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Adios Amigo movie review: “…Only in the darkness can you see the stars” — this quote, often attributed to social activist and political philosopher Martin Luther King Jr, encapsulates the essence of many films that have come out over the years, particularly the feel-good ones. From The Color Purple (1985) and Interstellar (2014) to Good Will Hunting (1997) and The Shawshank Redemption (1994), numerous movies have brought to the screen stories of resilience and hope in the face of overwhelming darkness. However, for a film built on this premise to resonate as deeply as the aforementioned exceptional works, it must connect with the audience on an emotional level and be supported by a gripping story that makes viewers root for a protagonist who has lost all hope and desperately needs help. Without such elements, the film risks falling flat.
The major struggle of director Nahas Nazar’s Adios Amigo (Goodbye Friend), starring Asif Ali and Suraj Venjaramoodu, is that it lacks a compelling story to keep viewers engaged. For Priyan (Suraj), life is an endless struggle. His situation is so precarious that the illness of a single family member can disrupt his entire existence, pushing him further into debt. To make matters worse, his mother experiences post-heart surgery complications and is hospitalised, leaving him scrambling to raise money urgently. However, with a track record of borrowing money for various business ventures and failing to repay on time, he finds no one in his hometown of Kattappana willing to help. As Priyan navigates this dark period in his life, he encounters Prince (Asif), a carefree, perpetually drunk man with a YOLO (You Only Live Once) attitude. Hailing from a wealthy and influential family, Prince lives lavishly and seeks “only happy vibes”. A social butterfly, he strikes up conversations with everyone he meets, and he and Priyan cross paths by chance. Their mutual love for alcohol draws them closer and Priyan, seeing Prince’s extravagant lifestyle, clings to him, hoping for help with his mother’s medical expenses. However, Priyan struggles to open up about his situation and instead, he gets swept up in Prince’s impromptu travel plans. As Prince’s unfiltered behaviour and drunken antics cause problems wherever they go, Priyan starts to regret his decision to join him. But by this point, it’s too late — crises keep piling up and Priyan is no closer to securing the funds he needs for his mother. The remainder of the film follows their journey.
Though Adios Amigo has an intriguing plot, its weak story, penned by (Aji Peter) Thankam, fails to evoke much emotion beyond a few laughs, mostly thanks to the performances of Suraj and Asif. Despite Priyan’s constant refrain, “My mom is in the hospital and I need to arrange money,” the story’s lack of depth prevents us from fully empathising with his situation or feeling truly sorry for his plight.
In the first act itself, the movie lays out almost everything it has to offer and although one might expect new revelations or plot points to drive the story forward, nothing of the sort occurs. From one “comical moment” to the next, Adios Amigo drifts with nothing truly engaging happening. After a few such scenes, the film becomes so predictable that one would find oneself desperately hoping for a twist or turn to keep them from dozing off or scrolling through phones. The film also introduces Priyan’s friends Rony (Althaf Salim) and Sohan (Shine Tom Chacko) and features Prince’s wife too, whose voice is only heard. However, these elements/characters contribute nothing more than superficial value to Adios Amigo. Even when more new characters are introduced as the movie progresses, they add nothing to the story, much like Priyan’s friends at the beginning, and end up being just like Adios Amigo — pointless.
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The most frustrating aspect, however, is that despite lacking anything to share, the film stretches to 159 minutes as if the director decided to include everything they filmed without editing out even a single shot. While the movie sometimes attempts to be funny, at other times, it adopts the avatar of an emotional, dramatic film. Although a few jokes and emotions land, by the end of Adios Amigo, one question remains: was the makers’ intention to provide viewers with a fun watch or to touch their hearts with how things turn out? If both, they certainly missed the mark, failing to fully achieve either goal.
Nevertheless, the subplot featuring Prince and his ex-girlfriend Hema (Anagha) is neat and endearing, offering a touching story of eternal love that lasts even when the couple doesn’t end up together.
Despite its lengthy runtime, Adios Amigo avoids being boring solely due to the performances of Suraj and Asif. Even though Prince is portrayed as loud and over-the-top, Asif skillfully maintains the character’s appeal, preventing him from becoming off-putting. His command of the Thrissur dialect and the nuances of playing a drunkard are also commendable. Suraj, on the other hand, once again demonstrates his ability to navigate various emotions seamlessly, delivering a portrayal with genuine depth. Their on-screen chemistry too helps the film avoid becoming an absolute dull affair. Anagha also stands out in her brief but pivotal role.
While Jakes Bejoy’s background score helps maintain the film’s momentum, Gopi Sundar’s music has its highs and lows, somewhat balanced by Vinayak Sasikumar’s lyrics. Prameshdev’s choreography for the island song is noteworthy. Jimshi Khalid’s cinematography is competent but not exceptional and the same can be said for Nishadh Yusuf’s editing.
Adios Amigo movie cast: Asif Ali, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Anagha, Vineeth Thattil David, Althaf Salim
Adios Amigo movie director: Nahas Nazar
Adios Amigo movie rating: 2 stars
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