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Reviews
Utharam (1989)
a great psychological mystery in malayalam cinema
This 1989 movie in my native language Malayalam, which I first saw on TV at age 14 sometime in 1992-94, has always remained a haunting presence in my mental cinemascape. I saw it again on TV in 2001-03, and watched it again 16 years later just now -- like my all-time favourite film "Paleri Manikyam", another Mammootty movie, "Utharam" which means "the answer" is a journey to find "the truth" behind a woman's death.
As the bereaved protagonist interviews various people connected with the past life of the deceased woman, the sad truth is revealed in layers, with a typically excellent performance by the actors -- the child saying (that his name is) "Emmanuel Antony" is one of the most devastating scenes in Malayalam cinema. Poignant tragedy with an uplifting finish. Highly recommended for fans of Malayalam noir. However, I am not sure a version with subtitles exists for the rest of the world... Great film for sure!!
Moonnam Pakkam (1988)
A great philosophical film about love and death
Great movies can be disturbing or even unpleasant to watch because the best directors will not hesitate to strip away the genteel facade of social restraint to show Life in its raw and essential state. This 1988 Malayalam language movie by the great writer-director Padmarajan is an unflinching meditation on love and death.
I am a native and resident of Kerala State, India, the home of this movie, and I was just 9 years old when it was released; I saw parts of it on TV as a youngster and vaguely knew it was about one central character's accidental death and the other central character's drastic reaction to this shattering event, but I had subconsciously avoided watching it properly till today, undeniably because of the grim and (for me) anxiety-inducing topic.
One might call it the Old Man and the Sea of Malayalam cinema. The finish leaves the viewer crushed with a profound sense of the futility of human emotions in the face of death inexorable, which the grandly ominous yet supremely indifferent sea represents. Since this movie is a tragedy, its implicit message might be read that Death defeats Love. Death takes centre stage here, but it is also about how an all-encompassing love can fail to survive its passing -- the narrow focus of modern love upon a very few number of closest family members is shown here to create that void, leaving a person without a sense of purpose, should the loved one perish.
I can give the full 10 full points for the sensitive, relatively subdued and brilliantly realistic portrayal of the protagonists' response to a dear one's shocking demise, without the crudely histrionic melodrama or exquisitely irritating sentimentality common to many Indian movies. All time great Malayalam actor Thilakan (whom I was privileged to meet in person when he was waiting for a flight in 2007) carries the film with a tremendously real, yet restrained, powerhouse performance as the bereaved protagonist.
Ultimately the movie's great strength lies in its choice and powerful treatment of death, a universal theme with resonance for every human being -- this could happen to you and yours, says the director, and thus harnesses our primal emotional responses to death and bereavement -- thus the cultural setting is rendered irrelevant and "Moonnaam Pakkam", which I hope someone could release with at least English subtitles, remains a great philosophical film that will stand with the best in world cinema forever.
Close My Eyes (1991)
Exceptionally sympathetic treatment of a taboo topic (spoilers are clearly marked and come only at the end of the review)
I may be biased in favor (in that I am no moralist and I think it deserves sympathy) but I did read all these excellent reviews before watching the movie, and found "Close My Eyes" an exceptionally sympathetic treatment of a taboo topic.
As a sociologist I got the impression this is not so much a movie "about incest" or "about infidelity" but more a study about the balance of power in romantic relationships, and especially about a woman's self-empowerment at the expense of 2 men by exercising her agency, taking hard decisions that may not be considerate or very well controlled, but are extremely assertive in that she refuses to do anything she doesn't want to. She is also endearingly innocent in not understanding the future consequences of her self-serving actions. It is enough to reduce grown men to tears. Saskia R's powerhouse performance must be breaking hearts and creating new fans every day. God bless the internet!
It is useless to debate the morality of incest or the ethicality of infidelity, though I dislike infidelity themed books and movies myself. Cinema is art not morals, and the performances of the 3 lead actors is extremely convincing, evoking strong emotions. The sexual tension is devastatingly acted out and literally "burns up the screen" but what shines through those dramatic events is the director's sensitivity and the great passion of the actors for their craft. That is precisely what makes "Close My eyes" great cinema, truly an excellent work!
(Being no movie critic myself, I found the acting and the direction first-class and will give it the full 10 stars. Critics kindly excuse.)
Spoiler alert:
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Many reviews have offered the criticism that there was no proper reason for the sudden incestuous affair, but the protagonists provide extremely convincing explanations themself:
(1) Richard: you used me to spice up your stagnating marriage with the excitement of incest, and make yourself strong, but now you no longer need me (paraphrase)
(2) Natalie: there is no reason... maybe I've always fancied you. But I love you only as a brother. But you have become addicted to it and are beginning to love me as a lover. I need you as a friend. don't want this affair to continue (paraphrase -- meaning that there was no "deep emotion" leading to incest: she draws a clear line between love and lust, and won't leave her husband for her brother. Nor any guilt: the siblings enter a church to demonstrate this. Also, she ended the affair not because of incest but because she values her marriage more.)
(3) Her husband tells them both in the last scene (paraphrase): there was something unusual and very powerful between you that needed purging. I don't want to know any more... Can't you feel the intensity gone down already? It's over.
Since the dialogues are so explicitly clear we don't need to speculate about reasons ourself. These explanations make "Close My Eyes" a very articulate work. Thanks to all previous reviewers for giving me such a good conceptual basis before I saw this memorable film which packs a real emotional punch. Thanks too for reading my review!