MC Jithin's Sookshmadarshini is a Hitchcockian suspense thriller revolving around newly moved neighbors and the suspicious activities that follow. The film sets things up remarkably well in the first half, with subtle detailing placed evenly throughout. The second half follows with nail-biting sequences, twists, and turns. Christo Xavier's background score creates the perfect tension required for the
environment. The camera work, sound design, and editing also effectively support the thriller in building suspense. Humour is organically placed.
Nazriya performs well as the "overthinking detective" neighbor. She gets her moments in the second half and pulls them off convincingly. Basil is, once again, a knockout in the film. His expressions are just too good. The rest of the supporting cast performs well, with the neighbors and Ammachi complementing the leads effectively. However, the primary issue with the movie is its lack of emotional connection. It struggles to evoke the depth of emotion needed, and the climax feels slightly off-pitch compared to the rest of the film. Despite these flaws, the movie keeps you hooked and guessing until the last moment. It offers enough nail-biting scenes and twists to stand out as another excellent thriller from Mollywood this year.
OVERALL - 8/10.
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