Movie Name : The Goat Life
Release Date : March 28, 2024
Piktalk.com Rating : 3/5
Starring: Prithviraj Sukumaran , Amala Paul , Jimmy Jean-Louis, KR Gokul
Director: Blessy
Producers: Blessy , Jimmy Jean-Louis , Steven Adams
Music Director: A. R. Rahmaan
Cinematographer: Sunil K.S
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Today, Prithviraj Sukumaran’s long-awaited passion project, “The Goat Life,” directed by Blessy, has finally premiered in theaters. The movie, based on the popular Malayalam novel Aadujeevitham, has been in the making for years. Mythri Movie Makers brought the film to Telugu audiences. Let’s find out how the movie turned out.
Story :
In the movie, Najeeb (played by Prithviraj Sukumaran) and his friend Hakeem (played by KR Gokul) go to Saudi Arabia for a job. They don’t speak Hindi or English, so they feel lost at the airport. While they wait for their sponsor, a man named Khafeel (played by Talib Al Balushi) realizes they’re vulnerable and decides to take advantage of them. He tricks them into going with him. Najeeb ends up becoming a shepherd on a remote farm in the desert, and he gets separated from Hakeem. The rest of the story is about what Najeeb does next in “The Goat Life.”
Positive Aspects :
Hats off to Prithviraj Sukumaran for always taking on different kinds of stories. Making a movie like The Goat Life was a big risk, but this popular Malayalam actor wasn’t afraid to try it. Prithviraj poured his heart and soul into the film, and it’s hard not to be impressed by his amazing performance. He brought Najeeb’s character to life wonderfully, showing his struggles in a remarkable way. Prithviraj’s transformations for the role are truly remarkable.
Most of the movie takes place in the desert, and the team worked incredibly hard to capture it. The desert scenes and the music add a lot to the movie.
There’s a scene with a sandstorm that’s particularly well done and adds a lot of tension. The second half of the movie is a bit stronger than the first. Jimmy Jean-Louis and KR Gokul also give great performances in their supporting roles.
Negative Aspects :
Even though the makers said The Goat Life isn’t meant for awards and lacks typical commercial elements, some viewers might be disappointed if they expect a typical entertaining movie.
The main character’s struggles are shown very realistically and in detail, which might be boring for some people. The movie doesn’t have many cinematic moments, which might not appeal to everyone. Since Prithviraj’s character can’t speak English or Hindi, it takes him a while to realize he’s being tricked. These small details take up a lot of time on screen.
The first half of the movie moves quite slowly, which might frustrate some viewers. At times, it feels like the story isn’t progressing much. It would have been nice if the movie also showed the suffering of the protagonist’s family members.
Technical Elements :
The music by AR Rahman adds a lot to the movie, especially in certain scenes. The cinematography by Sunil K.S. is really good, capturing Prithviraj’s struggles effectively. However, the editing in the first half could have been improved.
As for the director, Blessy, he tells the story in a detailed way, but the movie is too long. It would have been better if they had shortened it, especially the first half.
Conclusion :
Overall, The Goat Life tries to tell a genuine story about survival, but its slow pace and lack of typical entertainment might not appeal to everyone. The movie is quite long, which is a downside. Prithviraj Sukumaran does an amazing job in his role as Najeeb, and he might even win awards for it. However, because the film goes into so much detail, it feels slow most of the time. The first half could have been better. If you enjoy artistic films, you might want to give it a chance.
Piktalk.com Rating: 3/5
Reviewed by Team Piktalk
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