Bromance Movie Review
Bromance: A Vibrant but Soulless Youth Drama
Arun D Jose's 'Bromance' captures youthful camaraderie with style but falters due to a weak screenplay and uninspired storytelling, making it a chaotic yet visually appealing misfire.Director Arun D Jose stays true to his signature style in Bromance, echoing the youthful aspirations and dilemmas seen in his previous works, Jo & Jo and Journey of Love 18+. The film's premise-a quest to find a missing person-sets the stage for an energetic ride filled with camaraderie and humor. However, despite its vibrant setting and promising start, the story lacks the depth and engagement needed to truly captivate its audience. While the film thrives on youthful exuberance, it falls short in delivering a compelling narrative.
The story follows the bond between two brothers, Shinto Varghese (Shyam Mohan) and Binto Varghese (Mathew Thomas). When Shinto mysteriously disappears, his friend Shabeer Ali (Arjun Ashokan) calls Binto to Kochi to help track him down. However, seeking police help becomes futile when a viral reel video mocking SI Tony Francis (Binu Pappu) backfires on Binto. This sets the stage for an unconventional search operation, involving an ethical hacker named Hariharasuthan (Sangeeth Prathap), who attempts to locate Shinto via his iPhone.
As Binto delves deeper, he learns about his brother's past relationship with dentist Aiswarya (Mahima Nambiar), who leads them to a local goon, 'Courier' Babu (Kalabhavan Shajohn). With Shinto owing him Rs 15 lakh, Babu unexpectedly joins the hunt, and the group's journey takes them all the way to Coorg, Karnataka, where the mystery unravels.
Mathew Thomas delivers a sincere performance, capturing Binto's emotional fragility convincingly, though the character itself lacks depth. Sangeeth Prathap stands out with his natural charm and comedic timing, bringing much-needed energy to the film. Arjun Ashokan, on the other hand, struggles with an over-the-top portrayal that feels inconsistent.
The film's climax turns into a chaotic spectacle, drowning out even the background music. The characters' plan to track down Shinto by hacking a villain's phone is both exaggerated and implausible. Writers Raveesh Nath and Thomas P Sebastian attempt to maintain a lighthearted atmosphere with witty dialogues and comedic ripostes, but the humor often feels forced. The latter half of the film leans heavily on outdated storytelling techniques reminiscent of 90s cinema, making it feel uninspired and formulaic.
On the technical front, Akhil George's cinematography ensures the film looks visually appealing, and Govind Vasantha's music tries to elevate the mood. However, the film ultimately struggles to find its soul beneath its glossy exterior. Bromance aims to be an entertaining youth-centric ride but ends up as a chaotic and uninspired attempt at comedy.
