Mummy & Me Malayalam Movie
Jeethu Joseph's Mummy and Me takes a closer look at the differences in outlook and values that exist between generations. Clara (Urvasi) has trouble giving in to the rebellious ways of her teenaged daughter Jewel (Archana Kavi) and often it's her husband Jo (Mukesh) who gets caught in between the two. Life isn't exactly heaven for the family of four, especially with Jewel's younger brother Jokuttan (Jeevan) forever fanning the flames.
There are a few moments at least in the first half of the film that delivers the stuff. And thanks to that younger brother who is forever lingering around, it delivers a few smiles too. Having established its premise about a battling mother-daughter duo who are forever at their wits' ends because of each other, the film introduces a new character - an unseen chat friend of Jewel's - into the story.
The assumption is that Jewel is too dejected by the state of affairs at home, that she starts looking up to Ameer, her chat friend who's a fashion designer, and who gently transforms her into an angel. It hasn't been long since Shobhana found her Mitr through the internet. Quite good; but I hope this doesn't start off a new trend of poor teenagers who have had it up to their necks with their unyielding parents turning to chat rooms to find some fashion designer who has a solution to all their problems. Clearly Ameer scissors into the story like it were some fancy fabric and ruins it beyond repair.
So it's here that Mummy and Me goes off track. The problem has been brought out brilliantly, but the solution is quite cheesy. It's obvious that there isn't always an Ameer around to help those Jewels out there. Of course, there's the helpful shrink (Anoop Menon) whom you can always turn to. He tells the parents to change themselves a bit to suit their daughter's tastes, and what do we have? Clara in a shirt and trousers prancing around the house to the beats of some hot and happening music, like a toy bunny that wouldn't stop hopping. I'm sure the shrink must not have thought of the consequences, as he himself admits a bit later.
The catfight battle between the mother and daughter is the highlight of the film, and if only they had tried to swerve the pair to a solution by themselves, could this film have worked as it was meant to be. The problem is very genuine, but its plain as day that neither the psychologist nor the fashion designer could be the answer to those questions.
Not long before, a few months back in fact, I V Sasi had spoken at length about this very phenomenon in his Vellathooval that has Nithya and Seema doing the mom - daughter roles. It's quite different from Mummy and Me, but the core issue remains the same.
Urvasi needs no further praise for the amazing performer that she is, and she literally carries the film through. Mukesh is charmingly mellow; Jeevan is another splendid actor who we would be seeing a lot more in the days ahead. Archana Kavi badly needs to get someone to take a look at her wardrobe and looks quite odd often standing beside a chicly dressed Chackochan. On the positive side are those lovely songs set to tune by Sejo Joseph.
Jithu Joseph's Mummy and Me tells a story that is getting more relevant with each day, but doesn't match it up with a script that's equally engrossing. This is a film that could have hit the bull's eye, but misses it by far.
