Brother Movie Review: Jayam Ravi’s family drama is almost bland with nothing new to offer

2/5

Brother Movie Story

Karthik (Jayam Ravi) is a law student who hasn’t completed his course, and trouble-inviting son of an elderly couple. While one such adventure, makes him get expelled out of his house, Karthik goes to Ooty to live with is doting sister Anandhi (Bhumika Chawla) and her in-laws. However, his notorious behaviour continues there as well, brewing further complications.

Brother Movie Review

Director Rajesh, known for his buddy comedies like Boss Engira Bosskiran and Siva Manasula Sakthi, is back with yet another family entertainer, headlined by Jayam Ravi. On paper, Brother has everything that warrants for a festival viewing. Known faces galore onscreen, and we also have song-and-dance, the compulsory extended family, a comic attendant, and feud that brews between opposing families. Yet, despite all this Brother becomes a bland film that neither gives you memorable quips nor able to make its emotional sentiments work.

Also read: Brother teaser out: Jayam Ravi is all fun and frolic in Rajesh’s family drama

Sister Anandhi is so affectionate, that at one point, she throws away her in-laws and walks out because they have not only insulted her and her parents’ upbringing, but also looked down upon her sibling. She goes lengths to get her notorious brother a job at her school as physical education teacher, after his previous stint a hospital bouncer does not work out for better. It is at this point; Karthik’s life takes a turn and he has a relationship to mend. Later in the film, we also get to know why Anandhi dots after her brother, and the basement on which the siblings’ bond grew. But, in this drama that talks in lengths about family relationships, there is dearth of emotional sentiments to get attached to.

Brother has a plethora of characters that might seem interesting on paper. Anandhi’s father-in-law (Rao Ramesh) is a Collector, mother-in-law (Saranya Ponvannan) an animal rights advocate, husband (Natty) is a forest ranger, and sister-in-law (Priyanka Mohan) a doctor. The family’s butler is a played by VTV Ganesh, who provides stock and animates dialogues for humour. Well, that is the only source of comedy you are going to get through Brother and if that doesn’t tease your laughing buds, then you are in for a monotonous ride.

Even as Jayam Ravi takes you back to his Unakum Enakum and Santhosh Subramanian days where he tries to win over a family, Brother fails to charm its way into our hearts. The comedy is bland, and the characters are stoic. The sentiments are made to be direct, and you are expected to shed tear for the one-dimensional dialogues. And after a point, you are just as lost as the children who are made to showcase their parents’ separation on their annual day celebrations.

Brother Movie Verdict

Also read: Genie first-look poster - Jayam Ravi turns a wizard for this fantasy drama | Check out his magical avatar

Brother is a film that is redundant and non-charming in every possible way. The vintage Jayam Ravi is there, and we get a viral song, and some emotional set pieces. But it is also a film that is easily forgettable and bland in its writing. The characters seldom make an impression, the love story is hardly romantic, and comedy barely laughable.