Daddy Cool

Cast: Mammootty, Richa Pallod, Biju Menon, Ashish Vidyarthi, Vijayaraghavan, Raadhika, Saikumar
Language: Malayalam
Banner: Ananya Films
Director: Aashiq Abu
Producer: Alwin Antony
Camera: Sameer Thahir
Story: Aashiq Abu
Screenplay: Aashiq Abu
Dialogue: Aashiq Abu
Lyrics: Anil Panachooran
Music: Biji Bal
Distribution: Marikar Films
Year: 2009

Debutant director Aashiq Abu's Daddy Cool is all about style and less substance. Mammootty comes in well cut designer suits, trendy jackets, nice shirts and matching trousers. He fools around with his son, singing zingy songs and playing cricket, takes on the baddies in style and mimics his own trademark gestures to evoke laughter, and lots more. But is it all that we look forward to, in a film? Well, that is exactly where the film disappoints.

Crime Branch CI Antony Simon (Mammootty) is a laid-back sort, who has just two passions in his life- son Aadi (Master Dhananjay) and Cricket (he is really bad with the willow though). His wife Annie (Richa Pallod) is annoyed with her husband and often walks out of their home to her parents', which incidentally happens to be the apartment next door!

A major chunk of the film's first half is wasted in their silly banters but at the same time, there are a few nicely taken song-n-dance routines. What next, we would wonder and it seems even those behind its making thought about it only after filming these portions. The result is that the film meanders along aimlessly for a while with trivial situations, tasteless mimicry of news anchors or certain Tamil heroes and even that of a scene straight out of Mammootty's Azhakiya Ravanan, all these action happening amidst some nicely shot stunt scenes.

For all those who rave at the sight of baddies flying all around as the hero moves his fists, the film may be thrilling in parts. The rest of the viewers would be wondering what the film is trying to convey. With trite dialogues and the absence of a credible script, the only saving grace is its stylish presentation. But even that becomes jaded after a while, due to overuse.

Mammootty has to look 'cool' in the film and he looks pretty 'hot' in his designer outfits but other than that, he looks disinterested and lacks his usual energy. It's indeed amazing that an actor of his caliber has not been given a more challenging role by the director. Model turned actor Richa Pallod just can't act and hams all along. Though the whole story is about the father-son relationship, the kid Master Dhananjay looks cute but fails to make much of an impact, especially with poor dubbing.

The rest of the cast including Biju Menon, Radhika , Vijayaraghavan, Saikumar and Baburaj all have nothing much to do other than dressing up to some trendy color pattern. However there are major disappointments like Govind Padmasurya (as a cricketer who spends more time dancing with sexy gals than in the nets), Ashish Vidyarthi (begins the show as a deadly don but turns out to be a silly one), Daniel Balaji (he continues with his ridiculous antics after Bhagawan, though he does it all to look fiery as a villain) and Suraj Venjarammood.

Sameer Thahir's camera does a nice job and Biji Bal's music is peppy with songs like My daddy… and Kadhayoru…, though the lyrics is perhaps just meant to rhyme and not to make much sense.

In all fairness, Daddy Cool is meant to be a visual spectacle not to be taken with much seriousness. In the current form, it leaves you just cold or to a great extent, let down! On second thoughts, it would have qualified as a watchable fare if it was thirty minutes short, with its trendy costumes, stylish shots and some of the songs.

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