If I had a say,I would state that 'James and Alice',directed by Sujith Vasudev,is a very underrated movie.Reviewers had lauded the film for introducing a new concept into Malayalam cinema,but I never expected the second half to give pleasant flashbacks of the likes of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', 'Bruce Almighty' and 'Inception'.Apart from stellar performances by the lead pair and the supporting actors,the film highlights family - "Is there a more beautiful scene to behold?"(than a happy family),in the words of Peter the godsend,who ushers James's soul into a retrospective of his past;an auditing of his mistakes in life,if you will.Though the trailer and songs deceptively point towards a love story,'James and Alice' is much more,with innovations in storyline,cinematography and other aspects of cinema I am sadly unaware of.As a viewer,I can definitely say that Sujith Vasudev's debut film is an unprecedented yet proud leap for the industry.

If the first half follows an ordinary storyline of a married couple and their young daughter and the delicate relationship that teeters towards a divorce,the second half will surprise you with a whole new concept aided by beautiful shots and dialogues.When James's tremulous question,"Am I dead?" incites an amused smile and a "Do you want to die?" from Peter,'the divine auditor', I was instantly reminded of Dumbledore's similar repertoire with Harry, assumed to be at King's Cross station,where Harry is faced with the choice of remaining in the dream or facing reality.
When Peter takes James to 'the place of no return',which one could call 'heaven' or 'the afterlife',the white sand and the landscape,devoid of any other sign of life apart from the two men,and the whole theme of man being reminded of the ephemerality of human life,was reminiscent of 'Bruce Almighty' - how the Creator(Morgan Freeman) shows Bruce(Jim Carrey)that being God is no piece of cake.
The parallel shots of James lying in an indefinite coma,and that of him being replayed through how he could have lived better,invoked images of Christopher Nolan's 'Inception',which is not entirely fitting,I guess,but the concept of 'a dream within a dream' stuck with me through those frames.And of course,the 'happy family' concept - how we need to adjust to keep our loved ones cared for,and how at the end of the day,the struggle is totally worth it,was done with a flourish.Overall,a great movie for an introspective mind.Kudos to the whole team!The graphics,the Hollywood style concept and that phenomenal scene where the duo look upon the Earth from the heavens,calling it "a big,beautiful chaos" and 'The Alchemist'reference("When you want something,the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it")stay in mind long after you leave the theatre.