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The film has an OK kind of story for its plot. But there is nothing new in it, story-wise, treatment wise, or theme-wise.
By Thomas T  1.5 Stars
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1 stars Sometimes it so happens that precise, smart dialogue makes up for a primarily inconsistent script, and sometimes well-paced direction covers up an absence of the first two. And on rare occasions as these, all three go crashing down the hill side, throwing brakes and brains to the winds. - VN    Mon, 25 May 2009
If IV Sasi intended Vellathooval to be a treatise on parental discretion and the rebelliousness often associated with those teenage years, I should say that the point totally escaped me while I was watching the film. For the major part of it, I was wondering why it is that the erstwhile stalwarts of Malayalam cinema go off on a tangent while dabbling with fresh colors and techniques on a clean canvas.

Jia (Nithya) is a highly volatile teenager who takes offence to the restrictions imposed by a supposedly meddlesome mom, and who has made a habit of walking out of her home whenever trouble brews. One such stormy session leads to her taking off for a while, as she hops atop a bike and decides to speed off to freedom with her classmate Manu (Ranjith Menon). Soon framed for murder, it turns out to be a long ride for both of them, and certainly not much of a fun trip either.

A good twenty five years back before Sasi had joined hands with Padmarajan to tell us a poignant tale of a young girl falling in love with her sponsor in 'Kanamarayathu'. Indeed, there's plenty to remember of the yesteryear flick that made for compelling viewing. A reason all the more that makes a lame, and frequently absurd piece as 'Vellathooval' from the same director a real tough watch.

Though my intentions are from that, to divulge the plot would never really spoil the experience. Because you'll be stunned to discover, and maybe even taken aback to learn, just how cooked up the whole thing really is. I couldn't find even an itsy bitsy jot of sparkle in John Paul's script, and believe me I was trying real hard.

Sometimes it so happens that precise, smart dialogue makes up for a primarily inconsistent script, and sometimes well-paced direction covers up an absence of the first two. And on rare occasions as these, all three go crashing down the hill side, throwing brakes and brains to the winds.

For one, the plot is too shifty. And the ploys employed are way too exaggerated. And the ending a real mess. If there's something called credibility that a film needs to have, 'Vellathooval' scores real low. It's carelessly heartless and often quite pitiably oblivious of how ordinary it is.

For a film that latches on to a solitary character that occupies most of the screen space and time, the casting of Vellathooval is nothing short of atrocious. Nithya in the lead role hams it up to the hilt and with a truly awful dubbing that matches up to her performance (or the lack of it), the results are nothing short of catastrophic. Well, she tries a bit too hard, and let's just say that it shows. Ranjith Menon is infinitely better than his costar but looks as perplexed as a duckling caught at the traffic lights.

And to cut a long story short, let's just put it across that it's formulaic to the extreme with no bright insights or ideas in sight. Inspirational stuff? No! Invigorating?? No! Insensate??? Yes!!


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