C U Soon review: Eye-Opener

With the lockdown-stricken film industry, there have been several “made-under-lockdown” films and Malayalam movie Producers Fahadh Faasil & Nazriya Nazim, along-with director Mahesh Narayanan deliver a quality film, that not only uses technology to suit its cause but also at the core is a film about a very intriguing story. C U Soon reminds you of a film called Searching released a couple of years ago, which too had the whole film only playing out via the screen. But C U Soon feels different.

The direction-screenplay by Mahesh Narayanan is riveting, it starts with the gimmicky treatment, but soon shifts gears to not only keep you hooked but to also to look beyond the experimental aspect of the film. It makes you root for the characters and subtly highlights various social and humane issues.

In the film, we dive into the dating platform account of a hardcore romantic, Jimmy, who falls in love with Anu and decides to marry her, and entrusts Kevin to get a complete background check of the girl. What follows is an intriguing mix of suspense and thriller.

The real genius of the filmmaking resides in its story and Narayanan makes the most use of the technology with it. The film pans out on laptops, mobiles, CCTVs, and computer screens, and tries its best to not use the screen just for the filming purposes. Most of the calls, voice clips, and video conferences feel genuine and the build-up is exquisitely thrilling. Cinematography by Sabin Uralikandy and the director, go for a realistic approach, and it is an experiment that must be experienced by one and all. The music and background score, too, enhances the film.

Jimmy played by Roshan Mathew, conveys the various emotions with innate charm. He stands his ground and makes you feel empathy for his character. Darshana Rajendran as Anu Mol Sebastian has a mystical presence and shines in the emotional bits of the film. Saiju Kurup and Maala Parvathi are ok in their supporting presence.

Fahadh Faasil’s Kevin, is an unlikable character, being borderline misogynistic and self-centered, and doesn’t appeal to the viewer, but the actor is (yet again) a joy to watch. Fahadh has this ability to convey the emotions he feels to the viewer with unnerving ease.

 

Watch or Not:

Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, C U Soon is clouded with technology, but eventually, with good emotion makes for a compelling watch, indeed, a very good experiment.