Review #498: Amarakaaviyam (2014)

Amarakaaviyam Movie Review

Plot: Two school-goers are madly & deeply in love with each other. When their parents are made to know of this under unpleasant circumstances, they take decisions that make the delicate affair even more complex. Throw in the betrayal by a close friend & more of bickering between the families to get a feel of the limit to which the love gets tested. Does the pair succeed in the end?

What Works?

• Director Jeeva Sankar (of Naan fame) has to be lauded for a few things – Right at the top of that list is the fact that he has made a school-love themed film with a deft-touch, mature characters & devoid of unwarranted commercial elements/vulgarity.
• The film’s screenplay is tight - stays with its core element for the entirety & uncompromising to the ‘fast-pace’ whimsical needs of the modern movie-goers.
• The film marks the debut of Sathya (brother of actor Arya, producer of this flick) and he has come up with a strong showing with a neat character that underplays well. If he chooses his films carefully, he is in for a long haul. The heroine Mia George, for a change, is not the debonair diva dolls we get to see in films, yet, is adorable and plays her role quite well
• The supporting cast deserves a special mention – It is one of those rare films with a limited set of characters (not more than 10), each one having significant scope & the cast members (right from the hero’s guardian dad to the psychiatrist doctor) have looked the part and have performed admirably well
• Ghibran’s inspiring background score is part of the film’s core & he doesn’t let down with the songs as well – There are a few hummable montage songs that captivate
• The director is the film’s cinematographer too & that always presents the invisible sync. The beauty of the Nilgiris captured to perfection.
• Good attention to detail has been paid to suit the period the film represents (1988 ) examples being the MilkBikis cover, Horlicks bottle, the poster of the quintessential film of that year (Sathya) Poster etc.

What Doesn't?

• The way the love gets established & the intensity of it is not shown very well. It is just a number of repetitive ‘I Love You’ scenes which present a few moments of sag in the first half

• A few clichés have seemingly been unavoidable (The lover who comes in the end; the slow-mo fight are examples)

In a Nutshell
Amara Kaaviyam may not be the immortal epic its name translates to, but is nevertheless a honest film that stays true to its core for its run-time and makes for a definite non-regrettable watch for the sincere efforts of the cast & crew.

Deftly Crafted

Two Line Reviews - #423

Movie: Mugamoodi (Thamizh, 2012)

Plot: To win his lady's heart, a jobless jack good at martial arts masks himself up and enacts a night-guard's tale. He gets mixed up with a burglar gang who have been a menace to the city for months. His kung-fu expertise helps him nab one, and in due course lets him help the police force, win his love and save people at the end to make him a masked superhero!

What Works?

• Mysskin's treatment of a subject is never a matter of 'will he?'. Here, even though he tries a relatively new premise, his style adoring the chinese, japanese traditions is admirable as always.
• The portions after the  villain and hero get on each others' line are good; Action scenes have been conceived remarkably well!
• Jiiva, Nasser, Girish(doing a Dark Knight's Michael Caine?) have roles that appeal.
• The night sequences are proof enough for the good work behind the lens by Sathya;
• K's Zimmer-style background score stays apt and lets the action on screen be what it should feel like. Naatula namma veetula is the winner among songs!
• Gabriella Wilkins's costumes haven't gone over the board and that's appreciable.

What Doesn't?

• The love portions have been dealt with poorly; It takes too much of the film's running time and isn't that serious too.
• The above line makes Pooja Hegde a liability; Narain's climax act is childish and the screenplay gets spolit towards the end; The burglar group's main mission goes out of line!

'Like' for the Superhero attempt; 'Thumbs down' for the love & climax letdowns!