Bougainvillea - Say your prayers, and get some sleep

 

Bougainvillea

2024, Malayalam

Genre: Psychological thriller

Director:  Amal Neerad

Stars: Jyothirmayi, Kunchacko Boban, Fahadh Faasil, Srinda, Veena Nandakumar

Mohan's Measure: ⭐

It takes a lot for a Malayalam to get such a low rating from movie.  And, certainly, Bougainvillea offers a lot...of poor acting and terrible plot.

The movie is sold as a psychological thriller, and at first we are offered just that.  After a freak accident, a woman develops retro-grade amnesia, and remains in a creepy home with her husband, a doctor and caretaker.  Soon a mysterious policeman shows up, with stories of missing young women, and a desire to learn the truth.

Unfortunately, that is where any sign of a plot ends.  It seems the director is more interested in featuring his wife - who is a marginal actress at best -  in his movie than worrying about how to create a good story. It says a lot when you can figure out who the villain is within the first hour of the film.  It says a lot more when the second half returns to trite slasher horror to tell us a story.

While the story speaks of gaslighting, this is downplayed to the woman's injuries, which weakens the closing scenes.  Weakening too is how this clear victim of Stockholm Syndrome suddenly, without due notice, finds a sudden burst of energy to fight back.  But, she does become the heroine of this movie, making Fahadh Faasil's investigative cop role a force fit.

Say your prayers and get some sleep is a tagline used throughout. For me, it is a wholesome alternate to watching this movie.