Good Night Review: Manikandan and Meetha Raghunath shine in this heartwarming slice-of-life film that tugs at your heart

3/5

Story:

An IT professional battles many upheavals in his personal life, courtesy his snoring problem.. Will he get his happily-ever-after?

Review:

Sometimes, it's in the simplest things that one finds the utmost joy and meaning in life. Director Vinayak Chandrasekaran’s Good Night is a heartwarming slice-of-life film that celebrates the ordinary and tells us that the problems in one's life are only as big as one considers them to be.

The plot revolves around an exuberant, but slightly underconfident Mohan (Manikandan), an IT professional, who lives along with his family which comprises his mother, sister Maha (Raichal Rebecca), brother-in-law Ramesh (Ramesh Thilak) and Mohan's younger sister. Mohan has an extensive snoring problem which plays spoilsport in his romantic encounters. In fact, his colleagues call him 'Motor' Mohan and one of them rejects him citing this sole reason when Mohan proposes to her.

On the other end of the spectrum is Anu (Meetha Raghunath), an introvert who considers herself a misfortune and hence, avoids the company of others. Her sole support system is her adorable house owners, whom we only get to know as Thaatha and Paati. An unexpected encounter between Anu and Mohan blossoms into romance and soon they tie the knot. But do they get their happily-ever-after?

Vinayak Chandrasekaran’s Good Night is a joy to watch right from the beginning. The best aspect about the film is that it's so close to real life that you feel like you are watching your next-door neighbours. Here, a reticent and timid Anu making her first 'social' move by ordering bun butter jam, the entire family lending each other a helping hand to make biriyani after Maha has a fight with Ramesh, Mohan comparing himself to actor Mike Mohan and Mohan's mother asking her younger daughter why she didn't carry her bucket back home from the hostel, are all so relatable.

Even the first meeting between Anu and Mohan involves an awkward situation where you have a hearty laugh. The Thaatha - Paati show us how a marriage is done right and how both are equals in the relationship. The bond between the two brother-in-laws, Mohan and Ramesh, is extremely heartwarming. The film has its laughs and emotions in the right places and the first half is a sheer delight to watch. The film loses its steam a bit as melodrama slips into the second half and some of the scenes get repetitive and puts a brake on the smooth flow of events. However, these are just minor glitches in a well-made film.

All the characters are well etched and their conflicts, too, are done right. For instance, Mohan comes across as an earnest person as he decides to sleep in a separate room as doesn't want Anu's sleep to suffer and her health condition to deteriorate, due to his snoring. Anu, too, is helpless, unable to make Mohan understand her actual concern. It's interesting how they overcome the hurdles and decide that problems in life are only as big as they perceive them to be.

In yet another conflict, it's refreshing to see how Maha and Ramesh rise above societal expectations and decide to live life on their own terms. The film neatly shows how it's always the women who become the victims of societal norms and are constantly taunted for not having a child 'soon enough' and are offered unsolicited advice.

While Manikandan has come up with a solid performance, so has Meetha Raghunath as the meek woman who finally lets go of her fear and begins to express her feelings. The entire supporting cast is fantastic, too, especially Ramesh Thilak and Raichal Rebecca. Director Vinayak Chandrasekaran’s Good Night is a film that deserves a watch. Do not sleep on it.

Verdict

Director Vinayak Chandrasekaran’s Good Night is an emotionally uplifting film, which has its heart in the right place. Laced with some solid performances and brilliant writing and filmmaking, Manikandan and Meetha Raghunath's Good Night is a warm concoction of some hearty moments, humour and emotions.