Attention Please

Indie experiments have always shaken up the status quo in Malayalam, be it Lijo Jose Pellissery's "Angamaly Diaries (2017)" or more recently, Senna Hegde's "Thinkalazcha Nischayam (2021)" and Krishand's "Avasa Vyooham (2022)". After having impressed all with his devastating short titled "Pra. Thoo. Mu" in the anthology "Freedom Fight (2022)", director Jithin Issac Thomas delivers a stunningly original atmospheric thriller in "Attention Please", which is easily one of the most eye-catching experimental Malayalam films of 2022.

Vishnu Govindhan stars as "Hari", a disgruntled, down-on-his-luck aspiring screenwriter whose twisted scripts are never taken seriously by his flatmates, played by Jithin and Anand Manmadhan. One fine evening, when the friends set out to enjoy a night of drinks, Hari starts narrating his most ingenious script so far, only for things to take a gruesome turn as the ensuing arguments amongst the gang reach a breaking point. The director builds up the tension with consummate ease, immersing the audience into the predicaments of our lead character and making us empathize with his sensibilities and insecurities.

Vishnu Govindhan is devastating as the bitter, under-appreciated writer and instantly hooks you into his engaging way of narrating tales and his expressive eyes give a hypnotic effect to proceedings. The entire supporting cast play their part in matching their talented lead, with Anand Manmadhan standing out with his prickly, irascible mannerisms and body language. The moody atmosphere built up by the director and the unexpected twists hold your attention for the entire crisply edited run time of just under two hours.

"Attention Please" is a terrifically enacted, painstakingly built psychological thriller that provided much-needed innovation to the genre that has been plagued by boilerplate projects off late in Malayalam like "Heaven (2022)" and "John Luther (2022)". Vishnu Govindhan has proved himself to be a bankable character actor and one wishes that he gets meatier roles in mainstream projects going forward. "Attention Please" is now streaming on Netflix and is a definite must-watch!

This is definitely an interesting attempt. The movie kept me engaged throughout. The movie only has 6 characters, but the narration of the stories, the setup and acting keeps you hooked throughout. Obviously, the movie does not have a regular story telling pattern, it is basically the rant of a person fed up with being neglected all his life. How this comes out and what transpires as a result is what the movie is about. Vishnu was very convincing as the lead. He shows the required vulnerability, madness and hate required for the role. The supporting characters were also good, and blended in. A good left field attempt and interesting watch.

Most of the viewers think this movie is about a script writer's struggle. They are wrong. This is all about caste issues in India. Uneducated Indians couldn't figure that out, or they are trying to act like that's not the case. This movie is about caste issues in India. Also most of the viewers don't have the experience of watching movies with substance. Best movie to watch when you are high. Must watch if you like quality movies. Strictly regional. Not recommended for non-Indians. The caste issue only exists in tribal communities like India. I don't understand this character limit for reviews. That's just nonsense.

There's a lot of unfiltered energy in Attention Please, a social thriller which takes place entirely in an apartment and adjoining terrace where five cinema-loving bachelors live while trying to make ends meet doing menial jobs. One of them is an aspiring and luckless screenwriter (Vishnu Govind) who one evening decides to narrate few of his original stories to his mates so that they can finally see his talent (which they claim does not exist through their frequent jibes). Things take a wild turn as the evening passes, thereby highlighting an array of social causes prevalent in modern-day Kerala and elsewhere in India. Attention Please thus uses an ordinary setting to throw arrows at you and show how systemic caste prejudice and politics are. And yet some of us do not realize it. A very good and arresting watch. Grade B.

(Watched at the 25th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).)

Never do such negative movies! When you are into the movie, you feel yourself negative!!! Movie did a great impression. Not everyone's cup of tea! Watch the movie like that. A psychopath movie . Literally a short film, but actor did their part. Not much recommend for common people. Not much good in finishing .But the way the actor( narrator) did was worth watching!!! . Definitely a good movie for a specific viewers i don't know what they are called. But being new actors ( they did some thing in YouTube short films), it's such a piece of some kind of art. I do like the movie in some manner , but not recommended for every one.