‘Ace’ movie review: Vijay Sethupathi, Yogi Babu cannot save this middling comedy-thriller

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

Imagine an ordinary person, poor, lonely and single, naively daydreaming about situations as follows. What if I could fly to a foreign country, preferably with a large Tamil diaspora, like Malaysia, and meet a stunningly gorgeous woman, like that actress from Sapta Saagardaache Ello? It would be a bummer if our paths don’t cross often, and so what if she lives opposite my house and we take the same train to reach our day jobs? Also, what if she needs a lot of money, and I become a prince charming with godly luck at Poker, or, say, rob a bank? After all, it’s a dream, so I get to decide how outlandish my story can be. This is largely how the story of Ace pans out.

If convenient writing is a game of poker, Ace is a royal flush. Yet despite a ridiculous storyline, this is a surprisingly entertaining film till a point (far better than what the trailer suggested). Four things work well in its favour. First, it features Yogi Babu at his comedic best. As Arivukarasan, the actor is riotous throughout the film, and nine out of 10 jokes land with impeccable timing. Then comes the lead romantic pair, Vijay Sethupathi and Rukmini Vasanth, who are adorably cute as ‘Bolt’ Kannan and Rukmini. They charm their way through the film with the smallest expressions — watch how hesitantly Vijay grins when Rukmini first waves at him from her balcony — and somehow make you forgive scenes with lazy writing. Indeed, their playful banter throughout the ‘Urugudhu Urugudhu’ song makes you crave a rom-com.

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

Speaking of songs, Justin Prabhakaran’s music plays a vital role in elevating the film’s mood. He sticks to his assignment, and the background score makes its presence felt without seeking much attention. Finally, writer-director Arumugakumar does show occasional flair in scene writing, and a knack for suspense that could have come in handy in a better film.

Though all this keeps the film afloat until intermission, they fail to sustain a material so thin, and, at times, even tedious. Interesting ideas are introduced without much follow-up, like Kannan’s top-tier Poker skills. Arivu’s employment as a sanitation worker, the restaurant their friend 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 a huge debt), are all settings we are introduced to but with no roles to play in the larger scheme of things. A sub-plot about Rajadurai (Babloo Prithviraj; as Rukmini’s obnoxious stepfather and police officer) blackmailing a young girl with her sex tape takes up so much space, only to become conspicuously unnecessary.

Everything derails when the film takes itself too seriously by attempting to be a suspenseful heist thriller. In fact, Ace has all the necessary ingredients to become a good romantic caper, but it never finds its tone. A serious thriller with an innovative heist is one thing, and an out-and-out comedy where the plan goes hilariously wrong is another. Ace is neither. Its flaws are evident in two central action sequences. One happens when Kannan and Arivu are chased by Durai’s men, while the other is an elaborate escape plan. You either laugh at everything silly Yogi Babu does or utters, or you miss him whenever Arumugakumar attempts to conjure a Mission: Impossible out of thin air.

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

At one point, Arivu, distressed by Kannan persistently asking him to trust his hush-hush plans, quips, “ennada plan’u plan’u nutu, enna maati vidradhu dhana da unnoda plan’u?” This, and how Ace wishes to reveal information about its mysterious protagonist, pretty much sums up the film as well — it keeps its cards close to the chest, reveals some, throws away the rest, and declares itself a winner.

Ace is currently running in theatres