The Goat Life Movie Review: Jaw Dropping Movie
In addition to promoting his pan-Indian film Aadu Jeevitham in Hyderabad, Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran—who was most recently seen as Prabhas’ friend Deva in “Salaar”—has been busy. The premiere screenings of the goat life drew a number of famous faces.
With the hope of greater possibilities in Saudi Arabia, Nazeeb (Prithviraj Sukumaran) abandons his pregnant wife (Amala Paul) at home. When he and his friend Hakeem get to the airport, they find out that nobody from the company has come up to meet them.
Their confusion stems from the fact that they are unable to converse with anybody because they do not know Hindi or English. Eventually, after what seems like an eternity, an Arab guy comes up to them and offers to let them ride in his jeep.
They fell for his pretence and accepted, only to find out afterwards that he wasn’t from the company. They take Hakeem to one spot in the desert and Nazeeb to another. Slavery and the care of goats are their punishments.
A number of years into their captivity, they collaborate with an African worker (Jimmy Jean-Louis) to plot their escape. Is their plan going to work?
The standout moment is Prithviraj’s superb performance. In each scene, his commitment shines through. He presents a slender figure throughout the story’s latter half, having lost a significant amount of weight for this particular event. His genuine portrayal of Nazeeb’s suffering is moving. Prithviraj should get an award for his performance.
As Prithviraj’s companion, KR Gokul too gives a fantastic performance. The essential part that Jimmy Jean-Louis plays is perfect. He gives a convincing performance with very little dialogue.
The cinematography is just stunning. The desert scenes are just stunning. The cinematography is so good that it makes us feel like we’re in the Arabian desert.
Analysis:
“The Goat Life,” also known as Aadu Jeevitham, is a true-life story that inspired Benyamin’s Malayalam novel. In search of employment opportunities, many people from Kerala migrate to Gulf countries. Many people from Kerala have made it big in Saudi Arabia, own malls and businesses, but unfortunately, some of their employees have fallen victim to slavery or fraud.
The protagonist of the film was a man whose captivity in Saudi Arabia destroyed his dreams of a better life.
A man’s ordeal in making it back to India from Saudi Arabia after being enslaved by a con artist is the sole plot point of the one-line story. The first section does a good job of describing Nazeeb’s transfer to Saudi Arabia, his life at home, and the difficulties he has while trying to communicate with Arabs. Dramatic setup takes up the whole first half of the film. The protagonist’s fight for freedom from this prison occupies the majority of the film’s second act.
No one can make it out of the huge desert on foot. After facing so many obstacles in the desert, how do our hero and his companion finally prevail?
Beautiful desert landscapes abound in the film’s second half, which also shows the two friends’ harrowing survival difficulties and makes us empathise with their anguish.
The protracted plot surrounding their escape is riveting and monotonous at the same time. Great work on the visuals and acting. Nevertheless, the drawn-out and tedious drama is annoying.
This story is compassionate. However, the idea that a Muslim guy is illiterate in Hindi is hard to understand.
As a whole, the desert setting and Prithviraj’s performance in “The Goat Life Aadu Jeevitham” are jaw-dropping. Nonetheless, it’s mostly an art film. Watching this survival drama demands patience due to its plodding pace, despite its good intentions.
Movie: The Goat Life
ibomma Rating: 2.75/5
Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Amala Paul, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Shobha Mohan, KR Gokul, and others
Music: A. R. Rahman
DOP: Sunil K. S.
Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad
Screenplay and Directed by: Blessy
Release Date: March 28, 2024
