Jayam proves the importance of screenplay and handling over the story in a movie when it comes to entertainment. The movie contains a traditional story of lovers fighting against odds and is populated by stock characters. But with a cute romance, a racy screenplay and a strong climax, it keeps us thoroughly entertained throughout. Though a remake of a Telugu film of the same name, it is definitely one of the best offerings so far from a new director-hero combination.

Ravi(Ravi), a gentle, soft-spoken youth doing odd jobs to pay back his father's debts, falls in love with Sujatha(Sadha), his collegemate. But the parents of Sujatha and Raghu(Gopichand), who were childhood friends, had decided years before that Raghu and Sujatha would marry each other. Raghu, who has all vices one can think of, had decided not to wed Sujatha but changes his mind after seeing her.

The childhood sequences, which establish Gopichand's character and the enmity between him and Sadha give the movie a fresh start before the movie settles into the romance between Ravi and Sadha. The romance is cute and has a number of touches that make it fresh and interesting. The setting of the railway station and the train add a new dimension and the gradual flowering of romance between the lead pair is captured nicely. The frequent utterance of "Po... Po... Poyaa..." by Sadha (with a cute style) and the undecipherable code language spoken by her sister are a couple of things that keep things always interesting.

This is one of the few movies in recent times where the director makes us sit up and take notice with evidence that he has thought the movie through. Though credit probably goes to Teja, the director of the Telugu original, there are several sequences where an idea and its picturisation come together beautifully to create a memorable moment. The way Ravi visits Sadha(explained by one of the jobs he does on the side to earn some extra money), the moment he understands how to decipher the information she wrote to him in code and the way she eggs him on at a key moment in the climax are some such memorable moments.

The sequence where Sadha waits for Ravi to come and rescue her before her engagement is a brilliant sequence which showcases the talent of the director. No other sequence since the climax in Kaadhal Koattai has been able to generate so much suspense when the outcome is definitely known. The quick cuts showing Sadha's tense wait, Gopichand's impatience and the actions of Ravi's friends all have the needed effect and the suspense is ratcheted up very skilfully. And the way the friends' actions are explained as Ravi and Sujatha escape provides perfect closure to the scene.

The movie manages to be different with its rather unheroic hero. As Ravi gets pummelled by Gopichand in front of Sadha and runs away when Gopichand and his henchmen look for him, we unconsciously begin to wait for him to fight back. It does happen and needless to say, is picturised extremely well too. But then the sequence is dragged on needlessly and tests our patience. There are atleast two or three false climaxes as Ravi and Sadha escape in a train, on a train and in the woods.

Ravi appears well-rounded with good dance and fight skills and emotes well too. Sadha, the heroine in the Telugu version too, is a perfect fit for the quiet, dhavani-clad heroine. Gopichand plays the villain well and earns our hatred with his attitude and actions. Among Ravi's friends, Sumanth Shetty has a few nice one-liners and seems to be Pandiarajan's equal as far as thiruttu muzhi is concerned. Songs are pleasant but special kudos to everyone involved in the picturisation of the Kavidhaiye Theriyuma... song sequence. The idea and the choreography are extremely innovative and fresh.