‘ED – Extra Decent’ movie review: A quirky drama helmed by the brilliant Suraj Venjaramoodu

A scene from ‘ED – Extra Decent’ Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Dark comedies have their own impact and one small mistake can leave them neither here nor there. Aamir Pallikal’s ED – extra decent has managed to fit into that niche quite well, with the right mix of mystery, intrigue and a few laughs.

The film begins with the protagonist Binu being attacked on his head by his apartment security. He loses his memory and in the hospital efforts are made to make him remember some things from the past. But his parents (Sudhir Karamana and Vinayprasad), sister (Grace Antony) and brother-in-law (Shyam Mohan) are wary of that situation. It seems that he fears for his life. It is here that Binu’s past, which is dark and disturbing, comes to the fore.

Unemployed, the submissive protagonist Binu is a loser in the eyes of his father, a retired tehsildar, while his mother and sister are sympathetic towards him. Binu’s behavior is attributed to childhood trauma and poor parenting. But there comes a time when an embarrassed Binu goes into a psychotic state and sets out to settle scores with his family in a ruthless manner. However, to the apartment residents, he is the ‘extra decent’ smart young man who loves his family, and they don’t know that he is in the process of changing from extra decent to extra dangerous.

Even though some of Binu’s actions seem far-fetched, his impact on the audience has not diminished, thanks to a wonderful actor like Sooraj Venjaramoodu. The National Award-winning actor, who is also the co-producer of the film, has pushed his limits as a performer. The bizarre and twisted but fascinating narrative rests on the shoulders of Sooraj, whose measured performance seamlessly shifts between comedy and villainy. The change is subtle and is accompanied by a smile that doesn’t reveal who he really is. The actor seems to have been let loose by writer Asif Kakkodi and director Aamir, and his talent shines in a scene where he loses control.

There are many moments in the tight script that keep the audience engaged. Although the audience knows that all is not well with Binu, they keep guessing about what he will do next. Just when you think the script is losing its grip, the writer surprises.

Although it is promoted as a dark comedy, the humor in the film is not that obvious. Actually, the film could have gone without some dialogues and situations.

a scene from ED – extra decent
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Sudhir Karamana and Vinay Prasad have done a good job as Binu’s parents. It’s always a pleasure to see Grace on screen, and so is Shyam, especially after his impressive acting. loving,

Ankit Menon’s music is almost like a character in the film, the tracks playing in the background complement the emotions emerging on screen. The editing (Srijit Sarang) and cinematography (Sharon Srinivas) add layers to the story, especially in the scenes shot inside the apartment that include many close-up shots.

ED – Extra Decent is currently playing in theaters