18+ primarily follows a young couple who plans to elope and marry against their parents’ wish. Interestingly, it was just a month back when Thrishanku, another film that deals with almost a similar plot, got released. But cinema is not always about inventive stories. In his directorial debut, Jo and Jo, Arun D Jose managed to weave a supremely entertaining tale by capturing the mundaneness of the Covid-induced lockdown days. The film didn’t have a groundbreaking plot, but the young filmmaker got his treatment right in finding fun in the ordinary. In his sophomore outing, he follows the same approach and once again, reaps the desired results.
Akhil (Naslen) and Athira (Meenakshi) hail from a communist party-dominated village near Kannur. When Athira’s parents learn about their relationship, the two decide to elope with his friends’ (Saaf Brothers) support. The fun-filled first half of the film follows how the boys plot the eloping along with their senior ally Rajesh (Binu Pappu). The pre-interval stretch featuring their desperate attempts to arrange money and things needed for the wedding is hilarious, majorly due to the exceptional sync between the actors. Though things get a tad too serious post-interval, it doesn’t overstay its welcome, and the film eventually makes a safe landing.
Though it’s a love story at heart, 18+ doesn’t have many moments to establish the intensity of the relationship between Akhil and Athira. Naslen, known for his impeccable comic timing, also takes a backseat in this film as he is mostly perplexed and solemn, owing to his characterisation and the precarious situation he finds himself in. It is instead Safwan and Anshid (Saaf Brothers), as his friends Renju and Pattar, who light up the screen. Meenakshi, the female lead, also impresses as she gets a teenager’s innocence and vulnerability perfect. Besides the actors, the film’s biggest strength is its music by Christo Xavier. The composer elevates the mood with his foot-tapping songs and vibrant background score.
Arun D Jose and Raveesh Nath’s screenplay is loaded with situational humour and clever one-liners. They also sketch some interesting characters like Akhiluttan’s supportive mother and Rajesh, who risks everything to help the couple. Nikhila Vimal’s tense magistrate character promises a lot, but ends up undercooked.
In this tale of a rebellious couple, the communist party is also a character in itself as the action is set in a village, where the party has a major say in the locals’ lives. But thankfully, the makers don’t go all-out in glorifying the party. The film calls out those hypocritical party supporters who claim to be progressive and egalitarian, but are casteist and autocratic in real. At a time when mediocre thrillers and vapid feel-good dramas are a dime a dozen in Malayalam cinema, such well-packaged fun films are indeed a breath of fresh air.
Film: 18+
Cast: Naslen, Meenakshi, Saaf Bros, Binu Pappu
Director: Arun D Jose
Rating: 3.5/5