Brother review: Jayam Ravi's family drama could have been a TV serial

Brother movie review: Director M Rajesh's Brother, starring Jayam Ravi, Priyanka Mohan and Bhumika Chawla, is an outdated film. The film is a two-hour-long snoozefest.

In Short

• Jayam Ravi's Brother released in theatres on October 31
• The film, directed by M Rajesh, also features Priyanka Mohan
• Read our review of the film here

Diwali is best enjoyed with your family, and it’s the perfect occasion for a family entertainer to be released in theatres. When Jayam Ravi and director M. Rajesh’s Brother was due for release alongside Sivakarthikeyan’s Amaran and Kavin’s Bloody Beggar, it sort of had an upper hand, but only among the family audiences. But has Brother managed to impress the audience? Let’s find out!

Karthik (Jayam Ravi) is a man with no filters. This attitude of his doesn’t allow him to complete his graduation, as he filed a case against his college, calling out their malpractice. A series of issues crop up whenever he tries to help people, which irks his father, Kumarasamy (Achyuth Kumar). His sister, Anandhi (Bhumika Chawla), comes up with a plan to take him to Ooty with her.

However, Karthik, with his no-filter attitude, causes a huge problem in Anandhi’s life that breaks her family apart. His father disowns him and gives him the task of undoing his mess. Karthik is now on a mission to reunite his sister Anandhi with her in-laws.

Watch the trailer here:

If you have yawned more than twice while reading the storyline, it is exactly how we felt watching director M Rajesh’s Brother. The first half of the film tests your patience. The opening scene of Brother lasts for exactly five seconds, featuring Jayam Ravi bashing some villains. It has a callback to the climax, but it’s of no use, as before you get there, you’re bored out of your wits.

Director M Rajesh goes for low-hanging fruit and seems content with it. The comedy falls flat on its face, and the emotional sequences remind you of a poorly made television show. The second half has more substance and melodrama, so much so that you could predict every single sequence. The steps that Karthi takes to reunite his sister with her in-laws are plain embarrassing. Calling it a zero-imagination or lethargic screenplay would be an understatement.

In a film like Brother, the performances do not matter. While Jayam Ravi tries to hold this film on his shoulders, there’s only so much he can do to salvage this colossal mess. While Bhumika Chawla undersells her performance, Rao Ramesh (who plays her egoistic father-in-law) oversells his. The less said about Priyanka Mohan, the better.

Brother is yet another redundant film that offers nothing new. If you are a person who loves television serials, then this might be your jam.

2 out of 5 for Brother.