Parole Movie Review

Good to be inside!

They say good things come in small packages. And this time around, something good has come out of KFI from a team of small timers who are barely finding their feet in the industry. Nopes, this ain’t the milestone masterpiece that we were waiting for with bated breath to save the industry; geez, it’s not even close. But the narration is fresh and for once, there is some story to tell.

If you were keeping track of KFI in the recent years, you’ll understand that it’s almost a jackpot for viewers!

Parole is the story of a bunch of guys who had lived their lives on the edge in their heydays. Few years down the line, when they are about to settle down in their lives, some disgruntled soul is out to kill them one by one. If you happen to be one of those people in the habit of eying the western countries in search of good cinema, you will recognize strong shades of I know what you did last summer in the storyline. But director Shekhar makes sure you are always in the loop with some brilliantly directed scenes (the first murder, for example) and some fresh narration.

Ah, finally, finally somebody understood that people in police force are neither superheroes, nor demons. They can be simple, honest human beings with principles and limitations. Finally, somebody understands that all police officers do not necessarily wear uniforms and not all of them mouth patriotic dialogues at the drop of a hat.

What really sets Parole apart from other movies is its narration. The cat and mouse game between the killer and the CCB police in the first half is really enticing. There are no choreographed fights, or no fanciful car chases. But director Shekhar keeps you intrigued with his tight narration and some reticent acting by Kishor makes the first half thoroughly enjoyable.

This is not to say that Parole is a flawless work of art. The film’s major drawback is the acting by newcomers who need to learn acting, and learn it fast. An outing with S. Narayan hasn’t helped Viswas and others are no better either. Their deficiencies are highlighted even more painfully when they are with Kishor, who is arguably one of the finest actors in the modern day KFI. Even B. Suresh overacts in couple of scenes.

Also, Shekhar’s direction is preposterous in some scenes in the second half, especially the scene between B. Suresh and his two sons having lunch in the house, and the climax, where Supreeta materializes out of thin air and spoils a fairly good ending. But all is not lost in the second half either, as Shekhar composes a spectacular scene where a boy is hacked to death by Vishwas and his friends. But still, second half pales in comparison to the first half by a long way.

As mentioned before, Kishor’s acting is very good. Other male leads need to brush up their expressions. Supreeta has a small role and she does not have the talent to make the most of it. Music and cinematography are just about average.

Overall, Parole piques up your interest in the first half. Although it fails to carry the same momentum in the second half, it’s still a pretty good watch.

-Movie Review By Raju Shanbhag

Also See

• Parole Movie Stills