Christy Malayalam Movie
Alvin Henry's Christy is based on a true story about a teenager who falls in love with his tuition teacher. Mathew Thomas plays Roy, a teenager who bunks off school and spends his nights performing with a dance troupe. Concerned about his dwindling scores in school exams, Roy's family sends him to Malavika Mohanan's Christy. It then becomes Christy's job to ensure that Roy passes out of high school and does well in college.
The two become close over tuition-class sessions and beverages and snacks outdoors. For Roy, Christy becomes a case of infatuation, but for her, he is a source of solace as she comes to grips with life after divorce. Wherever Christy goes, she brings Roy along, and the boy follows her every step of the way. In the first hour, the makers successfully set up an enchanting case of a teenager falling in love with an adult. But it soon feels more like a case of Christy taking Roy under her wing than a love story.
Christy walks a thin line between a story of one-sided love and two-sided love. Does Christy reciprocate the feelings that Roy has for her? It does not seem like it, judging by the way she reacts to Roy's request for a first kiss. The film spends so much time exploring Christy's world and does not focus enough on Roy's life.
At about the halfway mark, one wonders where Alvin and his writers, G. R. Indugopan and Benyamin, will take the story. When it comes to the love angle, the makers try to be politically correct, but to little avail. At the same time, they make problematic statements about how unconditional love causes one to go miles for their beloved.
The last stretch of the film is full of implausible circumstances, which I cannot discuss here so as not to spoil the plot for you. Even if you are willing to overlook the implausibility of the whole thing, it becomes hard not to pay attention to the problematic elements in the screenplay.
Despite its flaws, the movie is worth a watch for the visuals, performances, and music. Govind Vasantha's music is so soothing and has little gems like "Oro Shwasavum." Cinematographer Anend C. Chandran's beautiful work makes us want to stay in Christy and Roy's world just that little bit longer. The performances from the two main leads are respectable, although the writing does not always help them much. Mathew makes good use of his boyish charm and inherent sense of innocence to make Roy a worthy addition to his brief filmography. His breakdown scenes could use some more emotional depth, but there is enough in the movie to prove his precocious talents. Malavika Mohanan's mere glances often let us know what is on Christy's mind.
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