Two Line Reviews - #397

Movie: Leelai (Thamizh, 2012)

Plot: A man assumes a different identity when he wishes to woo a girl with who he's had a series of phone-rows back at college. When he does it successfully, he doesn't know how to reveal the real 'him' and struggles through the journey.

What Works?

• The setup - with buildings without a speck of dust, characters dressed charmingly - is as pleasing to the eye as it is unrealistic; And the type of story that is not tested frequently helps the film stay afresh.
• The debutante heroine is adequately good both looks-wise and in performance! Not much to say about the male lead though.
• Santhanam - the season's flavour ( though the film is quite outdated) shows his comedy from 2 years ago isn't all that bad.

What Doesn't?

• The film takes its one-line and climax from You've got Mail but there the lead players are genuine strangers ; Here isn't that case; Hero's a fraud, so that climax doesn't work here!
• Except the chartbuster of 2009-10 Jillenru oru Kalavaram, the music and the BGM are sore!

Half-baked - OK and Bad!

Two Line Reviews - #362

Movie: Shaitaan (Hindi,2011)

Plot: A group of carefree drug-abused friends ecstatically get out of control and kill a family in a car accident. The police working on the case finds traces the culprits and negotiates a deal. To cover up, the group enacts a kidnap tale blackmailing the parents of one of its own members and clearly get defeated by the consequences which it hadn't considered while formulating its plan.

Highlights:

• Considering the fact that it is Bejoy Nambiar's debut film, one has to give it to him for the style and daring approach he has adopted.The film has its share of appreciable sequences.
• Among the performers, the one who plays the police and the lead of the abused gang do well. The gorgeous Kirti Kulhari & her friend have their roles towards the end which they do well; That of Kalki's is simple and done ok.
• Music is a plus in this film; Amit Trivedi's tracks carry the mood of the film.

• The big minus is the way the disintegration of the gang is shown; How they try to escape make them look like retards.
• Shiv roaming around with just his vests on is another thumbs-down.
• Another dampener is the influence of her locked-up mother on Kalki.

Pedestrian stuff (Pun intended)!