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GORIPALAYAM MOVIE REVIEW
Review by : Behindwoods review board
Starring: Vikranth, Harish, Ramakrishnan, Prakash, Raguvannan.
Direction: Rasu Madhavan
Music: Sabesh Murali
Production: Global Infotainment
How and why do youngsters go astray? What prompts them to leave behind all that is good in life and go in search of momentary pleasures? Director Rasu Madhuravan tries to explore this question with his second film, Goripalayam. It is quite clear even from a one line synopsis that this is a movie which is treading on path that has been often used over the past couple of years or so. We have been regularly fed with these kinds of subjects where rural youth lose touch with reality and are drawn into violence. There have been films that have concentrated more on the violence and gore while others have chosen to have bit more of a social commentary over what makes things go wrong. So, which path does Goripalayam follow?

The film, as the name quite clearly indicates, is a story set in the town of Goripalayam, in Madurai. The story is about five young men who have had quite unhappy childhoods due to domestic
  Goripalayam
problems. Each one has a story to tell, of estranged parents, of growing up an orphan, of being misguided by the very people who ought to show the right way, in general, it is all because of parents who don’t fulfill their responsibilities. With no one to guide, reprimand or love them, the five youngsters take to the streets. Hot blood and hormones take over and one knows that lots of violence cannot be far away. And in comes tobacco, alcohol, intoxication and all the vices that it brings along with itself. Without much doubt, such a group of young men turned vagabonds will not have many friends and well wishers. There are people looking for the right opportunities to have a swing at this gang. And when the chance presents itself…

The right intentions are present, but the proportion goes awry. The director has started off wanting to portray definitively the reasons behind a youngster’s decadence, pointing out that it all starts right from childhood. It would have been a message well conveyed only if he had restrained himself in the display of violence and plain unruliness. For starters, it might be considered necessary to establish the characters in a strong manner. But, when the same kind of portrayal (loud dialogues, arrogant swaggers etc…) keeps repeating itself scene after scene, it tends to irritate the viewer rather than ingrain the characters into his mind. There is also an abundance of scenes where the characters are either consuming alcohol or indulging in some kind of intoxication or the other. After a point, even this gets repulsive. Also, it is difficult to understand the love angles presented in the film. How can an educated college-going girl from an upper middle class family fall in love with a good-for-nothing, loser, street vagrant who does nothing but drink and brawl? Well, they say love is blind, but the director seems to have interpreted it too far in the wrong direction. There is no rhyme or reason presented for love to happen, except of course for the girl’s dog relieving itself on this person.


The director has not been able to extract much out of his cast. None of the actors really impress with their performances. Ramakrishna of Kunguma Poovum Konjum Puravum fame does not get much but look unkempt and make loud utterances. Vikranth, Vijay’s cousin, who was expected to be the surprise packet of the film does not create much of an impact. In his first role with negative shades, he plays a thug who is hired to kill the group of five. The role definitely had the potential to show him in a much different light than has been done in his entire career. But sadly, the opportunity is missed. The role of a toughie does not really sit well on the actor; his body language has not been adapted to the needs of the character. Amongst all the other newcomers, Raghuvannan (Manivannan’s son) gets noticed, playing a character whose intentions for being part of the gang are revealed only very close to the end.

Technically, Goripalayam is a movie that does not score much on any front. Camera is adequate while Sabesh Murali’s music doesn’t help the film much. In fact, one of the songs reminds us of a number from the Madhavan starrer Priyamana Thozhi.

The most noticeable aspect of Goripalayam is the portrayal of Madurai. M for Madurai, M for mayhem seems to the Kollywood line these days. This movie is no different. There are sickles, knives and sticks flying even without the drop of a hat. Is Madurai really like this, one might begin to wonder?

Director Rasu Madhuravan, who had shown a keen eye for sentiments in Mayandi Kudumbathar takes a different path this time. Sentiments have not been given much importance. The introduction of the five youngsters and their problems in a voice over by the director is crisp. But, his script could definitely have cut down on violence, unruliness, loud dialogues and alcohol. Devoid of an overuse of these elements, Goripalayam could have been a sensible and sensitive film about how societal negligence can be a breeding opportunity for the unwanted.

Verdict: Overdose of unruliness



Tags : Goripalayam, Vikranth, Sabesh Murali
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