Films on the awkward adolescence period, is difficult to make, as such films can easily follow the sleaze and vulgarity route. Debutant director Rohan Krishna’s back to school Pattalam with tag line ‘relieve your school memories’, is a clean movie that follows the classic Paneer Pushpangal format.
The film has Daisy (Nadiya) in the central role as correspondent of the Holy Bell School, and is also a psychologist and a caring lady who runs a home for the mentally challenged. It is a school that you often see only in movies, where students are constantly having fun or is up to some mischief.
A gang of students Sakkarai( Arun), Karthi (Irfan) Guru, Nattu, Jagan, Jilakki, Mani and Sophie( Kripa) are always at each others throat. They are split into two gangs who can’t stand the sight of each other and are up to some mischief in their one-man upmanship game.
Daisy believes in talking to them; make them understand the importance of discipline and kindness to make them better human beings. She even sacks a teacher who uses corporal punishment to discipline the unruly elements in the class. Meanwhile a triangular romance is brewing between Sakkarai, Karthi and Sophie, which leads to the final tragic twist in the tale.
The trouble with the film is that the story is wafer thin. The presentation and narration is very similar to the way the director has done his television serial ‘Kana Kanum Kalangal’, which too revolved around a bunch of kids in a school. The film loses its steam midway and ending is predictable which reminds you of few earlier films.
On the downside, the director could have extracted better performances from the bunch of newcomers 
especially the new girl Kripa, who at times is irritating. The comedy scenes like the guys going to steal money in disguise and the pranks they play on each other fails to evoke laughter.
Nadia in designer sari’s, looks stylish like any other modern day teacher is the pivot around which the film revolves. She is top class, and is the redeeming feature in the film. Jassie Gift’s music is ok, while Krishnaswamy’s camera is promising. Watch the film for Nadia. Among the boys it is Arun who is promising.
The producer Lingusamy and his brother Subash Chandrabose should be appreciated along with Rohan for making a film sans vulgarity, double meaning, blood and gore.
Movie:Pattalam
Director:Rohan Krishna
Producer:Tirupathy Brothers
Music:Jassie Gift
Cast:Nadia Moidu, Arun, Kiruba, Sathya, Balaji, Vikas