Dominic and the Ladies' Purse Movie Review : Mammootty shines in this stylish mystery investigation drama

Dominic and the Ladies Purse is more of a Mammootty one-man show, in a good way. It is a little different from your regular Gautham Vasudev Menon film but there is a style to the storytelling and there are those seemingly trivial things that add a special charm to the film.


For an investigation story, while it keeps you guessing for a while, the first half is mostly focussed on the light hearted interactions and the gradual progress of the investigation. There is much to know, much to figure out and some wry humour to appreciate along the way. Neeraj and Sooraj Rajan along with Gautham have kept the Mammootty's mystery investigation film engaging. There are some parts that could have been trimmed to make this more exciting.




While Dominic is not a Pranchiyettan or a Rajamanikyam, it is still a memorable transmigration executed by Mammootty. However, there are a lot of 'Mammootty mannerisms' in this one. Dominic is unapologetically himself, is not a saint, - is boastful, quirky, funny, practical and a little lonely.


The story itself is intriguing, though, at a certain point in the second half, the audience may get a hunch of who the culprit is. The film is able to connect even a seemingly insignificant comment about the whereabouts of the victim and the perpetrator. There seems to be some misunderstanding of how local news telecast works, but that's beside the point. The dialogue are relatable and quirky which makes it fun.


The film is layered and so are the characters. Gokul Suresh matches Dominic's vibe and so does Viji Venkatesh. They are like two satellites around the star. Of course, the star performer after Mammootty is Sushmitha Bhatt. She is spectacular. There are so many characters going in and out but the story warrants it.


The exciting climax makes up for any lethargy one may feel at any point in the film. That said, there are also plot points like the identity of an individual -who do they identify as ? There is no judgement which is fair and hopefully, it is looked at through the same lens by the larger public rather than being used as a tool to discriminate.


Darbuka Siva's music is fresh and interesting. Vijay Yesudas sang a very peppy track in it with ThirumaLi joining him with Sathyaprakash and Pavithra Chari.