the patriarchal attitude. Both Raman and Malini are faulty characters, not because they are brutally original, but because they are written shoddily. Boban is slightly annoying, thanks to his character. Sithara puts on an average show, and I'm personally not a fan. Both Pisharody and Varghese fail at comedy, resting the film on the secret love affair between the central characters.
Other than the exotic location, the song "Kavitha Ezhutthunnu", and George's performance, there is nothing worthy in this film. It starts and ends up as a huge disappointment, especially coming from talented people like Sankar and Boban.
BOTTOM LINE: Ranjith Sankar's "Ramante Edenthottam" has a very nice and appealing title, none of which can be found in the content. A huge disappointment.
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
Malini (Anu Sithara) is a young homemaker who is married to Elvis (Joju George), a philandering, alcoholic filmmaker who is almost bankrupt. One day, together with their family friends, Malini, Elvis and their daughter drive to a resort in Vagamon to spend some quality time. There she meets Raman (Kunchacko Boban), the pseudo-intellectual owner of the resort. It is Raman who gives Malini the strength to try new experiences, especially as a method to add happiness to her otherwise slavish life. Things go for a toss when both Raman and Malini get enchanted with each other...
The story is something that a four-year old can guess, yet the makers portray it as something philosophical. Philosophy and toothless, pretentious wisdom is primarily what Raman's character is woven with, which apparently has a certain impact on Malini's life and motivates her to take control of her life. The dash of romance in the middle is cringe-worthy, which makes the film annoying from the first sequence itself.
The only natural thing about the film is the resort (Vagamon Heights); rest everything is contrived and forced. Like the parts where Malini is left alone so that she can bond with Raman. How convenient! There are some cool conversations here, but other than that nothing much entertains in this film that primarily preaches the importance of self-centered hedonism and attributes it to natural causes.
Sankar's writing is below par, compared to his other recent screenplays. The sequences do not gel well with each other, nor do the subplots. Aju Varghese plays a character so shoddy that he wreaks havoc with the whole flow, even though it was already crooked. Viewers are going to be reminded of Bash Mohammed's 2015 film, "Lukka Chuppi" where couples meet up, exchange wits, and go back with hard truths about their own matrimonial lives in their hands. While that one was logical enough to be considered as one of the best of that year, Ramante Edenthottam does not even touch the sensible path.
Why is Raman attracted to Malini? Is it because she shares her name with someone who was close to him? Malini is vulnerable because of her patchy married life, but why does she change her stance all the time? The film pillars on these unanswered questions, ultimately giving its viewers naught.
The only real character here is that of Elvis, played wonderfully by George. This may be the story of every other household where verbal abuse is omnipresent and physical one just around the corner, thanks to the patriarchal attitude. Both Raman and Malini are faulty characters, not because they are brutally original, but because they are written shoddily. Boban is slightly annoying, thanks to his character. Sithara puts on an average show, and I'm personally not a fan. Both Pisharody and Varghese fail at comedy, resting the film on the secret love affair between the central characters.
Other than the exotic location, the song "Kavitha Ezhutthunnu", and George's performance, there is nothing worthy in this film. It starts and ends up as a huge disappointment, especially coming from talented people like Sankar and Boban.
BOTTOM LINE: Ranjith Sankar's "Ramante Edenthottam" has a very nice and appealing title, none of which can be found in the content. A huge disappointment.
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES