ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Walter Sloane Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

sesht A good friend of mine, with whom I discuss most of the good Tamil and Malayalam movies (contemporary) I'd heard of or watched, recommended this one to me. I bought the DVD, but by this time, I'd always watched Nivin & Nazriya in the spectacular 'Ohm Shanthi Ohshaana' last year. Having heard that this was their debut, along with knowing that it dabbled in the pulp crime genre, and that Jigarthanda's Simha had a prominent role, I'd been piqued to watch this as soon as time permitted.Finally got to do that a few days back.Unfortunately, it did not make the grade to be considered a good movie, though one of the tracks is now, justifiably, a cult classic. The movie apparently had some good box office too, and I think that's always a nice thing, since it IS offbeat, but more offbeat for effect, not necessarily an organic thing.The plot seems to be kept simple intentionally, and that's a good thing, in addition to controlling runtime, which is a slim under 2 hours.There are quite a few visual tics, designed to make the movie more stylistic, panning shots, slow-mo, that are also used for effect rather than propel the plot forward. They stand out more for being inappropriate and for calling attention to themselves, rather than anything else, and that is something that is a syndrome of bad commercial cinema, and something that does not belong here.What stood out for me?The main lead's characterization, who's almost like a supporting character in his own story, given that he does nothing to propel the plot forward, or make a difference to his fate, where he's almost in a predicament of his own making, due to his own stupidity, and who's such a hypocrite that he calls it out when the same thing happens to someone else, but take succor when it 'befalls' him. Typical MCP, quite unapologetic about it too, and it's refreshing to have a real character like that leading the tale, rather than have a false hero with old town values. The fact that the makers embrace this aspect has to be appreciated.The runtime of 1 hour 47 minutes.Pistha, whenever it occurs, even in the end-title among racist subtitles for few characters.The dark humor interspersed throughout, especially in the sequences with the pickpocket gang, the cops, Naaser and Thambi Raamaiah (Saravanar, not Saravanan - apparently). Some of the explanatory flashbacks. Though the style is borrowed, it is relevant to the storyline, and thus, apt. What did not work?Using the heroine just as a prop. Nazim's talent (watch 'Ohm Shanthi Ohshaana') wasted completely.The simple/easy denouement. Complete tyre puncture of the plot, that seemed to be leading someplace.Waste of Charlie's acting talents.Very, very lightweight.All in all, perhaps worth one watch on the small screen.

lakshmi-thulasidas One and a half hours long (short for a Malayalam/Tamil movie), concise, nicely wrapped, wonderful little package of a movie (not to make that sound too girly and 'cute'; it was buff! Hard hitting! Thriller.. etc.)I watched the Malayalam version of the movie and it was an emotional roller-coaster. By now, I much like every other Malayalam movie watcher, wasn't expecting much at all from a new release - bad to mediocre romance, clichéd dialogues, wanna be funnies and toughies, so to speak. 30 minutes into the movie, joy-of-joy, I wanted nothing but to pull out my hair and run out screaming. BUT!!! But, I didn't, and Thank God for that, coz the second half is One Hell of a joy ride that you had to be there for! And now for the punch line -> Coz ya don't watch Neram for killing time. You watch Neram for the bloody flipping state of mind!The movie is cut just right. Editing is perfect. Just the right amount of romance, perfect amount of thrills, great comedy by Shobi Thilakan. Brilliant main-villain-bad-guy act by Boby Simha. Dialogues are short, extremely non-boring, to the point and gets on with it. Characters have just enough depth without being preachy. Nazriya is so beautiful and Nivin P is wonderfulness as the come-back-with-a-vengeance-boy-(turned-man)-next-door-hero. And Pistah! obviously needs no praise.. the brilliance is implicit.Also, Camera - Great. Direction - Great. Casting - Nice! Credits - Noticed for the first time in 2 decades of movie watching, so Nice to that too. And Alphonse Putharen signature - Double nice. All other movie related terminologies - All good!90 minutes, well spent!

PimpinAinttEasy There! I said it. Everyone says Malayalam cinema is improving. I say it is declining. Let us consider NERAM. The dialogs in this film could have been written by a 10 year old. They are puerile. There is no substance whatsoever. Just a bunch of lame SMS and email jokes delivered by goofy actors like Nivin Pauly and John Vijay. Even mediocre 90s films like POST BOX NO 27 or CHEPPUKILUKKANA CHANGAATHI had better jokes than this film. It fails as a slapstick comedy as well as a thriller. The film is all about the presentation - stylish visuals, background score and fast cuts. The first scene with its monologue by the hero reminded me of the monologue in TRAINSPOTTING. The rest of the movie is not as eloquent as the first scene, so one is forced to conclude that it was nothing but a gimmick.The performances were awful ..... even experienced actors like Lalu Alex, Manoj K Jayan and Shammi Thilakan are unbelievably self conscious. Moreover, they play characters that have been done to death in Malayalam cinema - the middle class uncle, the thug with a heart of gold and the goofy police officer. And the lead actor Nivin Pauly was awful in many of the scenes. I guess all his films would have to feature fast cuts or slow motions and numerous gimmicks which would help hide the inadequacies of the lead actor (the same was the case with THATTATHIN MARAYATHU).

