Producer : Vincent Mekkunnel
Director : K.J.Abraham Lincoln
Cast : Jagadeesh,Meera Vasudev,Jagathy etc.
Story : Suresh Krishna
Screenplay,dialogues : Kaloor Dennis
Rating : 1/5
Review by : Unni / www.Kerala9.com

‘Decent Parties’, the fourth film from PRO-turned-director Abraham Lincoln, ends up being totally unimpressive and delivers something that’s not even what we would call ‘a half-baked’ thing.

‘Decent Parties’ is about Sudheendran (Jagadeesh), who runs a photo studio and who concentrated much on video coverage of wedding ceremonies and all and dreams of becoming a cinematographer. He loves in his ancestral family house along with his mother (Zeenath). His brother Sukumaran (Vijayaraghavan) is a deputy Thehsildar and is an honest, outright guy and lives in the same town, along with his wife. Under some rather strange circumstances, Sudheendran happens to marry Sreeja (Meera Vasudev), who loves Sudheendran and stands by him always. In the meantime, Rafeeque (Salim Kumar), who is a production executive in films and who is a close friend of Sudheendran, gets for him the job of an assistant cameraman. But just as he is preparing to make his foray into the world of films, Sudheendran (and Rafeeque as well) come to realize that he (Sudheendran) has a future as a story and script writer. Rafeeque asks him to concentrate on that and promises timely help. Sudheendran gets ready with stories and scripts. And then things go all wrong for Sudheendran when he is cheated by Rafeeque in a very clever manner. Sudheendran finds himself in deep trouble as it’s not just the loss of opportunities, but the loss of money as well.

The story is presented as being narrated to Sunny Joseph (Saikumar), a rich man whom Sudheendran meets in the course of a bus journey from Bangalore to Kerala.

There is nothing much to mention about ‘Decent Parties’, pertaining to any aspect of the film.

Performances

Jagadeesh, Meera Vasudev, Salim Kumar, Saikumar and Zeenath are just so so. Mukesh as Mukesh does a cameo and has nothing to do at all. Anyway Vijayaraghavan puts in fairly good performance as Sukumaran, Sudheendran’s elder brother. Jagathy Sreekumar is his usual self. The others- Bijukuttan, Narayanankutty, Machan Varghese etc give us nothing new.

Technical aspects

On the technical side the film is very much unimpressive and misses the mark at all places.

Music

The songs, penned by Vayalar Sharath Chandra Varma and Chittoor Gopi and set to tune by debutant Johnson Mangazha are unimpressive and filmed in a poor manner.

Script

The script by Kaloor Dennis, based on story by debutant Suresh Krishna, has nothing new or spectacular to offer to the ordinary film viewer or the film buffs. The climax seems to have been arrived at in a hurried manner and fails to impress us in any way. The scenes are all conceived in a poor manner.

Direction

Abraham Lincoln seems to have chosen to direct the movie in a style that is way behind the times. ‘Decent Parties’ seems to be a film made in the early 1980’s with scenes and song sequences betraying this fact. (This comment of course is about the way the scenes are composed and conceived and the songs being shot and not at all intended to offend the makers of the many memorable films that we got in the early 1980’s too). He seems to be confused as to what he is trying to say through the film.

Overall verdict- Nothing to say!
Rating- 1/5

Producer : M.Mani
Director : Shaiju Anthikkad
Cast : Kalabhavan Mani,Jayasurya,Vinaya Prasad,Bhama etc
Story : Shaiju Anthikkad
Screenplay,dialogues : Chandrashekharan Kavunthara
Rating : 2/5
Review By : Unni / www.Kerala9.com

So, what’s ‘Oru Black and White Kudumbam’- a movie or a farce? A farce of a movie indeed. We have of course had many such movies in the past and hence the makers may feel justified. But for those who go to see the movie and pay their hard earned money, is it all worth it?

‘Oru Black and White Kudumbam’ is about Antony (Kalabhavan Mani), his wife Lakshmi (Vinaya Prasad) and their son Adithya Varma (Jayasurya). Antony, dark in complexion is married to Lakshmi, the heiress to a royal family, who is fair in complexion. Their son Adithya Varma, like his mother, is fair too. And hence the family comes to be known as a ‘Black and White’ family. (Antony of course is occasionally irritated by this too). Anyway, things go wrong for the family when Adhithya Varma gets cheated in a visa scam and loses money and incurs huge debts. The family is in deep financial crisis, but Antony decides to clear things for his family’s sake. Adhithya Varma leaves home and sets out to do something and resolve things. In the meantime, Antony, who finds it impossible to stick on, seeks employment as a driver. But people who know him are not ready to employ him, simply because they know of his liabilities. It’s thus that he goes to another place and manages to get the job of a driver in The Minnus Group of companies, where things are decided by Minnu, the young daughter of the company owner (Laloo Aalex). Antony tells a lie, that he is not married, because he comes to know that Minnus Group doesn’t usually like hiring married people. Very soon, Adhithya Varma too joins the company, as the General Manager. But nobody knows that Antony and Adhithya Varma happen to be father and son. Things take a new turn when Lakshmi comes to town searching her son. She too lands up in the same place and situations take such a turn that she is forced to take up a job in the same household, as a domestic servant. From here, the story takes a rather ‘funny’ (?) turn.

Performances

Kalabhavan Mani is his usual self as Antony. Vinaya Prasad makes a comeback as Lakshmi and is OK. Jayasurya too is his usual self and his character offers nothing new or spectacular to him or the viewers. All the others fit into their roles and do their roles in their usual respective styles.

Technical aspects

Nothing much to say about the technical aspects. Cinematography by Jibu Jacob, editing by P.C.Mohanan and art-work by Sajith all happen to be just average.

Music

Background music by Kannan and songs composed by Alex Paul all happen to be quite unimpressive.

Script

The story and the screenplay has nothing new to offer. We get the ‘we’ve seen it all before’ feel when we finish seeing the movie.

Direction

On the direction side, the film doesn’t impress us at all. There is nothing worth mentioning about the director’s contribution except that the film is the product of a mind that perhaps is groping in the dark and wants others to do so. Of course if the director had taken better care of things and had executed the subject in a better manner, the film would have been worth a watch. But as of now, nothing much to say about the movie.

Overall verdict- Old wine! Not that tasty, just so so!
Rating- 2/5