The Road

The Road was in desperate need of coordination, from the storytelling, direction, score, to the acting, everything was regrettably crumbling

DELICIOUS

-Semmalar Annam saved the day😃 It was great to see her try a different role which took away from her comfort zone

As always, Dancing Rose nailed it! Captain of his own ship by leading well his parallel story. He was strong, then weak, vulnerable, then robust, it was a joy to see him

-'Desperate times lead to desperate measures'. We witnessed how Meera and Maya had to overcome miserable conditions in order to make it in life. It was a great level of perseverance

BLAND

-Trisha gave a one-note face🙁 even the times when she was smiling, you knew it wasn't coming from within. There was a staged chemistry with her family. Keerthy Suresh could have better handled this movie

-We spent most of the time questioning the logic of some scenes rather than being transported into the story, e.g Trisha is admitted to the hospital for some days and the woman has her eyebrows done, foundation on🤔 How does a light cut on someone's wrist leads to passing out?

Things like this just removed us from the narrative

-The entire investigation followed a common path that we already knew who the suspect was.

The way Dancing Rose's parallel story connected to Trisha's narrative didn't click well, it led to lots of questions being raised...it was painful to see. And the fight sequences were....😔

First of all, I should start with Trisha's performance. She literally carries this film in her shoulders well supported by Shabir.

Initially there are 2 stories being told parallelly where Dr Meera's story hooks the audience and just before this parallel narration start to become a little confusing, the director had shown the connection between the 2. Look forward for the interval block.

Once both stories are connected, there is no looking back and it was an interesting approach from the director to structure this movie as such. This also makes this a unique film differing it from the regular thrillers.

Trisha's ability to perform is well explored by the director. She has a perfect follow-up for Kundavai with this movie showcasing her talent. Shabir is a natural.

Meera (Trisha Krishnan) is happily married to an animal photographer and has a son. She gets pregnant again and her doctor advises her against travelling. She has promised to take her son on a family trip every birthday of his and the kid is stubborn for the trip. She stays back sending the father and son on the planned trip, where a freak accident kills them or so the culprits want everyone to believe. Investigating the multiple accidents that has occurred on that spot, she uncovers a mystery that pitches her against a notorious criminal mastermind. How does she face him and defeat his network forms rest of the story.

The Road begins with a random couple being killed and robbed by a group of thieves at an highway. Straight away, it is revealed where the story is headed and this followed by introduction of Meera's story and a parallel story involving Maya, a professor getting falsely accused of sexual harassment resulting in his humiliation and job loss. Not much imagination is required in connecting all these stories and this is where The Road fails to keep up the mystery. Even though the reveal happens in the third act, the narrative simply fails to keep the proceedings engaging.

From Meera going on investigating herself with help from a constable who more or less is good at confronting but gets beaten up very easily. The very fact that Meera gets to investigate and even gets the forensic team to re-test, looks too convenient and against the actual procedure. The first major reveal looked all too tame and there wasn't enough explanation provided for that character's actions. The subplot involving Maya and his student followed by his humiliation at village as well as his siblings lacked any finesse and the drama here resembled tv serials. Overall, The Road is a dull thriller that refused to raise above mediocrity.

The film exhibits adiquate storytelling, with decent plot points and few mystery elements. However, it is worth noting that the narration could have been enhanced for a more immersive experience.

Trisha, as always, graces the screen with her natural beauty, appearing stunning even without makeup most of the time. Her performance in the film is exceptional, demonstrating her versatility as she flawlessly embodies various facets of her character. Shabir's acting prowess shines through, and the supporting cast also delivers commendable performances.

Unfortunately, the production values fall short of expectations, lacking the level of quality one might anticipate. While the cinematography meets a basic standard, the background music enhances the viewing experience. However, the color grading leaves room for improvement.

The direction of the film, while competent, doesn't quite reach the level of perfection. Despite its shortcomings, this movie offers a worthwhile cinematic experience that you can enjoy on OTT.

Trisha, as Meera, does a decent job in the film. Shabeer Kallarakkal, who received widespread praise for his portrayal of the character Dancing Rose in Sarpatta Parambarai (2021), steals the limelight in the film with yet another powerful performance. Shabeer's portrayal of Maya makes a profound impact on you.

Trisha's character starts finding ways to avenge the death of her husband, she uncovers truths and that leads to her crossing paths with Maya.

Trisha Krishnan Performance 10/10 Shabeer Performance 10/10 Overall Cast and Crew Performance 9/10 Music Score 9/10 BGM 9/10 Director 10/10 Screenplay 9/10.