Mariam Mukku Malayalam Movie

Feature Film | 2015
Critics:
Audience:
'Mariyam Mukku' is a routine romance that has been excruciatingly stretched out beyond endurance levels. It's quite hard to get all excited about the happenings at 'Mariyam Mukku', and with its formula having grown extremely stale its screen life could indeed be incredibly short as well.
Jan 25, 2015 By Veeyen


Script writer James Albert falters big time as a director with 'Mariyam Mukku', and fails to hold together the strands of a tale that we are already much familiar with. Striking no new ground, Albert chooses the easy way out, opts for a time-honored story line and sets it up in a coastal village called Mariyam Mukku.


It's at Mariyam Mukku that Felix (Fahadh Faasil) grows up all alone after his parents pass away, under the supervision of his godfather Aasaan (Manoj K Jayan). Felix leads Aasaan's thug gang, and while in hot pursuit of an assailant runs into Mother Mary herself. Little does he realize that it's Salomi (Sana Altaf), his childhood friend who has returned home, after a long stint at Chennai.


Salomi sows the seeds of love in the man's heart, much to the chagrin of Aasaan. The entire village is vexed when Mother Mary makes an appearance yet again, and miracles are performed. In no time, Mariyam Mukku is flooded with pilgrims, and the lives of the villagers are altered beyond recognition.


Here is a premise that has been dug deep into in a million ways, and there is no way in which the underlying banality could pass off as insightfulness. The movie doesn't tell us anything that we haven't already seen, and it fails to go anywhere with its routine observations. The spurned guardian is as evil as he has always been and his scheming as vile as ever.


It's an elaborate canvas that Albert paints his picture on, and it teems with characters, several of whom sound hollow. The airless atmosphere that pervades all over, makes them go round and round in circles, with little startling movements in the plot.


There is often a life altering moment that brings about a sea change in an individual and for Aasaan, it arrives right at the climax. Bingo, he is a new man, and calls it a truce. Lloyd (Aju Varghese) who is added midway through as an adversary to the protagonist gets pulled out of the plot as quickly as he had been pushed in.


The ensemble cast that 'Mariyam Mukku' can easily boast of, has little in their hands with the subpar material that they are offered. The enjoyable moments are meager, and the sappy fable that we get to see on screen is merely a commonplace addition to the much explored romantic film genre.


Perhaps the sole relief amidst all the non-happenings in the film are the performances by the leading pair. Fahadh reminds you of Rasool yet again, but Felix is a much scaled down version that the actor effortlessly adapts himself to. Sana Altaf, makes a sparkling debut as Salomi, and charms you with a naivete that emanates straight out of her eyes.


Maoj K Jayan is his usual self as Aasaan, while Joy Mathew and Prathap Pothen are around in significant roles as well. 'Mariyam Mukku' does have a delectable musical score by Vidyasgar and some stunning cinematography by Gireesh Gangadharan.


'Mariyam Mukku' is a routine romance that has been excruciatingly stretched out beyond endurance levels. It's quite hard to get all excited about the happenings at 'Mariyam Mukku', and with its formula having grown extremely stale its screen life could indeed be incredibly short as well.


Veeyen

   

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