Movie: Raatinam
Director: KS Thangasamy
Producer: J Mahalakshmi
Music: Manoramesan
Cast: Lagubaran, Swathi, Ashok, Elizabeth
Rating:


A charming little treat of a film, Raatinam is packed with moments that will resonate with every viewer because they mirror real experiences. Debutant director KS Thangasamy injects a rare freshness into this simple, straightforward love story which reaches out because it is presented well in a racy manner.

With an interesting premise pivoting around two diverse families, love between Jayam (Laghubaran) and Dhanam (Swathi) starts in an interesting manner and slowly but surely, we become a part of their journey. The story is set in Tuticorin where Jayam, brother of a budding politician Ashok (K Thangasamy) falls in love with Dhanam a high-school student. Dhanam is the daughter of the affluent Port trust chairman and niece of a public prosecutor, who has deadly contacts with the political bigwigs.

Everything is hunky dory till the love birds sneak out for a trip to Tiruchendur and gets caught by the police on the highway. Dhanam's family who comes to know about their minor daughter's "love affair", they treat it in a matured manner but are shocked when things go out of control and politics come to play.

There is a distinctly ‘unfilmi’ feel about the performances. The lead pair, looks fresh and raw but has come out with a decent performance. The director who plays Ashok, Dhanam's parents and the hero's sister-in-law have all put in natural act. The climax is not clichéd and remains the best part of the film. The background score is top class while songs which go with the flow of the narrative passes muster. There are no dream songs or choreographed moments.

On the downside the story is nothing new and we have seen and appreciated it right from Kadhal days. The Nellai Tamil is a bit confusing for city audiences. But it is the presentation and milieu that makes it watchable. Raatinam has a poetry and melancholy that stays with you. We recommend that you give it a shot.

Review 2

Outline:
Raatinam is a rural love story that revolves around an adolescent boy and a school girl. The girl comes from a respectable family. The boy is from a family, where his brother is from a political background and his sister- in-law is a councilor. The boy falls in love with the school girl, chases her, and finally convinces her. Both of them decide to commit themselves. When they both plan for an outing, they get caught by the police in a check-post and are taken under custody on suspicion. They come to know about the girl’s background by looking at her school ID and decide to set both of them free upon warning.

After this incident, both their families come to know about the love affair and warn them. The lovers keep meeting each other. How their families tackle the situation and bring it to a conclusion, and whether the lovers succeed or not form the rest of the movie.

Plus point:
The story is well said in a simple way, without boring the audience.
The newcomers in the movie have done very decent job. Kudos to the director for extracting work from them to this extent!
The songs and the background score are a great support for the movie.
Climax is made with an interest on the society, which is worth appreciating.

Flaw:
The storyline is an age-old story, which makes the audience predict the next scene.
Screenplay lags in the second half of the movie.

Upshot:
Movie is well made for the audience, who don’t expect much of twists or turns. It’s a plain vanilla scoop for the summer without any toppings!

Raatinam Tamil Movie
Reviewed by Oor Kaalan on
May 18.
Raatinam - Movie Review, Rating
Movie is well made for the audience, who don’t expect much of twists or turns. It’s a plain vanilla scoop for the summer without any toppings!
Rating: 3.5