Jail movie review: Vasantha Balan, GV Prakash's Jail misses the target, thanks to lacklustre screenplay

2/5

Story: Three friends, who hail from a resettlement colony in the outskirts of Chennai, get embroiled in a gang war which change their lives. A cop promises them to take care of their needs though he has other plans. Despite the various struggles the trio face from their younger days, they trust him completely. Will they regret their decision?     

Review: Jail begins with the voiceover of filmmaker Vasantha Balan about the plight of people living in Kaveri Nagar, a resettlement colony. The place where they reside is a jail for them given their unfortunate circumstances and how they have been sidelined by the government and concerned authorities. 

With someone like Vasantha Balan helming a project which deals with such a sensitive topic, expectations are bound to soar high, thanks to his body of work. It's been seven years since his last project released, and hence, it isn't a crime to expect a hard-hitting drama on resettlement of people from him.  

Karna (GV Prakash) is a small-time pickpocket and his character is established in his introduction scene itself. He is one among the many youngsters in the colony who lost their childhood and future due to the negligence of the authorities after they were made to resettle in Kavari Nagar.

Rocky (Nandhan Ram) and Kalai (Pasanga Pandi) are his best friends; while the former is an aggressive brat who is into drugs business, the latter is just out of juvenile detention center after committing a theft a while ago. Though the three of them (especially Kalai) aspire for a better living, they know it's close to impossible. 

Karna and Rocky, who often lock horns with a dreaded gang in the colony, take on a few of its members due to an unanticipated situation after which Rocky stars behaving weirdly. Little did Karna know that it was the beginning of something terrible. In a bid to save Rocky from getting killed during a brawl, Kalai commits a crime as a result of which he gets arrested.

Later, a slew of unfortunate situations leave Karna dejected. Meanwhile, Perumal (Ravi Mariya), a corrupt cop, offers help to him in return for providing details on Rocky's drugs business. Can Karna and others lead a happy life at least in the future?

Being a film which touches upon a sensitive issue, an engaging screenplay which comprehends the various problems related to the plot was what required in Jail. However, what we get are constant voiceovers from the beginning which introduce the after effects of resettlement to viewers which is quite ineffective.

The plight of people who have been subjected to resettlement is addressed on a surface level. The making isn't bad, thanks to cinematography by Ganesh Chandhrra which has captured the lives of people in the colony. But the lack of an engaging narrative style and innovativeness make it difficult for us to sit through the whole movie.

Though the background score is okay, the placement of songs test patience at times. Some of the characterizations aren't bad, but they lack depth because of which we aren't able to relate to their emotions completely. An unexpected climax makes things worse. 

Though it can be inferred that the director is hinting at the unfortunate fact that the lives of people in such places won't change, and hence, a pessimistic climax, it still appears unconvincing and leaves no impact.  

Ravi Mariya and Nandhan Ram stand out with their performances, while Radhika, GV Prakash and Abarnathi have tried to do justice to their roles. Pandi is comfortable in a role which reminds his earlier performances.

Verdict: Jail, which had ample scope in exploring a relevant and hard-hitting topic, ends up as a disappointing fare.