105. Christy; movie review

 

CHRISTY

Cert PG

139 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild bad language, domestic abuse, emotional upset, violence

As youngsters, many of us would have been infatuated or even may have thought we were in love with someone who didn't reciprocate the feelings.

And it became even more complicated when they gave off just the slightest sense that dreams may be unexpectedly fulfilled.

Such is the case for Roy (Mathew Thomas) in Alvin Henry's slow-burn romance, Christy.

Roy isn't the brightest light in the sky, a struggler at school and a bit of a shy, yes-man among his friends.

He needs extra academic lessons, so goes to the newly divorced title character (Malavika Mohanan) and gradually she helps him to succeed in his exams.

But, along the way, the pair develop a friendship that he sees as potentially much more.

It could be said that love makes people blind but Roy's hopes for a relationship are truly based on sand - he has no income or anything to offer the teacher and her family.

And, if he hadn't received the message already, he surely should have done when she jetted off to The Maldives on an extended work contract.

On the positive side, Thomas and Mohanan are totally convincing as the lad and the target of his affection.

But the only emotion they engender is one of pity for Roy and the way he submits every ounce of emotion to his love chase.

Actually, after a while, I just began to think he was stupid and she was heartless.

Either way, only the beauty of the cinematography made Henry's movie truly worth watching and even then it could have been cut by at least half an hour.

Reasons to watch: Smouldering romance

Reasons to avoid: Very slow

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Approximately 29,000 Indians live and work in the Maldives and almost 22,000 of them live in Malé', the capital city. They comprise of nurses, teachers, managers, doctors, engineers, and accountants as well as technicians, masons, tailors, plumbers, and labourers. 

The final word. Malavika Mohanan: "Christy was offered to me when I was craving to do a love story; something pleasant with great music, slo-mo shots, and all that. But this was something different. Yes, by societal standards, the story is uncommon and it was the unconventional aspect of it that interested me." 

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