Thanks to Midukki (iheartcinema) for the Gif set.
I saw Charlie back in January when it came to one theater in Chicago. My first Malayalam film on the big screen. I give it three and a half stars out of five. But definitely worth a watch if you’re a fan of Parvathy or Dulquer.
This is possibly the most quirky Indian film I’ve seen yet. I didn’t love Charlie. I’ll admit it. It was like Dulquer Salmaan was the ultimate manic pixie dream guy. That the heroine searches for the whole movie, and doesn’t actually meet until the last five-ten minutes. So, I went in wanting the big romance, and it was — in a way. I appreciate the role reversal, because I’ve seen this movie, and read this book the other way many a time.
She rents a room and the previous tenant has left all his very, very weird artsy stuff. She finds a portion of a graphic novel he drew, and has to find out what happened next. She looks for all the people that he drew in the pictures he left, and asks them about what happened next, and where he is. And she discovers a string of stories of this character do-gooding, and him not being able to stay in one place longer than a day, it seems. But she is also a free spirit — on the run from an arranged marriage to the brother of her brother’s fiance.
I think it was another example of me going in with expectations of Bangalore Days or OK Kanmani, and it is quite a different kettle of fish altogether. It’s a good movie, but not great. Very quirky by Indian movie standards. I felt like we didn’t really get to know Charlie, he really stayed a mystery up until the end. There was one absolutely incredible fantasy song sequence (he left a Polaroid selfie of himself in the apartment) .
The subtitles of the song basically were that he is like a mirage. I enjoyed Dulquer in the pirate get up and the flowing mundu skirt!
One of the final scenes was filmed at some real life festival (Find me in the crowd!) with these two rows of elephants facing each other and enormous crowds. It was a real WOW moment.
Evidently, Charlie’s a big hit in Kerala, and Dhanush has already bought the Tamil remake rights. This is a film I could totally see Ranveer doing if it was remade in Hindi.
Here’s the trailer:
Pardesi Reviews 
you disliked the movie just because the male character is given more importance? Thats disappointing…. I believe the writer has the freedom to decide such things
LikeLike
No, you misunderstand me. I have seen male protagonists search for an elusive manic pixie dream girl many times in film and books. What was great about Charlie was that that was turned on its head, and he was the manic pixie dream guy and we spent most of the time with the heroine. That is one of the strengths of Malayalam cinema that there is so much from the woman’s point of view.
My disappointment was that the hero and heroine had so little of the movie actually together on screen. I need to rewatch the movie without my preconceived ideas of what I wanted it to be.
LikeLike
oohhh….my bad.
I really loved this movie…every guy wanna lead a life like him(impossible)..may be i would have been disappointed if it was another romcom
LikeLike
hey…if you are interested in some strong female centric feminist movies from malayalam,i would recommend these…
Thira- a must watch thriller about human trafficking ,22 female kottayam-a revenge thriller story of a fighter female, rani padmini-story of two contrasting female characters and their adventurous journey through north india and also the latest release of mammookka ‘puthiyaniyam’…it isnt that great still a heroine centric revenge story and a good onetime watch
LikeLike
Thanks, Hari!
LikeLike
22 Female Kottayam is really good. But I think you should watch it after watching couple of Fahadh Faasil moives like Diamond Necklace, Maheshinte Prathikaaram and Iyobine Pusthakam ( All of which are really nice movies)
LikeLiked by 1 person