sashank_kini-1 Neram is like watching an enthusiastic but amateur dancer appear on a professional dance competition; it has spark and some skill but lacks finesse. Its concept is clear yet the design is patchy; every character in Neram has the quality of being memorable but not the essence. You would be less interested in a match between two low-ranked players, irrespective of their improvement on court, than a battle between two top seeders. Neram sometimes feels stodgy and heavy-handed but you do admire its efforts nevertheless. But you want more, you want something delicious, something you can relish like sinful dark chocolate but what Neram provides you is Milky Bar. Nice, no doubt, but not to make you go 'Bow Chicka Wah Wah!' Axe style. My intention wasn't to watch Neram at all when I entered Mayajaal theater hall in Chennai. As there wasn't any other movie playing at that time (well I did have options but it was either this or the animated film Epic or worse, a long three hour wait for the rest of the films), I chose to go for Neram, only because I was pleased by the efforts current Tamil directors were putting in their films unlike many of their Bollywood counterparts. When I entered the hall, the movie had not 'kindly stopped for me' (couldn't resist using the Emily Dickinson phrase!) so I can't exactly tell how it began. My version began with the scene where Vatti Raja, a small-time money-lender cum thug berates someone for not repaying the loan as others, including our protagonist Vetri and his friend look on unnerved. The scene ends with Vetri's friend farting and I thought immediately 'Was that necessary?'. A number of such embellishments weren't needed, but Neram retained them, making the film feel like an over-decorated Christmas tree. Like after this very scene when Vetri begins telling about his love life and we are taken back to his school days when he met his future fiancé Jeena the first time in the sixth grade I think; the scene is cute until the film also decides to add an entire song sequence with Vetri and Jeena performing the predictable 'park foreplay' (with bubble-blowing, this time) and the sappiest audience goes 'Ah! What I cute couple!'. I was unmoved.Later, when Neram gives rest to silly romance, it works as a Tarantino- like comedy. Vitri frets about the consequences of not repaying his debt to Vatti Raja, while trouble also brews up when Jeena's father objects to their relationship on learning that Vetri is unemployed. Jeena plans to elope with Vetri but that's when chain gets stolen; interestingly, one of the members from the same gang of chain-snatchers robs Vetri's money, which he had taken from his friend (I think; am an unreliable narrator here, not having watched Neram from the beginning). A parallel storyline involves a guy (don't ask me the character's name nor the actor who's playing him. Wish Wikipedia could update its character bios in Neram) who keeps a 'cool' nickname for himself, likes ogling at girls a lot (another idiotic scene at hospital when we hear his inner voice saying 'Oh, lady's voice!' as a nurse enters the room during an otherwise engaging scene) and also, like many others in the film, owes some money to Vatti Raja. The manner in which their lives intertwine is interesting because most of the characters don't know, even after they meet, how actually similar their problems are. All this happens post interval, and so many things seem to be a work of sheer chance or fate that I wondered why the film wasn't titled 'Chance' or 'Faith', the Tamil word for them. Neram plays out like a simple comedy, although it attempts to emulate a Tarantino film. While Tarantino's dialogs are so mesmerizing and mystifying that monologues which would be considered ramblings if heard elsewhere sound monumentally profound, Neram simply kids around with quirky characters; its non-linear narrative has to be given credit though. The actors play in accordance with their script; they are less irritating when the script wakes up but not even one would remain with you after the film. And who took the decision of giving the role of Vatti Raja to Simhaa, who is in no way intimidating? I understand this is a comedy but I should at least feel even a little of what the characters feel towards another to get more involved with the film. Even a little more dexterity in editing would've helped a great deal; take the scene when Vetri's friend's boss rebukes him for shaving off his beard. He then goes inside and screams at another employee but later apologizes when it turns out to be a girl; the second part happens off- screen and we could only hear the gag. Based on the audience response, very few caught the gag because I heard little reaction from the audience; the gag (a little silly, of course) isn't treated well, with not enough sound so audience members could hear it and a sloppy editing treatment which cut off the gag quickly. I guess the film wanted to pack as many punch-lines as possible in little time but timed a few of them wrong. Well, maybe I'll see a better output from its director Alphonse Putharen another time.