A review of the film Madras Matinee

Kaali Venkat, Sathyaraj, and Roshini Haripriyan are the cast members.

Karthikeyan Mani is the director.

Rank: ★★

The newspaper has a few human interest articles that make us smile and uplift us when we read it every morning. In addition, there are tales that touch a nerve because you see them playing out in the lives of those around you. Karthikeyan Mani's Madras Matinee is one of several films, including Tourist Family and Kudumbasthan, that examine the challenges and lives of middle-class families.

Jyoti Ramayya (Sathyaraj), a science fiction author, narrates the tale. He is requested to write a novel about actual people rather than fantasy, and he chooses to lead us through the tale of Kannan (Kaali Venkat), a garbage collector and auto driver from the lower middle class. Ramayya begins by describing the monotony and boredom of middle-class existence, where nothing interesting ever occurs to anybody. Is Kannan's life thus any different?

For Kannan and his wife Shelly, it's all about trying to make ends meet in order to support their family and pay their growing debts. Actually, their children, daughter Deepika (Roshni Haripriyan) and son Dinesh, have similar aspirations and wish for their family to improve their financial situation. Their life events, however, are always dramatic and emotional, addressing the principles that the lower middle class hold dear. For example, Kannan wants Deepika to be married since marriage is seen as more important at this point in her life, despite the fact that she has a well-respected IT career in the United States. The generation divide between Dinesh, who is addicted to his smartphone, and his parents is evident and problematic. There are, however, additional characters and events that enter their lives on a regular basis, bringing with them more humor and drama.

The tale, which is set in Madras (Chennai), purports to be a slice of life with characters that we can identify with and that we may encounter in our daily lives in this metropolis, according to director Karthikeyan Mani. That is valuable. Regrettably, the problem lies in the screenplay's attempt to blend humor and drama, which is unsuccessful. Sometimes, it seems as though some events are excessively exaggerated just for the sake of it, and maybe in reality, these problems would simply fade away. Also, the opposite is true. The humor shouldn't have been used lightly in serious situations (such as when Deepika was discussing bullying), and some characters might have been given more depth (such Dinesh, for example).

From the tea booths to the street corner vehicle stand and beyond, DOP Anand GK has skillfully captured the sights and sounds of various facets of Madras. The sounds created by KC Balasarangan, the music director, attempt to pull us into this unique environment.

However, one has to ask what the ultimate lessons were from the lives of Kannan and his family. Yes, we do observe how both Ramayya and Kannan shift from fantasy to reality, attempting to portray genuine-world bravery and power in the face of hardship. Was Madras Matinee meant to be a leisurely afternoon diversion, focusing on the daily life of a lower middle-class family in Madras, as the title implies? Or was it intended to be a celebration of human triumph? The execution of Madras Matinee is flawed, and despite the fact that one feels for Kannan and his family, there isn't a genuine real-life hero to support.