User reviews

This is one of the best character study in Malayalam film industry in recent times. Its has all the elements on paper to make it a very interesting movie. The film keeps you engaging till the end. It is a brave attempt to try to tell a story in a different way.

Director Arun Kumar with "Ee Adutha Kaalath" in his credit does not disappoints. His involvement in the background study of various elements of the movie is very apparent and commendable. The background score is intriguing. It remains faithful to the theme of the movie. It adds to the mystic nature of certain progressing scenes. The cinematography is decent although could have been more crisp.

The only flaw in the whole project is the casting and the editing. Murali Gopy as an artist has a good taste,He is a writer and it is better if he does what he is good at. Swapping Fahadh Faasil and Murli Gopy might have been a better resource management judgment. Honey Rose is sweet and subtle, just perfect.perfect. Shyamaprasad is as it is mentioned in the film "Over Casual". The movie is too long, hence it fails to leave behind the impact it intends to.Many scenes could have been avoided.The purpose of the movie which drives the story moving forward keeps changing frequently which gets confusing as to why certain aspects of the story line is highlighted.

The Intention of the project is highly encourageble- To make a sharp physiological thriller.It succeeds in major portion of it, the editing and cast lets it down.This is a movie which is in the threshold of breaking away from the contemporary stereotype movies. Betting on Fahadh Faasil pays off yet again.It is refreshing to see the new breed of artists bring a fresh wind in the movie watching experience.

1 by Two is a psychological thriller that certainly tries to stand out from the usual fare in Indian cinema. Arun Kumar Aravind takes a bold step by experimenting with narrative structure and tackling darker, more psychological themes. There are moments where the film feels unique and visually striking, and the performances, especially from Fahadh Faasil, really help to anchor the story. The cinematography is moody and atmospheric, complementing the somber tone of the film, and the story's exploration of guilt, trauma, and fractured identities feels like it's aiming for something deeper.

But despite these positives, I couldn't help but feel that 1 by Two fell short of its potential. For starters, the film is excessively long. At over two and a half hours, the pacing becomes a real issue. What begins as an intriguing mystery soon turns into a slow, meandering plot that drags on for far too long. There were moments when I found myself losing interest simply because the film seemed to be going in circles, rather than driving the story forward.

Another big problem is the way the narrative jumps between flashbacks and the current timeline. While I can appreciate a good non-linear story, 1 by Two doesn't handle this very well. The transitions are confusing and, at times, disorienting. Instead of creating tension or suspense, these jumps muddle the plot and make it hard to keep track of what's happening. I found myself constantly questioning where I was in the story, and not in a good way.

The film's somber tone also weighs heavily on it. While a psychological thriller doesn't need to be upbeat, the overall mood of 1 by Two feels too heavy, too often. It lacks the balance that could have made it more engaging. Instead, it feels like it's stuck in the same dark, gloomy atmosphere for most of the runtime, which can be exhausting as a viewer. Even the moments of revelation or resolution don't provide much relief.

I will give the film credit for trying something different, though. The themes it tackles, particularly around mental illness and trauma, are complex and rarely explored in Malayalam cinema. It's clear that the filmmakers wanted to offer something thought-provoking, and in some ways, they succeed. But that success is overshadowed by the film's structural issues, making it feel more convoluted than clever.

In the end, 1 by Two is a film that had a lot of potential but doesn't quite live up to it. The strong performances and cinematography can't fully save it from its slow pace and confusing narrative structure. While I can appreciate the effort to do something different, the execution left me feeling more frustrated than thrilled.

Dear Murali Gopi,

you are a fine writer and a pretty good actor. But why do you exhibit your hirsuteness in every single film you're in? :).

Fahad Fazil who is a vastly superior actor could have taken over the role of the twins. You were simply not charming enough to carry the film on your shoulders. You do have a decent screen presence but your dialog delivery is stilted while your acting is unbearably self conscious. And Shyam Prasad was irritating as hell. Honey Rose was nice eye candy.

Fahad Fazil does have some good scenes but frankly, his role was unnecessary. And the flashback to explain the motivations of his character was an unnecessary diversion from the main plot.

The whole film is unnecessarily complicated and some of the characters and sub-plots could have been done away with. So you did not just fail as an actor, Murali, the writing was bad too.

Part of the background score is lifted from John William's score for JAWS and Bernard Hermann's score for PSYCHO. The background score was another issue - it was too loud at times. I guess the actors could not provide the necessary sparks and special effects through their performances while the dialogs were mostly uninteresting and contrived. So the director/editor had to resort to a mind numbing background score which did seem like a last ditch effort to save this sorry excuse of a film.

1 by TWO is a huge disappointment from Arun Kumar Aravind who had made the entertaining and well-crafted Ee Adutha Kalathu. Murali, you ought to focus on your writing and stay away from acting. And stop showing off your body hair, Murali. Why do you have to display your hirsuteness in every damn film of yours? :) As a hirsute man myself, you are not doing Malayali males any favors.

I am not trying to pull you down, Murali. I am a fan of yours. Ee Adutha Kalathu, which you wrote is one of my favorite Malayalam films of the last five years. I look forward to other films written by you. And starring you (despite this disappointment).

Best Regards, Pimpin.