Even as Vikram still rules the roost at the box office we have a small investigation thriller which definitely deserves your attention. Well-made thrillers always keep you on the edge of your seats. There's suspense, thrill and tension. Pattampoochi has all of this and a hero who is yearning to re-define himself on screen.
Sundar C is calm and assured always. It is a cakewalk for someone who is used to such roles. It almost feels like a repeat of his roles in the Aranmanai franchise. It is a very stark contrast to the villain. May be we should refer to him as the anti-hero because the film truly belongs to him. This role is his redemption arc after a string of hits and misses.
Jai is ruthless and makes you empathise with him. Heroes playing Villains is always special and this truly a special outing for Jai. He often steals the thunder from Sundar C despite being the bad guy.
It is good to see Tourette syndrome being highlighted onscreen. Honey Rose is back in Tamil cinema after a long time and does a neat job. The last time we saw her was in Jiiva's singam Puli. Imman Annachi takes care of the comedy.
E Krishnasamy's cinematography and Fenny Oliver's editing are neat. The film is yet another example of how trauma and abuse can destroy a person's life and turn him into a social outcast.
There are a couple of blips which pull down the film a bit. The songs act as speed breakers. We wish more work had gone into bringing back the 90’s. Though the film is supposed to be set in the 90's, it almost feels like everything is happening now and the time period remains a mere gimmick. A little more effort in showcasing the 90’s would have lent a touch of authenticity to the proceedings.
Adama Jeichomada by Badri in the comedy genre was an enjoyable film. This time Badri tries his hand at a thriller and almost succeeds in terms of the plot and characters, but the execution could have been a little better. That would have made this hero vs hero face-off an even more memorable one.
Overall, Pattampoochi is a fairly engaging thriller in its own way despite the flaws. If you are a fan of thrillers you will definitely enjoy this one too.