Family movie review: Don Palathara’s stellar film exposes how family, religious institutions and society create a safe space for predators

Sony (Vinay Forrt) is the community’s reliable go-to person for a myriad of tasks. Whether it involves rescuing a stranded cow from a well, tutoring children or imparting “wisdom” to a misbehaving teenage boy, residents approach him for all sorts of matters. Sony also derives satisfaction from being a “good Samaritan” and volunteers to aid any family in the area, regardless of the scale of their needs.

In contrast to many others in the locality, Sony doesn’t adhere to regressive ideologies. In short, he stands out as an exceptionally good person in his community. While others blindly follow the religious teachings of the church, Sony’s overt open-mindedness prompts one to ponder if there’s more beneath the surface of his helpful demeanour.

In a brilliantly composed and shot scene within a house, Family unveils a shocking revelation about Sony. As the man of the household watches TV in the living room, the camera peers through a nearby open door, revealing Sony providing tutoring to a teenage girl. Only Sony is visible through the doorway, sitting across from the girl behind a wall. In the midst of the lesson, Sony stands up and approaches the girl, leaving us with the unsettling image of the father casually watching TV while the nearby door remains open, revealing Sony’s empty seat. This moment exposes what Sony does behind open doors.

This pivotal moment shocks us, prompting us to reconsider and reassess Sony’s previously perceived “amazing rapport” with kids. Slowly, it becomes apparent that he is a paedophile. In the initial sequence, we learn that a leopard is prowling in the area, and now we realise that it symbolises the child-preying predator on the loose here. Towards the end, the sole shot featuring the leopard involves two little kids, not adults, spotting the big cat, further underlining this.

The girl is not the only one facing abuse from Sony. He is depicted as being “very close” with one of his relatives too. In a chilling scene, they both are riding on Sony’s bike and after some time he parks it near a hillock. Walking away from the camera towards the mountain’s summit, Sony’s hand rests on the kid’s shoulders, leaving us no choice but to witness him leading the child to an abandoned location for preying, reminiscent of a leopard’s behaviour. Sony’s brother, Nobi (Mathew Thomas), also maintains a noticeable distance from him. When Sony offers to teach Nobi how to ride a bike, Nobi promptly declines with clear irritation, suggesting that he, too, has faced similar abuses from Sony growing up.

While the documentary Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (2012) and the biographical drama Spotlight (2015), among many other works, shed light on the sexual abuse of minors by the clergy, Family, penned by Sherin Catherine and Don, goes one step further and explores how the church and a conservative, close-knit society “facilitate” child sex abuse and how they create a “safe space” for pedophiles by maintaining a hostile environment that rarely allows children the opportunity to speak up and silencing those who express doubts about the occurrence of such incidents in their surroundings.

In a particular instance, Sony’s relative Rani (Divya Prabha) finds him with the young girl in the storeroom of their house while everyone else is in the living room. Initially shaken, Sony deceives Rani about the reasons for their solitary presence. Subsequently, when Rani confides in the girl’s mother, the latter commends Sony as an amazing person. Later, their relative, a nun, confronts Rani for “spreading such stories” and admonishes her from doing so “for God’s sake”.

Sony’s questionable actions don’t stop here. Following her father’s suicide, a young woman in the area is left in severe trauma, with only her mother and sister for support. Sony enters the scene as a helping hand but quickly ensnares her in a romantic relationship. When his family disapproves of this relationship, he shrewdly ends it by gaslighting her. Nevertheless, the film also skillfully reveals glimpses of his reprehensible behaviour here.

Both the family and the church, or society at large, steadfastly support Sony throughout these events, not harbouring even the slightest hint of doubt. To “purify” his soul once again, they arrange for him to attend a church retreat, where he is reassured that “God will forgive your sins”, yet again highlighting the cunning nature of such institutions. Towards the end, the church priest even requests Sony to join the local school as a teacher for 10th-grade students, akin to placing a leopard in a haven of prey.

One of the beauties of Family is its adept use of wide and long shots, employing little to no close-ups, emphasising how the entire society is a part of all this. By cleverly toning down the on-screen colours, Don Palathara also accentuates the monotonous nature of people. Simultaneously, the filmmaker ensures that Family is not loud at any moment; it unfolds in a very subdued, non-flashy and uneventful manner, much like most of our lives.

Vinay Forrt, who consistently delivers an A-game performance when handling nuanced characters, excels in Family as well. His remarkable understanding of the character, coupled with additional layers of nuances, while effectively conveying why he is regarded as “dear” to all, makes Sony one of the most chilling antagonists in Malayalam cinema. Simultaneously, all the other actors, especially Divya Prabha, Mathew Thomas and Nilja K Baby, deliver standout performances in their respective roles.

While cinematographer Jaleel Badusha’s contribution emerges as one of the major strengths of Family, Basil CJ’s music enhances the overall brilliance of the film. Family also serves as a testament to Don’s editing prowess, highlighting the excellence a visionary filmmaker can achieve when well-versed in editing.

Family movie cast: Vinay Forrt, Divya Prabha, Mathew Thomas, Nilja K Baby
Family movie director: Don Palathara
Family movie rating: 4.5 stars