Lovely Movie Review: A flying fantasy that never quite takes off
Mathew Thomas tries his best to act genuinely moved by an insect with a traumatic past. He brings loose charm in the early scenes and taps into emotional vulnerability later. But the script offers no natural progression. One moment, he is mildly amused by a talking fly; the next, he acts as if his entire life depends on it. That shift never feels organic. Supporting actors like Ganga Meera, Manoj K Jayan, Prashanth Murali, and Aswathy Manoharan show up, deliver functional performances, and vanish just as quickly. They all hover on the periphery without leaving any meaningful impression.
Technically, the film has a few strengths. Aashiq Abu's cinematography, soft-focused and warm-toned, adds a lucid, dreamlike visual palette suited to the premise. The visual effects, especially the animated fly, are clean but too sterile to feel truly integrated into the world. Considering the budget, it is a decent effort. The much-touted 3D element is a non-event, offering no real enhancement to the experience. Where Lovely utterly collapses is in its writing. The script reads like a first draft nobody bothered to polish. Scenes drag without rhythm, tonal shifts jar the experience, and the dialogue is painfully on the nose. What could have been a surreal exploration of loneliness, friendship, or even redemption reduces to juvenile banter and clunky exposition. Subplots emerge only to pad the runtime. Even those that seem promising fizzle out with no payoff.
By the time the climax arrives, Lovely has thoroughly tested your patience. Attempts at emotional catharsis feel unearned, and the supposedly feel-good ending lands more bizarre than uplifting. Even worse, a disturbing third-act choice by the protagonist is handled so offhandedly that it severs any remaining empathy for him. It is a shame. There is a bit of charm buried in the concept. But what we get is a film that mistakes quirk for substance and sentimentality for depth. In the end, Lovely is less a soaring adventure and more a clumsy crash landing.
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But officials believe the trend has gone a bit too far, and that it might be causing more problems than it solves. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So, what exactly are 'kira-kira' names? Why has Japan decided to step in now? What do the new rules mean for parents? And which other countries regulate baby names? Here's a closer look. What are Japan's 'kirakira' names? 'Kirakira,' translating to 'shiny' or 'glittery,' refers to a trend in Japan where parents choose unique, often unconventional names for their children. The trend first started gaining popularity in the late 1980s and has since evolved, often reflecting whatever is trending in pop culture at the time, say academics. These names typically draw inspiration from anime characters, foreign languages, global brands, or playful uses of kanji, the complex Chinese-origin characters used in written Japanese. Parents often get creative with how these characters are read, which can sometimes leave others completely puzzled. Some of the more surprising examples include names like 'Jewel', 'Lovely', 'Kitty', and 'Elsa' for girls, while boys have been named 'Prince', 'Naruto', and even 'Pikachu'. Others have taken it a step further with names like 'Pū', which sounds like Winnie-the-Pooh, 'Naiki', resembling the sports brand Nike, and 'Dorami', a nod to the character from Doraemon. 'Kirakira,' translating to 'shiny' or 'glittery,' refers to a trend in Japan where parents choose unique, names for their children. Some of the more surprising examples include names like 'Jewel', 'Lovely', 'Kitty', and 'Elsa' for girls, while boys have been named 'Prince', 'Naruto', and even 'Pikachu'. Image for Representation. AFP Then there are cases like Olympic legend Seiko Hashimoto, who named her children Girishia (Greece) and Torino (Turin), after the Olympic host cities from the years they were born. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why have unusual names become a headache in Japan? While kira-kira names may seem cute or creative, they've caused quite a few practical and social problems over the years. Since parents often assign kanji with non-traditional or creative readings, it's left school records, medical charts, and government documents filled with names that no one knows how to pronounce, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP). A long-term study on baby-naming trends, published in 2022, also found that the number of 'unique names' has risen dramatically over the past four decades. But it's not just paperwork that's being affected. There's rising concern that children with such unusual names could face social challenges, including ridicule or isolation from peers. Since parents often assign kanji with non-traditional or creative readings, it's left school records, medical charts, and government documents filled with names that no one knows how to pronounce. Image for Representation. 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16-05-2025
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Lovely Movie Review: A flying fantasy that never quite takes off
Mathew Thomas tries his best to act genuinely moved by an insect with a traumatic past. He brings loose charm in the early scenes and taps into emotional vulnerability later. But the script offers no natural progression. One moment, he is mildly amused by a talking fly; the next, he acts as if his entire life depends on it. That shift never feels organic. Supporting actors like Ganga Meera, Manoj K Jayan, Prashanth Murali, and Aswathy Manoharan show up, deliver functional performances, and vanish just as quickly. They all hover on the periphery without leaving any meaningful impression. Technically, the film has a few strengths. Aashiq Abu's cinematography, soft-focused and warm-toned, adds a lucid, dreamlike visual palette suited to the premise. The visual effects, especially the animated fly, are clean but too sterile to feel truly integrated into the world. Considering the budget, it is a decent effort. The much-touted 3D element is a non-event, offering no real enhancement to the experience. Where Lovely utterly collapses is in its writing. The script reads like a first draft nobody bothered to polish. Scenes drag without rhythm, tonal shifts jar the experience, and the dialogue is painfully on the nose. What could have been a surreal exploration of loneliness, friendship, or even redemption reduces to juvenile banter and clunky exposition. Subplots emerge only to pad the runtime. Even those that seem promising fizzle out with no payoff. By the time the climax arrives, Lovely has thoroughly tested your patience. Attempts at emotional catharsis feel unearned, and the supposedly feel-good ending lands more bizarre than uplifting. Even worse, a disturbing third-act choice by the protagonist is handled so offhandedly that it severs any remaining empathy for him. It is a shame. There is a bit of charm buried in the concept. But what we get is a film that mistakes quirk for substance and sentimentality for depth. In the end, Lovely is less a soaring adventure and more a clumsy crash landing.
