Jacob's Kingdom of Heaven (2016) User Reviews (21)

"Celebration Of Togetherness"

[afsalthodupuzha · 8/10 · 26 April 2016]

How well can you present a simple,feel-good movie that it will leave you spellbound with its inimitable positive vibe and heartfelt connection that you make with its characters - The answer is 'Jacobinte Swargarajyam'.Stellar performances,refreshing narration,sparkling visuals,fitting musical score and the warmth of togetherness in each frames makes this one a special film from Vineeth Sreenivasan and team that will stay close to your hearts for quiet a long time.

It's been some time since I watched a movie like JSR that's brimming with such immense positive energy and optimism that it will have a purifying effect on your senses once you are done with the movie.The humongous response from the families in the form of unanimous claps and the smiling faces of the viewers after the show is testimony of the impact of this simple film that's taken to another level by master-class direction by Vineeth,who have showcased his mettle in presenting human emotions so convincingly and impactfully on the silverscreen.

Based on the true story of Vineeth's friend Gregory Jacob and his family,JSR tells the story of Jacob,an NRI businessman and his family,the bondage between them,their emotions and faith in each other and God.The movie certifies the eternal truth that the biggest asset for one is his family and there's nothing more divine than being with your loved ones and standing by them at the times of need.If there's something that can make you feel complete,it is your family,your 'kingdom of heaven' like the one Jacob possess.

The storyline might seem too simple and even predictable,but the presentation by Vineeth is top-notch that there aren't any notable negatives to point out in its 145 minutes of running time leaving aside some minor lags in the latter part of the first half that faded away by the onset of the second half.Notably,there was a consistency in the narration by Vineeth that was well-maintained till the end of the movie.

Casting is a major highlight of the movie and credit must be given to Vineeth and the casting team for the fact all that we could see in the movie was Jacob,his family and companions rather than any actor as such.

Nivin Pauly did his part really well and stamped his ability on choosing brilliant scripts of late.This one is undoubtedly the best film from the heavily successful combo of Vineeth and Nivin that have earlier produced box office superhits like Thattathin Marayathu and Oru Vadakkan Selfie.Renji Panicker was the most impressive among the lot and lived as the title character Jacob,his career best portrayal till date.

T.G.Ravi was brilliant in his supporting role and made the eyes wet with his touching dialogs.Stacen,Sreenath Bhasi and Aima Sebastian were lovable.Lakshmy Ramakrishnan was a delight to watch and excelled with her dialogue delivery.Reba Monica John as the love interest of Nivin was adequate.Ashwin Kumar,Dinesh Prabhakar,Sai Kumar etc too gave notable performances.Aju Vargheese and Vineeth made their cameos memorable.

Jomon.T.John was as usual brilliant with his amazing camera work that captured the beauty and essence of the city of endless possibilities,Dubai.Editing by Ranjan Abraham was fine.Songs by Shaan Rahman were complimenting the storyline and the songs along with apt background score added to the beauty of the narration.

Overall,Jacobinte Swargarajyam is a brilliantly narrated feel good movie that deserves a watch with your family from the big screens.

Best Family Entertainer

[Kadher_mohideen · 7/10 · 3 July 2020]

The story about the Jacob and his family facing and recovering from the hard times in their life. I like malayalam movies very much for these kinda stories and for their acting too. In the climax that the Jacob's family return from their hard situation at that time we feel very much happy for them. It told us life is full of happiness and sorrow but we have to stand with our family in all situation. Must watchable....!

A feel good family entertainer

[akshayns48 · 8/10 · 24 April 2016]

jacobinte swargarajyam is a great movie with so many motivational elements.I don't want to spoil this magical journey by writing the story line,so believe me i am not a spoiler. vineeth is the backbone of this movie,with out him this movie will be like a football team without a goalie.Nivin as jerry is really good.He knew what to do and his acting added a colourful flavor to this movie.Renji panicker as jacob is terrific.In the first half,others are stars and renji panicker is the moon.Jacobs wife played by Lakshmi ramakrishnan created a magical aroma and sreenath bhasi gave a soulful performance. casting is brilliant,hats off. If you want to see a good family movie then go for it. NOTE:IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WATCHING IDIOTIC COMEDY FILMS,THEN THIS IS NOT YOUR FILM.

Tears rolled with a smile!

