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Happy Journey Movie Review

We have yet another malayalam movie on cricket after the success of Abrid Shine's 1983. While 1983 is fresh and still running in theatres, Happy Journey has reached theatres and so now we have two movies running at the same time that has a sporty backdrop. So how the viewers would take it up is the big question.

Boban Samuel after the success of Janapriyan and Romans direct this film scripted by Arun Lal that has a cricket story. That's the only similarity with 1983 as Happy Journey travail through the emotions and pains of blind cricketers and Aaron our protagonist is one such person.

The film has a well executed first half that has sentiments and humour working and jelling well with the story but the narration loose its grip in the second half. But again some good performances particularly Jayasurya balance that negative factor of the post intermission session.

On a journey to Chennai, Aaron, a blind cricketer meets Siya (Aparna Gopinath) and narrate his story from childhood in a flashback mode. Aaron was a budding cricketer who was selected for the Under15 team but fate has something else for him as a road accident makes him blind and thus he can't represent the team.

Aaron with a positive attitude grows up who doesn't lose hope and now the next step on his door step is cricket for the blind. Here again he has more challenges and the focus of the movie is to show us his journey and also the blind team's journey of representing the team at the highest level and the various challenges they had to face on their way in representing the country.

On the direction side, Boban Samuel has done a decent job especially the first half of the film. A better second half execution could have made the film a better enjoying experience.

Coming to the acting side, Jayasurya as Aaron is the life of the film with a simple acting style without going overboard and he literally fills the gap where the movie lags and falls. Lal as the blind cricket team's coach was convincing in his role while Balu Varghese (Honey Bee fame) as Aaron's best buddy evoked laughter with his Kochi style accent. Lena as Aaron's mother was also able to make a mark with her role, a brief one but good one. The two leading ladies in the film Aparna Gopinath and Srindha Ashab didn't have a major screen presence. Lalu Alex appeared in a supporting role that was also not a character having any big impact in the film.

On to the technical side, the stand out ones are Mahesh Raj's cinematography and Gopi Sundar's music and background score.

Overall, Happy Journey is not a bad attempt but with a better second half, the journey would have been more enjoyable. I am giving two and a half for the movie and an extra quarter for the performance of Jayasurya who injects life and makes the moments livelier.

rating is 2.75 out of 5.

Highway Movie Review

Highway the new movie from Imthiaz Ali is a visually appealing and technically sound film but the narrative style is devoid of the entertainment quotient. The way the plot has been executed without any mass elements might work against the film but for people looking for not just pure mass, Highway will appeal to you and I belong to the latter category.

The direction, cinematography, sound sync from Resool Pookkutty, music by ARR, background score combined with performance that is to be appreciated, Highway scores in most areas. A road movie that offer a different sort of an experience capturing some stunning locales on the way, the film gives an altogether different mood to the viewers.

Veera, daughter of an industrialist whose marriage is just four days away, is abducted by a group. The group realising that they can't ask for a ransom considering the hold at higher level wanted to leave her but the group leader does not endorse that view. Though Veera is kidnapped, what she experience is real freedom from the clutches of city life and rest of the movie focus on the journey of abduction that ultimately result in romance and realisation of her lost freedom at home.

If it was Parineeti Chopra who was holding the limelight for her dashing performance in Hasee Tho Phasee for couple of weeks, its now the turn of Alia Bhatt who just came out with her best to literally steal the show from the rest. Randeep Hooda talked less but his expressions were more than enough to convey what was intended. Couple of actors among the abduction gang whose names I am unaware of also deserves mention here. There are not much supporting casts in the film as the narration is focused on Veera and Mahaveer's journey through the highway that moves to some exotic places.

As pointed out earlier, the technical side stands out to make Highway a smooth riding experience without too much of rough ride and Imthias Ali has tried out a different genre of a movie when compared to his previous works like Rockstar and Love Aaj Kal.

On the whole, Highway is not a disappointing effort but with a more fast past narrative style, the film would have been a more entertaining experience for all class of audiences.

rating is 3.5 / 5

Ninneyum Kaatu - Trailer

Happy Journey theatre list

Directed by Aaryan Krishna Menon. Starring Aparna Nair and Chinnu Kuruvilla.
Produced by Badar &Chandra under the banner Studio Blues

Teaser CmNg SooN




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