Clint Malayalam Movie

Driven by the touching tale of the premature departure of a child prodigy, 'Clint' apparently turns out to be a weepy affair. But a good attempt for a candid biopic on screen can't be ignored. Aug 11, 2017 By K. R. Rejeesh

Veteran filmmaker Harikumar revisits the incredible real life of a child prodigy, Edmund Thomas Clint, in "Clint". The maiden on screen adaptation of Clint's life begins with a candid interview of his parents, M.T. Joseph and Chinnamma. Clint, who departed from this world barely one month before his seventh birthday, has left behind around 25,000 paintings. Harikumar deserves a pat on the back for making this biopic more realistic and refraining from giving too much of cinematic interpretations. However, the unbridled melodrama becomes a burden for him in this emotional tale.

"Clint" belongs to Master Alok, who splendidly portrayed the eponymous character by savoring himself every bit of it. A brilliant observation of mannerisms and movements is vivid in the tremendous performance of this little actor. It is also pertinent to give full marks for the casting in the movie. Unni Mukundan as Joseph and Rima Kallingal as Chinnamma have their moments towards the climax.

As a child Clint shows astounding talent in painting. His penchant for colors, myths and Nature is largely inculcated in him by his parents after realizing his talent at an early age. Apart from his amazing grasping power, his peculiar demeanor and talks make him 'special'. As his paintings bring him to the limelight, Clint becomes a celebrity. Mohanan (Vinay Forrt), a friend of Joseph, also has a major role in Clint's growth.

Harikumar and K.V. Mohankumar co-write the screenplay, which is apparently bereft of imagination in presenting some scenes in the first half. The movie gathers momentum in the second half as the director regains his hold in the treatment. Since Clint's life story is well-known to all, the challenge before Harikumar is the way he relates it. He does not show any intent to jazz up things, and he presents the real life sans exaggeration. You may disagree with a cloyingly embellished climax of this real life story. But this end is inevitable as far as the little genius' short life is concerned.

Madhu Ambatt's visuals elevate the settings during the 80's. His expertise comes to play in disseminating color patterns in the flick. Music of Ilayaraja is also noteworthy.