[sandsnow-bca1 · 10/10 · 12 April 2016]

I went into the theater quite angry at my friend because I told him to book a ticket for a Hollywood movie, but instead he had two tickets of Jacobinte Swargarajyam. When we came out of the theater, I had a smile on my face. My friend flashed a look at me which clearly said, "Wasn't it worth your money?". Yes, it was!

The first thing I noticed in the movie was the direction. Vineeth, you are perfect! Nothing less, Nothing More. Everything in a right quantity. All the cast were exceptional with their acting. Nobody looked artificial. The cinematography by Jomon was excellent and added the charm to the family environment. Shaan Rahman's music increased the threshold of this emotional roller-coaster!

For any person who watch a movie for its content, this one is an absolute treat! Don't know if a critic would give 10 stars, but I surely would!

Congo Team! You deserve the applause!

My pill of Happiness!

[genisis_tp · 10/10 · 1 April 2021]

I still remember watching this the day it came out at PVR cinemas Kochi. I had no idea what this film was about neither have i seen its trailer but 40mins into this film my face was so lit up. I have a very close friend who is from Dubai. This film reminded me of her all throughout.

There is no great story or anything but what Vineeth Sreenivasan does best is put heart and soul into every frames and it shows. That one scene where Renji Panicker tells Nivin to look after his mother brought tears to my eyes. At the end of the film i was so happy.

Even today whenever i feel down or lonely i rewatch this film, i changed multiple mobiles after this but everytime i have this film inside the phone.

This is my happiness pill.💙

First Business cultured movie in malayalam

[veenusav · 7/10 · 2 February 2017]

Its always difficult to travel against the flow. Here Vineeth Sreenivasan took a nice step without much interfering the culture of a typical malayali. In general the word 'kachavadakkaran' is not accepted in kerala. Exceptions are there with a few. Culture level it sometimes belongs to certain families or at the most a few castes or certain regions. Boldly the lady character is telling that 'I am an Ichayathi'. It has got those kind of indications. I wish to view it is a movie of a lady : Jacob's wife. But normal clichés like 'Villianising the investor', 'negotiation is bad with him' etc are portrayed for making it consumable as a commercial movie. However we should always appreciate a director for these kind of things are as he is not publishing it as an art-movie. Hats off Vineeth.

feel happiness to its best

[sreerahindia · 10/10 · 11 April 2016]

JACOBINTE SWARGARAJYAM (ENTER WITH A HAPPY HEART),KINGDOM OF HEAVEN............Family entertainers, an age old success formula of mainstream Malayalam cinema, is always a safe bet in this industry as movie makers over the years have used Malayali's sentiments for family attachments to great successes on screen. Vineeth Srinivasan, on his fourth directorial venture 'Jacobinte Swargarajyam', has woven this old formula into a refreshing cinematic experience, showing discipline while handling dramatic situations in the movie. The movie, based on a true story, follows the life of an NRI businessman, Jacob, and his family who are settled in Dubai and visualises how closely knit family relations stick together at times of crisis. The director has used his observations to good effect as the strong relationship bonds inside Jacob's family members and their informal homely behaviour was captured with shots that impart warmth and positive vibes, like the feel of an early morning coffee. Renji Panicker dons the title role of Jacob, a righteous business entrepreneur and an ideal family man, while Lekshmi Ramakrishnan portrays the powerful role of Jacob's wife Sherlyn, a lion hearted woman. Nivin Pauly, other lead actor of the movie, essays the role of Jacob's elder son Jerry while Sreenath Bhasi, Aima Sebastian and Stacen play Jacob and Sherly's other kids, Abin, Ammu, and Chris, respectively. The growth in Vineeth Sreenivasan's direction skills are reflected on his characters as each of them have an identity and importance in the movie. The entire cast of the movie do justice to their roles and debut actor Ashwin Kumar needs a special mention for his imposing screen presence as Murali Menon, a rude businessman. The movie gradually progresses into more captivating situations with effects of global economic recession prompting an ungraceful fall of Jacob and his family from their financially secured happy lives to survival struggles of an ordinary human. It is at this point that Jerry, with the support of his clear headed mother, steps up in life and starts everything again from scratch to sustain their family, which forms the crux of the movie. By glorifying the economic and infrastructural development of Dubai and simultaneously ridiculing Kerala's pot holed roads, Vineeth Sreenivasan, the scriptwriter, seems to have ignored how the blind notions of profit motive development and corporatisation of natural resources is wrecking our natural ecosystem worldwide. On the other hand, being cautious to avoid many scenes in the movie from slipping into over dramatic clichés, he is without doubt improving as a director with every movie. The editing team also needs to be appreciated for their crisp interventions between shots of emotional intensity, thus allowing a smooth flow to the move. The songs of the movie, composed by Shan Rehman, might not make imprints on the heart, but the movie just might. basically, the film has done pretty well in entertaining the audience with an interesting portrait of a happy family and their bond which is hard to explain but it is easy when we watch and feel the refreshment the movie gives us as an exceptional family entertainer.

