Bibin Krishna is a big fan of the genre and it is quite loud throughout the film. Twenty One Grams takes us through a heard before plotline but we never care that for this genre. Because for a whodunit, it is always the uniqueness in the motive and the identity of the killer that would stamp. And with the final act, Bibin manages to fairly ace the parameters.
Plot- Nanda Kishor(Anoop Menon), a cop with a tragic past, is investigating two murders involving siblings.
Nanda Kishor is tailor-made for Anoop Menon. There is a certain level of authenticity an actor like him brings to the role; he looks and sounds the role! Among the rest of the cast, Anu Mohan is worthy of mention. Despite being onscreen for long, Leona Lishoy couldn’t make me root for the character.
Deepak Dev’s background score was not uplifting. It smoothly complemented but never rose above. Jithu Damodar’s visuals and the color tone of the film befit the genre. As far as duration is concerned, the film is correctly paced but for cuts- it is uneven.
Bibin’s earnest desire to shock the audience with a twist has worked extremely well. The final twist is unpredictable; honest! More than the smartness of the twist, it is Bibin’s subtle approach throughout the film that has made it work. The first half travels through all the generic setups and ends without much excitement. From the second half, the writer-director starts springing some really good moments and ends it with a bang. The problem with the film is its non-tight approach. You never feel the tension of something so big happening and the emotional quotient the writer pins on its leads take it another notch down. Another problem is the predictability of events till their climax; you know the true colors hours before they are dyed. Just before everything could have fizzled out of the air, the film stands on its foot.
Overall, Twenty One Grams is a slow and subtle whodunit. Only if the whole film had been impressive like its stunner twist, I wish. But nevertheless, Twenty One Grams is a good watch at cinemas.
Review by© Gautham Ravichandran