Warrier sets up an interesting premise, but cripples it with a deathly slow pace. ‘Coffee Bloom’ has a silly turning point involving a marauding elephant and a gunshot that make way for a farcical, half-baked investigation. The emotional outbursts between Dev and Anika, and their touching final scene, fare better in holding your interest.

Kariappa’s journey, from awkward renunciation of the world, to making peace with his present, doesn’t really bloom: the actors are hard at work but not to much purpose. Coffee Bloom becomes one of those films whose premise is interesting, but which is let down by the execution.

The film has a sense of warmth that ensures the audience would not want to ditch it half-way. However, the pace is a little slow – something associated with the movies that premiere at festivals before hitting theatres.

… if you find nothingness fascinating and are fine with films boasting of unhurried silences and stunning landscapes, you can give this indie film a shot. Ironically, you will need a cup of coffee to sit through this tedious affair.

What could have been an interesting tale of love, remorse and emotional turmoil, ends up being a wishy washy drama between some sketchy characters.

Thanks to the uninspiring script, the ho-hum performances, dull cinematography (Coorg could have looked so much more beautiful) and lackluster dialogues, you want to grab a cup of coffee to slap yourself awake once you are done with the movie.

Instead of trying so desperately to weave the landscape into a plot, the director should have made a documentary on the coffee plantations of Coorg.

For now, I am off coffee.