Family movie

[divyakurian · 7/10 · 4 January 2019]

A treat to malayalis in the movies form. This is a truly happened plot which has been showcased in the movie. Loved everyone's contribution in the film from families to strangers. Enjoyed it fully. Though the story was known but still there was an excitement to watch this film. The story didn't have anything new but the characters gave it a life.

Riches to rags and back

[tomkariath-0 · 8/10 · 31 January 2021]

Ironically, like all movies inspired from real life, the story is exaggerated and idealised into something far removed from real life.

The movie is the story about the story of Jacob, a wealthy businessman of high repute, being cheated by one of his most trusted dealers and thereby ending up in debt with his investors. Now its upto his son Jerry, who Jacob had been mentoring, and his wife to bring up his "ideal" family back to their previous status. I believe that if not for the direction of Vineeth and outstanding score by Shaan Rahman the movie might not have been as good as it is.

All the cast deliver apt performances. Ranji Panicker does what he does best, be the ideal cool father-figure that Malayalee youth expects their dads to be like. All other cast does what is asked of them. Nothing extraordinary from anyone, except maybe the mother whose attitude was a pleasant surprise. I was probably disappointed at the sister character having the least screen time, and contributes zero to the plot.

Rewatching the movie, especially right after watching "The Great Indian Kitchen", I noticed that Jacob's "ideal" family was a celebration of patriarchy. I had a major gripe at how Jerry is irritated and is protective when his sister is seen talking to group of boys while Jerry himself has a girlfriend and even youngest kid being always with girls is a funny gag around the family. I am not saying that every movies need to be progressive. This attitude is/was expected from a "reputed" family. But it suddenly became weird, when you start to notice that.

A superb plot about Middle class life in Dubai.Memorable indeed!!

[ebinbaby-85663 · 10/10 · 11 April 2016]

It was a very good film, watched it with my family, all of us enjoyed it very much. Renji Panikar was exceptionally good and outstanding. Nivin Pauly,s performance was charming and dynamic as usual although we did not get as much as we wanted out of Nivin. Vineeth's direction was flawless as he professionally dealt with this story which left the audience with a feel -good attitude.The family values expressed in this movie is very much prodigious, it reminded me of my years in Dubai.Music by Shaan Rahman was melodious and vibrant as this shows that Shaan can adapt to any type of plot.His collaboration with rZee for the rap "ennilerinju" is certainly worth noting. Overall the movie certainly stood out from the everyday common plot as it was without doubt a visual treat. Hope to see more from Vineeth-Nivin combination in the years ahead!!

A Dishonest Attempt

[carlyle-55039 · 2/10 · 9 April 2016]

Jacobinte Swargarajyam released a few days ago, and being a "Gulf" malayalee of posterity, I punched in at 9:45 on a Friday evening, expecting something akin to a gentle, cute family film. And at that, my wish was fulfilled. But, in almost every other sense, this film, in it's painful entirety, is a lost cause, a bright spark, destroyed. Before all of you get all anal about my intentions here, let me start by saying that I have loved most of VinSri's movies, and almost anything with Nivin Pauly in it.

Let me start with my biggest gripe with this film. Having spent all 18 years of my childhood in the Gulf, I always have issues with Malayalam films about people who live there. There is a certain outsider's perspective, the dialogs and shots focused skyward resembling a child in a carnival. Most of us have lived in these concrete Gulf canyons for years, and we do not look skyward. We do not get impressed by it's sheer grandeur, and it's infinite promises. It's only a part of our lives that we choose to overlook, like the color of your car's dashboard, or the poor quality of the coffee in your office canteen. Dubai is not a magical city for those who live there. It's just like any other place. My second gripe with this film are the characters. I appreciate that this film is inspired by true events, and I do not know as much about the titular character and his family as does VinSri, but almost all of them seem like hollowed out shells. Not one of them looks like they belong in family. Even as they huddle for those all important family photos (taken on you guessed right, an old analog camera), the distances between them jump out of the screen. And the less said about Renji Panicker's performance the better. This isn't the stage Renji. You may make a good voice over artist, but your what your voice garners in conviction, your face gives up.

