Coffee Bloom

I saw this film at Mumbai Film Festival, was pleasantly surprised since I had complete low expectations about this film.

Films about complexity of relationships don't come much smoother than Manu Warrier's debut feature film Coffee Bloom. With a sundry of characters, Warrier's film is as fresh as a cup of coffee. It is warm, strong and unsweetened.

Dev Anand is a man with sombre expressions. In his free time, he listens to spiritual audio recordings and reads the Amar Chitra Katha comic books. Dev's life takes a drastic turn when his mother dies. He returns to the coffee estate at Coorg, once owned by his family that he had sold off against his mother's wishes. There, amidst the lush coffee plantation, Dev comes face-to-face with the reality and the ghost of his past relationships.

People say sometimes we need to get lost, to find ourselves. No matter how cryptic it might sound, it's true. It is interesting to watch Dev's self-discovery. His behavior is eccentric yet endearing. Warrier brilliantly scripted the character of his protagonist. At times you will hate the character of Dev, but still empathize with his situation.

The versatile actor Arjun Mathur gives an unparalleled performance as Dev. The actor once again proved his acting prowess. The lighthearted puns of Srinivas (played by Mohan Kapoor) adds on to the perkiness of the film. Both the female characters, Anika (played by Sugandha Garg) and Shondha (played by Ishwari Bose) are intricately weaved into the film.

Manu Warrier uses drama to explore human behavior, morality and relationships. And yes, he made a perfect a brew.

Coffee Bloom may not be everyone's cup of coffee. But once in a while, there comes a film which refreshes our mind and soul. Coffee Bloom is one of them. It takes us deep into the tangled emotions of its characters, one sip at a time. And, in the end we are left with a refreshing afterglow. Just like the morning cup of coffee.

In this indie drama, coffee is only in the roots while it is human nature and emotions that are at the forefront.

Dev (Mathur) is a gloomy young man who comes out of depression caused by a breakup with his girlfriend Anika (Garg) only to lapse into a indefinite period of mourning due to the death of his mother. He travels to Coorg where his family used to own a coffee farm; the unsolicited and unofficial sale of which marks the beginning of his family's immortal poverty. Dev was the one who had sold the property without consulting with his parents, which had instantly led to his father's death and also eventually his mother's, so his visit to Coorg is to make peace with his past by doing one good and sane thing for his family and to peacefully say a final goodbye to his mother.

The story is written with a deadpan attitude, but that is what the protagonist is all about. He believes in spirituality but hasn't been able to fix his own strings, and regards other people as garbage. He thinks that going back to the place where he spent his childhood days might alleviate his agony, but the problem mounts when he meets Anika there with her husband (Kapoor)? Successfully setting a suspense tone, the screenplay moves forward slowly crescendoing into a moment of cinematic resuscitation.

Cast performance is good, but the film's technical parameters reduces its value. For instance, the sound mixing is horrible, which points to the fact that writing and acting aren't the only parameters which mark a film's creativity and/or novelty. Plus, the music seems plagiarized, with the final theme sounding like a Hollywood ballad.

All said and done, the story is true to the heart and conveys a message about emotional baggage that can only be dumped through service/altruism. Not being selfish can be a start.

BOTTOM LINE: Debutante Manu Warrier's philosophical drama, Coffee Bloom, is well-brewed, but it is served in a cup with tiny holes in it, for if you don't grasp the essence and drink quickly, you may not get anything at all. A good afternoon watch.

GRADE: D-

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Kissing: Mild

Cant agree more with both the above reviewers, such a brilliant movie, but so less traction,

The most touching scene in the movie is, when Dev meets a Brahmin for performing last rites of his mother, he tells him I want to become a Sanyasi (Renounce the world), the Brahmin replies "Are you heart broken etc." Their conversation ends on Dev telling the Brahmin "I couldn't make my mother happy, couldn't complete her wishes & today she is no-more" to which Brahmin replies "You can become Sanyasi any time in life, assume for a moment if your mother was alive, what would she have you done" & there Dev is struck with a thought rushes to his Coffee estate, & his path to self-discovery begins...

Thanks "Manu & Cast" Brilliant script :) Looking forward to seeing more of your movies