Maareesan Movie Review: A meticulously paced thriller that delivers gripping, unexpected turns.

Director Sudheesh Sankar’s Maareesan is a grounded thriller-drama that slowly unravels its points one by one, delivering an engaging film that is led across by two standout performances – Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu.

The film is about an unlikely event where a local thief Dhayalan (Fahadh) crosses paths with Maareesan (Vadivelu), an Alzheimer’s patient who has some work to be done. The unique combo of the two works wonders on screen, with Fahadh bringing a nuanced role that reminds us of his Thondimuthalum Drikshashiyum, and Vadivelu putting his legs deep into this curiosity-piquing character that reminds us on how underutilized he has been in non-comedic spaces.

The film excels in maintaining a strong sense of doubt and suspense in the first half, keeping the audience guessing. The second half opens up emotionally with some key reveals and a climax twist that clicks and works in the film’s favour. However, the back story that the film presents is something that is done-to-death and there have been similar beats in recent films – while it is effective enough to push forward the narrative of the film, it is not something extraordinary. The film benefits from the emotional investment that is created by the lead characters, and that is what takes it till the end.

Fahadh starts off as a thief in the film, but as the story progresses, his transformation is both surprising and satisfying for audiences. Vadivelu’s role is quiet, mysterious and has made shades, all central to the film’s mood.

Yuvan Shankar Raja delivers a score that impressively balances the film’s genre-hopping tone. While it is on elevating the tense moments or giving emotional touches, Yuvan is in good form here. He also gets a little experimental with smart remix of an Ilaiyaraaja song, which is a key fun moment in the second half.

Though some scenes and developments feel generic in Maareesan, the film holds attention due to its emotions and the performances of the lead duo. It is nowhere near high octane, but a well crafted slow burn drama that has enough to keep the viewer engaged.

Maareesan Movie Rating: 3.25/5