Friday

My review: Friday

On the lines of "Traffic" & " City of God " comes "Friday" which follows the hyperlink cinema format as its narrative structure like the other two. Written by Najeem Koya & directed by Lijin Jose , movie consists of an ensemble cast that includes Fahad Fazal, Nedumudi Venu , Manu , Ann Augustine, Tini Tom , Vijayraghavan , Nimisha Suresh & the rest. 

The movie tells the story of many unrelated people who's lives happen to meet at one converging point on a friday - 11/11/11. Fahad Fazal is a poor auto-driver who is frustrated with the fact that he doesn't have enough money to repair the roof of his house which got damaged.Nedumudi Venu comes to the city to purchase gold ornaments & clothes for his granddaughter , Nimisha Suresh's  marriage where he looses the bag containing the jewels & the money. Ann Augustine & Manu are class mates who happen to spend the day by the beach as their college is on an unscheduled holiday where they get caught by the police. 

Prakash Bare & Asha Sharath are childless couple who happen to come to the city to adopt a child from an orphanage not knowing that they are conned by the manager of the orphanage & another guy who dupes as a church father. In the city's government hospital a lady who has just delivered a baby is discharged prematurely for want of bed who is one her way home accompanied by her mother-in-law. After an eventful day where each of them undergo highs & lows , they all get into the same boat on their way home from the city & the rest is about what happens to them then.

The story is simple which told in a simpler manner that makes one like the movie instantly. It is as if one is travelling along the lives of the people portrayed. All of them are simpletons whom we come across in our day to day lives. The basic thread of humanism is what glues the stories of all of them into one. Though the story travels in a multi-linear mode the clarity with which the writer & director have gone about it leaves no confusion whatsoever in the minds of the viewers. 

Lijin Jose has done a decent job of directing this cute script of  Najeem Koya. Lijin could have been a bit  more assured and direction a bit more refined , then it would have been one of the finest movie of the year. Nonetheless the movie has heart & invokes enough amounts of passion in the viewers. 

All in the ensemble have done their parts well. Fahad is brilliant , Ann is graceful , Manu is promising while the veteran Venu is assured as ever.

Another brilliant aspect of the movie is it's cinematography. Jomon Thomas is the cinematographer & he has shown natural bounty of Allapuzha in all its glory. He has shot the climax portion well , especially the last shot of the movie is a memorable one. 

Rex Vijayan's background score is adequate , supporting the narrative to a great extent without being brilliant. Roby Abhraham's songs are passable.

On the whole, "Friday" is another brilliant movie from the young breed of  writers & technicians who are instilling fresh ideas into the Malayalam cinema. 

Bottomline: Celebration of Humanism 

3.5/5