Pachaikili Muthucharam

The climax was a bit disappointing with the action scenes....but as the previous reviewer mentioned....this is an Indian movie! the director had to compromise if he still has a chance to make this movie a success.

but the fight sequences were suspenseful as well. given gautham's capability of making movies with a tragic ending (kakkha kakkha), you never could guess what was in store!

this is one of the best Tamil movies I've ever seen. unfortunately, i am forced to agree with the previous comment. i don't see it being successful for a typical Indian audience. in fact. even a major section of the audience i saw it with here in Chicago hated it! maybe they weren't really able to relate with it. i think the theme is a bit too mature for an average teenager or a guy in his early 20's to relate with. maybe the movie should come with a PG 25 rating! :)

a pity...but I'm not sure if a typical college going kid will be able to relate with this movie.

but, if you think Tamil movies don't have class...see this one. and pardon gautham for the action sequences at the end. without that, he dint have a ghost of a chance to make this a success! the camera work was superb...it wasn't about special effects, but about brilliantly capturing the life of a typical upper middle class person in tamilnadu...the close up shots were amazing. distinctly different from anything at least i have seen before.

and Andrea...ooomph!

brilliant performances. never knew that even sharath kumar can act! don't miss this. but if you are expecting a typical run of the mill entertainment...save your money and see pokiri...:)

PKMC - Mr. Menon must have been really tired working with Kamal for V V. The consequence are clearly seen in PKMC. Apart from the fact that it is a remake of DERAILED, the film showcases the weakness and lethargic approach in direction which is not seen in 'kahka kahka'. One can hardly see any neutral shots in the film. Hand held shots does give a candid feel but not every time. I have seen Aravind Krishna(D.O.P) doing a role in kandukondein kandukondein in which he operates camera for marriage receptions, i see the same effect here too. It was like watching a wedding video. Well, esthetics and shot-divisions are exclusively director's perception, but one should also admit that a good paper can be converted to a good celluloid only when the right combinations are used. Writer/ Director Gautham menon should however be praised for the dialogues, the only best part in the film. Every piece is memorable but had western color.

Editing is pretty decent but eclipsed due to poor shot selections. Harris Jeyaraj, the current heart-throb should come out of his shell. A director can be identified by his way and style of film-making, because he has the cushion of doing it with different characters and artists every time, but not the music director. He has to be different and innovative every time. Harris's original score not only gives the audience a 'deja vu' feel but also 'Why is that i hear the same in every movie of his'?' thought. His background score is better comparatively. For someone who has a strong memory and were moved by a piece in 'Samurai' (that's Harris's too) they can hear the same here too. Just the same!

The casting is also a weaker section in PKMC. Except Jothika and Milind Soman (Awesome lip sync) nobody is impressive. Andre who is full of colours in the second half, showed a stiff face in the first. She carried a small smile in her face through out the first half which is a trait for any newcomer, Director should have taken extra care. Sarath Kumar, the protagonist's performance is below par. Sarath will be the best when he don roles like Natamai. I cannot take the 'so called' fact that he is underplayed. A scene where kalyani cries out "kaila 600 rooba than iruthathu" i expected some top class reaction from Sarath. Both the Director and the actor let me down. I'm not thrilled or surprised to see Jothika's acting. It's a known fact that she is THE best actor at present.

P.S. It is not a taboo that all films should be criticised to prove a single point that a review writer is intelligent and well-informed about the films than the director. It is the result of the juxtaposition of other films that the director had directed with the present one. We saw a new light in 'Khaka Khaka' which was fading in 'Vaytaiyadu Vilaiyadu' and now it is a complete black out.

BOTTOM LINE: Pachai Kili Muthu Charam - A necklace with counterfeit pearls!!!

Gvm's masterpiece. Good screen play, sarath acting is superb.

Choosing to remake a known book/film which was panned in Hollywood (With reported box office earnings of $35,945,749) is tough. Making it work in Tamil is even tougher. The theme is mature and unconventional as far the average Tamil audience would like to see on screen. And a tad bit uncomfortable for the average macho or 'happily married' audience. Credit must be given to Gautham to have thought that he could pull it off. But he doesn't.

a. The average Sarath Kumar fan is disappointed - he is not larger-than-life in most part. There is no vintage 'Super-Hero' Sarath Kumar present in the movie. Gautham tries to salvage this with some extended fight scenes towards the end but doesn't really pull it off.

b. The newcomer Andrea is not quite there yet, especially with some lip-sync problems (may have been a technical issue). There is nothing special about her presence on screen apart from that she looks attractive in some scenes.

c. Jyothika does a neat job in the first half of the movie as Sarath's love interest. But as one of the villains in the piece, she is reduced to a caricature and reprises her 'Chandramukhi' brand of glowering in some of the scenes.

d. Milind Soman (aided amply by Gautham's voice) acquits himself creditably, managing to appear 'coolly menacing' without going over-the-top.

d. The music, which sounds like you have 'heard it before' is saved only by the title piece (the violin solo) which is again part of the now-usual hit combo of Harris Jayaraj and Bombay Jayashree. Apart from the song 'Unakkul Naney' which has received quite a lot of airtime on radio, the rest of the numbers are forgettable.

e. The songs were presented quite unimaginatively and the grim reaper sequence was downright absurd. For all the 'DI/super35' buzz the producers and director tried to generate prior to release, there was nothing to show for it. Arvind Krisha does an average job at best, aided by excessive color-correction (which has been apparent in Gautham's movies since 'Vettayadu Vilayadu') in post.

f. The script meanders towards the end of the movie with extended scenes inserted for fights and songs. Logical progression and conclusion has been sacrificed, presumably for box-office success.

g. The film didn't generate enough buzz post-release, despite all the money that was pumped into the hoardings and tie-in promotions. It died a natural death, with an average rating from the box office. The box-office collections were however, healthy enough for the producers, it is said.

All that said, Sarath Kumar has delivered an understudy that will prove to a lot of cynics that he is capable of subtlety. The tentativeness that he portrays (he appears, very convincingly, unsure of "taking the next step") all through the early part of his relationship with Jyothika's character up to the turning point is palpable.

But that is about the only saving grace. The box-office and cinemas are a merciless place sometimes. And you are only as good as your next movie! Gautham has tough task on his next venture, which is rumored to be another 'remake' or 'inspiration'. From a Hollywood HIT, this time.

We'll have to wait and see how that turns out in Tamil.

Vanakkam!

As a Sarathkumar fan, this movie will always remain special in my heart. A great performance from the supreme star. Jyothika and Andrea also acted well. Millind Suman was good however, he failed to spark in this film as a villain despite getting a huge opportunity to show his talent. Suman overcame his lack of acting skills by his fame and charm. Although the movie is filled with many plotholes and scarred by weak direction, it is Sarath and Jyothika who carry the movie and make it a cult. The dialogues were mind-blowing, the screenplay was decent, pacing was appreciatable. Enjoyed the songs. The climax scenes were a bit disappointing. Overall a great experience.