Dear Friend's ending will make it divisive, but its rooted, simplistic core should find appreciation among most viewers. The depiction of urban Malayali friendships in a cosmopolitan city like Bangalore is pretty nicely done. That's why the first half scores a lot more than the second. You think of birthday pranks, parties, scoring, and so much more, which the film effectually portrays. But the investigative turn in the second half is found heavily lacking. Not only does it feel aimless as it progresses, but the twists don't startle or leave as much of an impact. The ending is also a bit of a damp squib, and what Basil Joseph's character remarks at the very end sums it up.
The performances are uniformly wonderful, with both Darshana and Tovino standing out. Surprisingly, this is the second consecutive Suhas-Sharfu script collab (after Puzhu) that I found less satisfying because it could have been so much more but it settles for a very safe, somewhat ambiguous route. Vineeth Kumar's ability in capturing the chemistry between his actors proves that he can tackle emotional drama quite well. Give him more meaty scripts, please!
