Let me get my one gripe with the movie out of the way, the last 30min could have been crisper and I wish the characters had continued showing the same restraint. Otherwise, ’96 is one of the best movies ever!
The movie is so wholesomely beautiful that it is hard to figure out where to start! It is a story with a very simple premise……school sweethearts meet after 20+years, what happens next? We have seen many movies portraying teen love, lovers meeting after their life take different paths, even an old man going in search of his lover! While it would be normal for both to have lead a normal life of career, marriage, family, etc., here the guy doesn’t get married. He stays single and still misses his lover. While we would normally see such a guy as a loser or a creep, we are left feeling sad and sympathetic. Full credit to the director and Vijay Sethupathi (VS) acting that he evokes a feeling of helplessness among us. You wish you could do something to make him feel better, but you know there simply isn’t. Probably because the movie starts off showing us what he made of his life that he becomes an intriguing and interesting character from the word go. And combine that with his amazing acting, you root for him all through the way!
I never feel comfortable watching movies that depict teen love. Somehow I feel it is never handled with the sensitivity or finesse it deserves. But this movie does a wonderful job of it. Rather than find a reason for love, the movie focuses on how two young kids bond with each other and how it is so deep, and broken so abruptly that it lasts rest of their adolescent and adult life. There are no cute girl gimmicks or macho stunts. It is a simple and quietly pretty and extroverted girl juxtaposed with a boy who suddenly discovers his feeling and is forever tongue-tied around her. No stealing glances, stolen kisses, etc. It is a really sweet portrayal of love.
Rather than question his everlasting love for her, everyone accepts his feeling for what it is and lets him be. Isn’t that wonderful? There is no need to look for a certain goal or an end. Just a feeling you want to carry forever, and be content with it! And there is no condemning her for moving on with her life either. The impromptu way in which they discover the misunderstanding and how they missed a chance at life together is so realistic and painful. The unassuming way in which VS reveals his attempts to meet her and keeps track of her can only leave a girl feeling special. How bittersweet is that!
Do you get that unexplainable vague, yet wonderful feeling when you hear a really beautiful romantic song? A song that is so encompassing and consuming? For me songs like ‘naan paesa ninaipathellam…’, ‘eghirikudhithaen….’ (from boys), ‘ninaithu ninaithu…..’ (7g rainbow colony), ‘yae kahaan…’ (silsila) does that. And now this movie!
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