I will gloss over the performances of the other actors in the film, save from the one of Abin, which feels complete, and much at peace with itself. Neither the stereotypical achhayathi mother, or the ever smiling young son (chubby for good measure) manage to ring true even for a moment.

My biggest gripe is with Nivin Pauly. An actor of his caliber should be more careful in choosing roles. His talent is wasted in almost every scene, his usual genial face replaced with a constipated "God What Am I Doing Here" look that makes you cringe.

This whole film, it's brilliant premise, and everything good about a financial struggle in a world ruled by money, and it's eventual, predictable yet acceptable effect on character building, are let down more than all, by the uneven and quite frankly exasperating directing by VinSri. His characters, his camera, his dialogs, and even his music feel out of place. It almost feels like he decided to make up what life in the Gulf may be like, and then shot it based on what he felt it may look like.

I hope for the day when a movie about Malayalees in Dubai will not include a shot of the Burj Khalifa or Sheikh Zayed Road or desert safaris. I hope for a day when actors will realize that in order to look like the MD of a company, you will need to do much more than wearing all fitting suit. I hope for the day when a negative character will not have to come with a deformed lip, excessive beard and speak a different language in default mode. I hope for a day when the hard work of business is not reduced to a montage of unfunny quips and close up inserts of currency stacks. I hope for a day when film makers in Kerala will start considering expats in the gulf as real people, with identities and features separate from their surroundings, with individuality, and not as standardized bar coded by-products of a city they live in. I hope for a day when the true Gulfkaaran will be immortalized on screen, not as an Alice in the Wonderland of Dubai come lately, but as a person with the exact same emotions and sentiments as anyone else, living anywhere in the world.

2 Stars.

A brilliant movie which revolves around the love affair between kerala and the middle east

[joelthomas-42525 · 10/10 · 8 May 2016]

To begin with, people are walking in with high expectations considering its a nivin pauly and vineeth srinivasan movie and the movie does deliver but its one of those instances where your expectations are so high that you are expecting The Godfather like story in a simple story like Notting Hill.

The movie is about the love shared between a family, though the relationship between Jacob (Renji Panicker) and Jerry (Nivin Pauly) stands out, it is about many family bonds ie; husband and wife, father and son, two brothers, boss and subordinates, business man and partners. Instead of bringing in action and fight scenes and everything else , the movie is about how a sudden crisis causes a certain distance between members of the family and how Jerry steps up and fixes the same. It is a simple narration of a story that needed to be told. Love it or hate it, that's what was done.

Maybe it was something which could be explained clearly only by an NRI malayalee as they called people in the middle east from kerala, but it was a really good watch for us none the same.

It really does show you how hard people in the gulf have to work and common things that bring about problems in their life and how they have to work even harder to fix the problems and improve their families lives both at the same time.

If you had walked in not knowing the details of the movie having Renji Panicker, Nivin Pauly and Vineeth Srinivasan, thinking this is a movie by a set of new people to the industry , you would walk out with a warmth that will help you understand the love for the characters in the movie.

To summarize, this was not a Nivin pauly movie or a Renji panicker movie and this will leave some wondering why didn't the Vineeth Srinivasan commercialize the movie more to cater to the same. I'm guessing he didn't want to add too much drama to a true life story just to get the applause of the public.

MIND BLOWING EXPERIENCE WITH A FAMILY TOUCH.

[vnairaravind · 10/10 · 13 May 2018]

How can we explain about this movie? OKAY IN SIMPLE WE CAN SAY THAT IT IS THE "PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS" OF MALAYALAM FILM INDUSTRY... JUST WATCH IT.. THE MOVIE WILL SPEAK THE REST..

An emotional rollercoaster!

[snehanaik-88268 · 10/10 · 17 June 2021]

It is perfect if you're looking for a superb entertaining film which is loaded with a genuine family's highs and lows, and not just plain drama.

It shows how when people work together as a family they can overcome any hurdle of life whatsoever.

