Tourist family - movie review

This is one movie, that has been raking in good reviews and great word of mouth publicity in recent times. After "Labber pandhu" this is the next movie that has gained immensely true genuine appreciation by movie watchers and has become a blockbuster hit. When i started watching the movie, the initial few scenes made me wonder, if all of those comments on the movie were biased. But the moment the little boy steps in, the tone of the movie became clear. 

The srilankan family of Sasikumar, Simran and their 2 boys, who illegally enter India (something to ponder in the age of Trump) get settled in a residential area in chennai through their relative Yogi babu, who strictly advises them not to indulge with neighbours for they may get caught by their tamil slang, which will reveal their nationality. The ease with which he arranges aadhar till voter id for them, makes one wonder, how easy it is to get identification proof's for illegals while the resident citizen struggle to get the same updated!!! Going against the advice, the entire family immerses themselves into the happenings of the neighborhood and soon the entire community becomes friendly with them. For a major portion of the movie, i thought it was directed by Radha Mohan (there is a heavy hangover of his earlier movies especially like "Mozhi", "Azhagiya theeye") but was pleasantly surprised that the director was a first timer. There are several places where the dialogue writer shines and the comedy scenes land perfectly in synch next to a melodramtic scene. Especially the scene where the elder son narrates about his love failure and how his diehard lover is forced into a marriage in Srilanka since they've relocated to India, only to see her dancing happily in her wedding, for the very song that they had selected to be played in their wedding. The response of the family, the way they control their laughter and eventually the younger kid's shenanigans are typical Bakyaraj/Radhamohan punch. I loved those sections involving the younger kid, who is the ultimate scene stealer in the movie. The way Sasikumar reacts for his comments after the memorial scene at the church would have been sure shot LOL moment in theaters. Some characters are caricatures while some are unbelievably naive and innocent. May be the hangover of watching too many dark and grey stories is causing such view points. But almost everyone in the movie is good, decent rather and quite believable as well.

A feel good movie after a really long time in the lines of Lubber pandhu. Despite such small budget films raking several times their investment and becoming box office blockbusters, solely on the strength of the storyline and presentation, wonder how many more such movies, it would take for the industry to wake up and pick the trend. Feel good movies making a mark for themselves is something that is not just heartening as a movie watcher but also as a fellow person of the society. May their tribe grow and succeed.