I'll definitely recommend Por Thozhil to those who enjoy their share of investigative crime thrillers. It's been a while since we've come across a police procedural (in Tamil cinema) that focuses on the finer details, adding an uneasy dynamic between a rookie cop and an experienced (almost emotionless) veteran. Sarath Kumar and Ashok Selvan are both splendid in their respective roles (you'd know who's who by that description I gave). Director Vignesh Raja mentioned in interviews how he's fond of David Fincher's works, and the inspiration is evident. The framing style, the dark tones, the attention to detail - the debut filmmaker certainly shows promise.

It somewhat follows the Ratchasan template of a serial killer with a flashback (and a decoy), yet the film works from both writing and technical standpoints. Jakes Bejoy's score adds to the tense mood, the performances are pretty much on point, and the twists keep coming. While you won't be able to foresee the killer because his identity is unfurled layer by layer, and he shows up only in the final act (with a half-baked backstory), it's the proceedings until then that keep you on edge. There's a terrific stretch where the cop duo think they've "solved" the case only to realize that they've solved a totally different one. Let's get a sequel made soon enough, please?