A finely crafted, nuanced tale of a cricket obsessed youth in a cricket obsessed nation with some beautiful cinematography of the lush landscapes of a village in Kerala. The sense of nostalgia this may evoke in those who have lived in similar setting is enough to recommend this movie. But, on the other hand, this is also a carefully plotted coming of age tale of youthful desires, the slow progress of adulthood and reality and opportunities lost as well as eventual redemption. There are no real villains here apart from the gradually encroaching tentacles of time, but this is an example of the recent breed of Malayalam Cinema's new age creators at their best. Nivin Pauly is an actor who never really convinced me till now, but this year he seems to be coming into his own with some delightful turns. Add in some fabulous supporting actors and great technical aspects, and we have a real winner here. And, as with all great sports movies, you can be totally immersed in this even if cricket is not your cup of tea.
