'Por Thozhil' review: Don't miss this fascinating, engaging crime thriller
What's the story
If you like watching a crime thriller, then you must have Por Thozhil on your watchlist. Although the Tamil film was released in the theaters in June, it is on Friday that it premiered on SonyLIV.
Helmed by debutant director Vignesh Raja, Por Thozhil is a perfect combination of clever writing and spectacular performances.
Read our review of the film.
Plot
A cat-and-mouse chase between two cops and serial killer
A rookie cop (Ashok Selvan) gets his first assignment to catch a serial killer in Trichy before the killer strikes again. In his pursuit, he is helped by a senior officer (Sarath Kumar) who guides him to crack the case.
While the young cop is academically bright, he needs the guidance of the reserved senior cop to overcome his fears.
Strongest
Its beauty lies in its writing
Por Thozhil is a winner for me for the way it has been written. It keeps you hooked and also on the edge with its twists and turns.
What's also interesting is the way Alfred Prakash and Raja have shown their writing brilliance by gaining control of the genre and showing how an able police officer's brain works in various situations.
Casting
Kumar and Selvan have complemented each other's performances
Selvan as the young cop, DSP Prakash, who is anxious but resilient, complements the broody senior cop played by Kumar, SP Loganathan, who constantly tries to make Prakash want to quit the case.
The two Tamil stars have gotten under the skin of their characters. Whether they are seen together or individually, they are brilliant at the job.
What didn't work
It has its own share of problems
Por Thozhil is a great watch but it does have its share of problems too. One of the issues I had, lay with the twisted characterization of the antagonist; they went a little overboard to fit it right per the plot.
Also, the lessons that the writers tried to convey to the audience toward the end of the film, seemed a little heavy.
Verdict
Watch it for its writing, acting performances
It is not always that you get to watch a film that has been written so well, approached in such a simplistic manner, and delivers some earnest performances. Por Thozhil has all these elements in place and in the right quantity.
It's an engaging thriller that has already set the plot for its sequel.
Verdict: 3.5 stars out of 5.