BOTTOM LINE
Devoted To Boredom
OUR RATING
1.5/5
CENSOR
UA
What Is the Film About?
Men Too is about the suffering of men unjustifiably in the hands of women. How are the lives of three individuals, Aditya (Naresh Agastya), Sanju (Kaushik Ghantasala), and Munna (Mourya Siddavaram), affected by girls in their world? The movie’s plot is about how they meet and the events that eventually help them form an unbreakable bond.
Performances
Naresh Agastya, Kaushik Ghantasala, and Mourya Siddavaram are the principal characters driving the narrative. Each represents a male stereotype, and they are alright in the respective space.
Naresh Agastya is the leader of the pack and the one with a proper track exploring the biases of gender disparity. It is a relatable part, given the context and setting. The actor does well in the scope he gets. But, we have seen him do similar acts previously well. So, there is nothing new here. The subtle inner channelisation of frustration followed by one big outburst after a point is on the spot.
Kaushik Siddavaram plays a super-rich guy looking for simple pleasures and emotions in life. It is also a relatable part, but the actor isn’t as effective as one expects it to be. He tries hard in critical moments, but the natural attitude required for the part is missing.
Mourya Siddavaram is the mass guy of the gang with a heart on the sleeve. Additionally, a sort of bumbling fool that leads to entertainment and emotion when necessary. He is okay. The dialogue delivery helps the cause, but performance-wise, he gets repetitive soon. In the big dramatic moment, he is also found lacking, even though he is a bit better than the other.
Analysis
Srikanth G Reddy directs Men Too. The basic idea seems to be inspired by online trends related to men and the general observation and incidents where unfairness is evident.
The story of Men Too is the experiences of our protagonists, Aditya, Sanju and Munna. The whole story is narrated from the perspective of a bar named ‘Staged Only’. It is shown as a place where many women-affected males come to forget the real-life trauma temporarily.
The basic idea is interesting, no doubt, and relatable. It is why one would pick the subject in the first place, but the story and screenplay woven around it are lacklustre to the core.
More than half an hour passes in the narrative, and what we get is random scenes of men affected by women stitched together. There are multiple scenes with different men experiencing the same issues in distinct places. It makes the whole thing looks repetitive and boring. The point related to the topic is made, and one just hopes to get on with the story, but that doesn’t happen.
In between, we have a compelling track involving a character named Rahul, but the way it’s placed and presented hardly has any impact when the crucial incident occurs. There is a lot of emotion behind it, but only the surface level is scratched.
One hopes things get better in the second half, but it takes an entirely new journey altogether with a Himalayan trip. The proceedings that follow simply take away the narrative in a different direction. Things get back on track towards the end, but it is very late.
A big sweeping message is given at the end, which is no doubt relatable. Still, it remains like an individual standalone scene rather than a gradual emotional build-up (which it intends to be) that packs a punch when delivered.
Conserving the different tracks and individual episodes related to the characters, one wonders if a series format would have been a better choice narratively to deliver the same message but more effectively.
Overall, Men Too, despite a relatable theme and compelling moments, never comes together as a whole. A few individual scenes appeal, but the rest bores. Skipping it, therefore, saves time as the message is readily available only through the trends.
Performances by Others Actors
Brahmaji is the most notable face in the film. He plays an older guy ready to share his experiences with the youngsters to overcome their troubles. A brief flashback related to the part adds to the fun. However, the character isn’t adequately explored or blended into the narrative well. Brahmaji is his usual self, and the actor blends into the frame after a point as another guy.
Harsha Chemudu gets a non-comic and serious role for a change. It is a good idea and deserves praise without any doubt. His character and short track is the most compelling part of the movie. Harsha does well in what’s given to him, although it carries a short-film vibe in execution.
Riya Suman and Priyanka Sharma are the key female actors in the narrative. Both are alright but don’t evolve much beyond the stereotype. Jabardast Rohini, who impressed recently in Save The Tigers, is wasted. The rest of the actors are forgettable, playing bits and pieces roles.
Music and Other Departments?
Elisha Praveen G and Osho Venkat provide the music, which sounds nice, but has to memorable quality. The background score is better, comparatively. PC Mouli’s cinematography is okay. Kartik Vunnava’s editing skills are tested here with such a screenplay. He is alright. The writing is on predictable lines.
Highlights?
Basic Theme
Rahul And Aditya’s Office Track
Message
Drawbacks?
Screenplay
Missing Cohesive Narrative
Second Half
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
No
Men Too Movie Review by M9News