It will leave you with happy tears. Heart touching performances ny Nivin Pauly, Sreenath Bhasi, Renji Panicker and Lakshmi. It is one of my favourite films in the 20 years I've watched movies.

Gulf folks will love this till its last min 💯.

[sahulsahel · 10/10 · 20 February 2020]

This is like my most favourite movie, not because it has a magnanimous storyline, or the foreign scenery, but THE EMOTION IT EXHIBITS. Me and my family reside in the U.A.E., and we also had gone through economical crisis, so typically this movie is not just a biography of Vineeth's friend, but a biopic of every south Indian residing in the Emirates. This movie can never be hated by any GCC NRI. Thanks Vineeth Sreenivasan.

neat screenpla

[itumaesh · 10/10 · 24 April 2022]

Awesome movie with a neat screenplay - Lot of maturity shown by the film maker in terms of screenplay post Premam - It a clean and neat editing and what a beautiful way to put all these things on screen - Its again a clean sweep.

Poor presentation of a real story with potential

[ahsanahd · 2/10 · 12 April 2016]

I went to watch this film with high expectations since it was directed by Vineeth and stars Nivin. But just after the first 30 minutes, I could see I was in for a disappointment. The main problem seems to be that the script is written in a hurry and most of this film had unnecessary scenes and dialogues. Average acting from Renji Panicker and Nivin Pauly and most of the actors makes you wonder when will this end. It is also the reason that we never feel like we have to care for this characters. The rare scenes with good humor entertained me and I felt that Vineeth is better at making comedy-oriented films and he must focus on his that talent rather than trying to be too serious.

Excellent movie

[suneethanairkm · 10/10 · 12 January 2018]

A strong message as to how to rise up in situations, with loads of standard comedy. Nivin pauly did a classic role. A family entertainer. Crisp and short, no unnecessary scenes that would waste time.

Boring

[varuny · 3/10 · 11 May 2016]

One of the most boring movies I have watched in recent times.. Lot of clichés, made me cringe at times. You don't feel a connect with the movie. Even if this is a true story, director has lost an opportunity to make this one special.. For eg. In movies like the pursuit of happiness, direction is such that u care for the movie, ur emotions sync with that of the actors in the movie... But this one... Naah.. Am sure vineeth is a nice director, but may be he missed the mark in this one... Nivin was alright, though there is not much for him to do, and the lady who played the mom's role, totally out of place, Overall not worth the time

Similar to Drishyam as it involves a middle class family facing a crisis .....

[PimpinAinttEasy · 5/10 · 10 April 2016]

Dear Vineeth Sreenivasan,

Your film is an uninhibited celebration of Malayali Christian industriousness, capitalism and materialism. You basically hit us on the head with your idea that Dubai is some sort of paradise for people who work hard. It is probably true because a lot of my friends who left for Dubai in the early 2000s are all millionaires. Thought they do complain that they live with a sense of constant dread because they aren't citizens and can be thrown out without even a warning.

The 2008 financial meltdown and a duplicitous Pakistani businessman leaves a Malayali Christian family in a soup. The head of the family - Jacob (played by Renji Panicker) has to leave Dubai and head to Liberia to avoid prosecution for financial fraud. His son Jerry (Nivin Pauly) and his wife Sherly (Lakshmi Ramakrishnan) find it tough to keep creditors at bay. The film is a bittersweet account of how the family gets back on its feet.

The Onam celebration at the beginning of the film was truly cringe worthy. There was this sense of forced glee in which the characters took part in the celebrations. The god fearing nature of the Malayali Christian family and family values are emphasized to the point of boredom. Aju Varghese and his family arriving in Dubai ought to have been chopped off at the editing table. It was plain awful. You peppered the film with characters who could provide comedic relief, Vineeth. It was so obvious.

Renji Panicker's performance was above average. The truth is that he is a very average actor. But he is extremely confident and gung ho. He is like a talented salesman selling an average product. Nivin Pauly is charming as usual. The rest of the cast was respectable without being brilliant. The cacophonous background score did have some good tunes.

It's not a bad film. It does move along quite quickly after the unbearably feel good beginning. The film would almost surely tug at the hearts of middle class Malayalis. It was quite similar to Drishyam because both films have honest middle class families facing a crisis.

Best Regards, Pimpin.

(5/10)

A Superb Family Entertainment

[AshbalRazeen · 15 February 2019]

It's a one of the lovely family entertainer movie in malayalam.