The Life of Muthu review: Lagging second half, a predictable plot

Director: Gautham Vasudev Menon

Cast: Silambarasan, Siddhi Idnani

Hyderabad: Tollywood films that released this Friday bagged mixed reviews. Now, everyone's eyes are on Gautham Vasudev Menon's comeback gangster saga 'The Life of Muthu' starring Simbu. The film hit the screens on Saturday but was available for the audience only last night due to censor certificate issues.

Here is our review.

Plot:

The storyline revolves around a normal guy, Muthu (Silambarasan), who is from a small town in Andhra Pradesh. An accident back home forces Muthu to travel to Mumbai in search of a job to support his mother and sister. With the help of his relative in Mumbai, he gets a menial job in a parotta stall run by the migrant Tamil community. However, it doesn't take much time for Muthu to realise that the stall is a front for the mafia. Soon, Muthu learns that his boss and co-workers have ties with the local underworld. Though Muthu tries hard to stay away from getting involved in gang wars, situations eventually get him sucked into the underworld, and he is forced to pick up a weapon. What happens next in Muthu's life forms the rest of the story.

Performance:

Silambarasan is impressive in his role as Muthu, a character out of his comfort zone but he lived it. While he is perfect as an innocent guy during the first part of the film, he is fabulous as the hero in the second half. The film marked a good debut for Siddhi Idnani. She has a meaty role and she pulled it off with ease. Appukutty and Neeraj Madhav are good in their roles, while Radhika Sarathkumar has minimal screen time but gave an impressive performance.

Coming to the technical aspects, AR Rahman's haunting songs and the tremendous background score elevate the film's mood. The cinematography by Siddhartha Nuni is neat and he captured Mumbai's underworld in a new color. Editing could have been a lot better in the second half.

Plus points

Though the film has a very simple plot, the rise of a common man, the screenplay deserves appreciation. There are no high moments or explosive scenes but GVM narrated the story in an engaging way. Mainly, the first half will make you sit tight and certain scenes create an intense mood that will raise your curiosity. The interval block is a proper culmination of Simbu's mass performance, Gautham Menon's stylish direction, and AR Rahman's haunting background score.

Minus points

Though the film has a good rustic theme, what is missing is fulfilment. Good action sequences blend with great emotions, but in some crucial places, those two things fail because of the flat narration. The lead to the film's second part showcased in the last minutes, i.e., the climax, could have been a lot better.

Verdict

Overall, 'The Life of Muthu' is an engaging gangster drama; Gautham Menon and Silambarasan try something outside their comfort zone. If you can ignore a little lag in the second half and a predictable plot, the film is a definite watch this weekend.