‘Ace’ film evaluation: Vijay Sethupathi, Yogi Babu can’t save this middling comedy-thriller-OxBig News Network

Vijay Sethupathi, Yogi Babu in a nonetheless from ‘Ace’
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Imagine an odd particular person, poor, lonely and single, naively daydreaming about conditions as follows. What if I may fly to a international nation, ideally with a big Tamil diaspora, like Malaysia, and meet a stunningly beautiful girl, like that actress from Sapta Saagardaache Ello? It can be a bummer if our paths don’t cross typically, and so what if she lives reverse my home and we take the identical prepare to succeed in our day jobs? Also, what if she wants some huge cash, and I turn into a prince charming with godly luck at Poker, or, say, rob a financial institution? After all, it’s a dream, so I get to determine how outlandish my story could be. This is essentially how the story of Ace pans out.

If handy writing is a recreation of poker, Ace is a royal flush. Yet regardless of a ridiculous storyline, it is a surprisingly entertaining movie until a degree (much better than what the trailer instructed). Four issues work nicely in its favour. First, it options Yogi Babu at his comedic finest. As Arivukarasan, the actor is riotous all through the movie, and 9 out of 10 jokes land with impeccable timing. Then comes the lead romantic pair, Vijay Sethupathi and Rukmini Vasanth, who’re adorably cute as ‘Bolt’ Kannan and Rukmini. They allure their approach by means of the movie with the smallest expressions — watch how hesitantly Vijay grins when Rukmini first waves at him from her balcony — and in some way make you forgive scenes with lazy writing. Indeed, their playful banter all through the ‘Urugudhu Urugudhu’ tune makes you crave a rom-com.

Rukmini Vasanth and Vijay Sethupathi in a nonetheless from ‘Ace’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Speaking of songs, Justin Prabhakaran’s music performs a significant function in elevating the movie’s temper. He sticks to his task, and the background rating makes its presence felt with out in search of a lot consideration. Finally, writer-director Arumugakumar does present occasional aptitude in scene writing, and a knack for suspense that would have turn out to be useful in a greater movie.

Though all this retains the movie afloat till intermission, they fail to maintain a fabric so skinny, and, at instances, even tedious. Interesting concepts are launched with out a lot follow-up, like Kannan’s top-tier Poker abilities. Arivu’s employment as a sanitation employee, the restaurant their pal and well-wisher, Kalpana (Divya Pillai), owns, or the drug cartel run by Dharma (BS Avinash; as a kingpin who traps Kannan and Arivu in an enormous debt), are all settings we’re launched to however with no roles to play within the bigger scheme of issues. A sub-plot about Rajadurai (Babloo Prithviraj; as Rukmini’s obnoxious stepfather and police officer) blackmailing a younger woman along with her intercourse tape takes up a lot house, solely to turn into conspicuously pointless.

Everything derails when the movie takes itself too critically by trying to be a suspenseful heist thriller. In truth, Ace has all the mandatory substances to turn into a very good romantic caper, however it by no means finds its tone. A severe thriller with an progressive heist is one factor, and an out-and-out comedy the place the plan goes hilariously incorrect is one other. Ace is neither. Its flaws are evident in two central motion sequences. One occurs when Kannan and Arivu are chased by Durai’s males, whereas the opposite is an elaborate escape plan. You both snicker at the whole lot foolish Yogi Babu does or utters, otherwise you miss him at any time when Arumugakumar makes an attempt to conjure a Mission: Impossible out of skinny air.

Rukmini Vasanth and Vijay Sethupathi in a nonetheless from ‘Ace’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

At one level, Arivu, distressed by Kannan persistently asking him to belief his hush-hush plans, quips, “ennada plan’u plan’u nutu, enna maati vidradhu dhana da unnoda plan’u?” This, and the way Ace needs to disclose details about its mysterious protagonist, just about sums up the movie as nicely — it retains its playing cards near the chest, reveals some, throws away the remainder, and declares itself a winner.

Ace is at the moment working in theatres