Movies of War

“The Goat Life”, based on a popular Malayali novel and a well-known story in popular culture in Kerala due to its long association with the Gulf countries, is a bit of an endurance test, which is ironically fitting for a survival film, which pushes its characters to extreme limits. Follow Our Tribute to Malayalam Cinema by Clicking in the link Below However, there is a lot to admire in it. As well, most of all, the committed leading performance, bereft of any vanity or self-doubt, by the famous Malayalam star Prithviraj Sukumaran. The movie commits to its story fully, and its epic scale goes for an epic run time of almost 3 hours. The first half goes along well, but the second half, where the characters are tested to the limits, even the audience’s tolerance for watching people walking through the hot desert is tested. In terms of production and authenticity, it is almost faultless. Even though the premise is a bit improbable, the fact that it’s based on a real story and the world the movie is able to reconstruct allows audiences to go with the flow. The premise is simple and linear, even though punctuated by flashbacks and fragments of a life left behind. Najib emigrates from Kerala to a Middle Eastern country in the hope of earning enough to send back home and make a better life for his pregnant wife, mother, and soon-to-be-born son. However, unknowingly, he is swindled by one of the many immigration scams that take place in India. It is a sad reality of our times, past and present, and is presented in such a matter-of-fact way that it makes it even more impactful. Upon reaching, he again is deceived by a local Arab, who takes him into a hellish life of forced labour and isolation. He is made to work hard and stripped of basic dignity for years. The story is about his capture and eventual escape. The screenplay impresses with the fact that it is able to use small details to good effect. Symbols like the last bottle of pickle, a shirt with a torn button and vultures become important motifs. The latter, although with some patchy CGI, is an effective scene and a turning point for the story. However, the pace and the tone of the film are constantly meandering; the interludes and flashbacks in the village in Kerala help break the monotony and add pathos to Najeeb’s story, and are executed well. Apart from a few exceptions, the Arab characters are mostly caricaturish and cartoonishly evil. While that serves the story well, it paints a certain, very influential community in a poor light. In one scene, one of the characters sees an Arab and says, “He smells.” What also makes the Prithviraj performance even more special is the fact that the story requires him to be vulnerable physically, emotionally and in various different ways, demanding extreme commitment. The actor almost seems unfazed by that. Another important element is the score and soundtrack helmed by A. R. Rahman, with a delicate hand and spiritual awareness, which is fitting for a film like this. The director incorporates nature well, and the visuals are sumptuous. The landscape is the dominant factor in some of its most memorable visuals, especially the starting point, which also serves as an interval point, with a constellation reflected by water. The editing by veteran A. Sreekar Prasad also holds the narrative together, through some clever transitions, one of which also uses the motif of water. Overall, “The Goat Life” demands patience but makes for interesting viewing. It is the kind of film one may not always like, but must see at least once to be able to appreciate finer things about the movies. Tags:A. Sreekar PrasadA.R. RahmanAadujeevithamAmala PaulBlessyPrithviraj SukumaranThe Goat Life