Through the 90s and even the early 2000s, a Kamal Hassan movie brought with it big expectations for me. Though that has faded significantly in the recent years, I still keep my eyes and ears open whenever his movie comes out. So when a friend of mine reserved tickets for Thoongavanam, it was showtime.
For starters, I went in with a clean slate in that I hadn't (still haven't) watched Sleepless Night, the original movie that this is based off. And given his recent movies, most of which I have sidestepped, seem to be fanning his already big ego, I kept expectations to the very minimum. Kamal the actor in the hands of good directors was definitely watchable. But Kamal the philosopher-director-preacher working with his usual suspects? I'll pass. Actors starting to take themselves seriously leaves such a bad taste. I'm looking at you Amir Khan and Sharukh Khan.
This is a suspense thriller involving good cops, bad cops, drugs (and flour) and drug lords. At the center of it all is a kidnapping which basically drives all the action. After watching this movie, two questions crop up in my mind. Why Sleepless Night? I'm not sure why this movie needed to be remade in Tamil. I mean what was so inspirational from the original to warrant a remake? Second question: Why cast Kamal Hassan? I don't believe this movie required Kamal. Period. The very fact that most of the movie happens in one night took the wind out of the sail since this severely limited the scope of acting that an actor like Kamal is (still) capable of.
Since I don't have the chops to do an insightful review, here are some quick thoughts thrown in in no particular order.
1. The movie should have been made like a 60-m dash but felt more like a 800m race. It was at least 30 minutes too long. One part slack editing and one part stretched out screenplay made it sag through many sections losing to impose a sense of anticipation.
2. Kamal's persona and the concomitant quirks burden the movie on many occasions. Some of them have been shoehorned in to the narration which adds to the sag.
3. Perhaps it was the make up to suit the role she was playing or I need to visit the eye doctor. Trisha looked pretty at the audio launch event but looked ...err...manly? in the movie. While on Trisha, what was with her Tamil and dialog delivery? Sounded like a female robot.
4. This movie required a serious villain to maintain the pressure. (Note, I haven't watched the original and not sure if this is a faithful reproduction) Prakash Raj, who must be on Raj Kamal International's speed dial, dumbed this role down with out of place comedy. In my opinion, Sampath, the other minor villain, would have been a better choice.
5. Hot nurses? In discotheques? Generously locking lips with strangers? Happens only in movies. I mean in Kamal movies. If on the other hand, that girl is really a nurse in some hospital, someone please break my left, small toe nail right now!
6. Too many actors have been thrown in to the mix but end up playing little, blink and you miss type roles. It turned out to be a distraction to me.
7. The kid was really cute and cracks the most genuine joke towards the very end.
An OK film. Definitely no edge of the seat stuff in what should have been a taut thriller. And there is a giant Kamal cloud hanging over it.
I expected to watch a thriller with KH in it. But make no mistake, this is a Kamal movie with a few thrills patched on.
For starters, I went in with a clean slate in that I hadn't (still haven't) watched Sleepless Night, the original movie that this is based off. And given his recent movies, most of which I have sidestepped, seem to be fanning his already big ego, I kept expectations to the very minimum. Kamal the actor in the hands of good directors was definitely watchable. But Kamal the philosopher-director-preacher working with his usual suspects? I'll pass. Actors starting to take themselves seriously leaves such a bad taste. I'm looking at you Amir Khan and Sharukh Khan.
This is a suspense thriller involving good cops, bad cops, drugs (and flour) and drug lords. At the center of it all is a kidnapping which basically drives all the action. After watching this movie, two questions crop up in my mind. Why Sleepless Night? I'm not sure why this movie needed to be remade in Tamil. I mean what was so inspirational from the original to warrant a remake? Second question: Why cast Kamal Hassan? I don't believe this movie required Kamal. Period. The very fact that most of the movie happens in one night took the wind out of the sail since this severely limited the scope of acting that an actor like Kamal is (still) capable of.
Since I don't have the chops to do an insightful review, here are some quick thoughts thrown in in no particular order.
1. The movie should have been made like a 60-m dash but felt more like a 800m race. It was at least 30 minutes too long. One part slack editing and one part stretched out screenplay made it sag through many sections losing to impose a sense of anticipation.
2. Kamal's persona and the concomitant quirks burden the movie on many occasions. Some of them have been shoehorned in to the narration which adds to the sag.
3. Perhaps it was the make up to suit the role she was playing or I need to visit the eye doctor. Trisha looked pretty at the audio launch event but looked ...err...manly? in the movie. While on Trisha, what was with her Tamil and dialog delivery? Sounded like a female robot.
4. This movie required a serious villain to maintain the pressure. (Note, I haven't watched the original and not sure if this is a faithful reproduction) Prakash Raj, who must be on Raj Kamal International's speed dial, dumbed this role down with out of place comedy. In my opinion, Sampath, the other minor villain, would have been a better choice.
5. Hot nurses? In discotheques? Generously locking lips with strangers? Happens only in movies. I mean in Kamal movies. If on the other hand, that girl is really a nurse in some hospital, someone please break my left, small toe nail right now!
6. Too many actors have been thrown in to the mix but end up playing little, blink and you miss type roles. It turned out to be a distraction to me.
7. The kid was really cute and cracks the most genuine joke towards the very end.
An OK film. Definitely no edge of the seat stuff in what should have been a taut thriller. And there is a giant Kamal cloud hanging over it.
I expected to watch a thriller with KH in it. But make no mistake, this is a Kamal movie with a few thrills patched on.
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