Hari R

From the posters and the opening crime sequence, it would be all but natural to draw parallels between Vellai Pookal and the genre-defining Vetaiyadu Vilayadu. Both movies feature extensive foreign locales and an older cop with cold calculating instincts solving gruesome crimes. But the similarities end there. Vellai Pookal's crew of first-timers have helped the film stand apart thanks to refreshingly new screenplay elements, racy editing, and unconventional casting. At the risk of divulging too much detail, the parallel/dual storytelling is rarely seen in Tamil cinema and keeps you guessing. The film has great cinematography and enchanting visuals that capture the natural beauty of the United States very well. While it is light on crowd-pleasing song sequences, the background score aptly captures the edge-of-the-seat mood of the film. The plot feels a bit rushed in places, skimping on subtexts such as the reason for the bitterness between Rudhran and his son, and the modus of the crimes. However, these feel to be a necessary consequence of the relatively shorter 124-minute runtime. With regards to the cast, Vivekh as Rudhran, the retired cop, is the standout performer of the movie. His versatile performance in the film shows that past directors have done Tamil cinema a big disservice with his largely one-dimensional casting. Charle as Bharathi, is an apt foil and counterbalance to a sometimes over-serious Vivekh. Newcomer Dev as Ajay pulls off a muted but moving portrayal as the son torn between his American wife and bitter father. Overall, a commendable effort from the newcomers and a worthy entry into the annals of the new age of Tamil cinema.