Mammootty-Gautham Vasudev Menon's 'Dominic and the Ladies' Purse' is not experimental, but is fun

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Gautham Vasudev Menon's (GVM) movies have always been praised for being rooted yet commercial. The layered style of GVM's storytelling makes his characters relatable. His penchant for telling police stories was evident in films like 'Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu' with Kamal Haasan in the lead, 'Yennai Arindhaal' starring Ajith Kumar, and Suriya-starrer 'Kaakha Kaakha'.

In 'Dominic and the Ladies' Purse', produced by Mammootty Kampany, GVM turns to the mystery genre with Mammootty playing the role of a private detective. Unlike George Martin in 'Kannur Squad' or Sethurama Iyer in the popular CBI series, Dominic is not pursuing culprits behind some heinous crimes in this light-hearted mystery thriller. Instead, Dominic is tasked with something more simple -- finding the woman behind a missing lady's purse. The task is handed over to him by a concerned older woman (Viji Venkatesh) who is Dominic's house owner turned confidant. Just like the trigger for the investigation, the narrative is straightforward and not as complex or even fast-paced as Mammootty's previous investigation thrillers.
GVM, who has previously admitted that he loves Mammootty's work, dedicates some of the moments in the film to Mammootty, the actor, rather than Dominic, the character, which sometimes affects the film's pace. The fight action sequences, served moderately unlike many recent films, are gripping. The investigation picks up pace only in the second half, with most of the plot unfolding towards the end.

The climax balances the film; during the end moments, you feel the rush of an investigation thriller, while the first half is more invested in light moments. Mammootty once again proves he has no reservations about playing characters that interest him. His chemistry with Viji Venkatesh and Gokul Suresh, who plays Dominic's Watson, Vignesh aka Vicky, is interesting. This is Viji's second film after the hit movie 'Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum' and she once again proves her potential, though there are some traces of Ummachi's character in Ms Madhuri. However, it is Kannada actor Sushmitha Bhat who is genuinely alluring in the film. The music in GVM's films is often enchanting, and in 'Dominic and the Ladies' Purse', too, Darbuka Siva scores. The song 'Eee Rathri' sung by Vijay Yesudas, ThirumaLi, Sathyaprakash, and Pavithra Chari with lyrics by Thirumali and Vinayak Sasikumar is fun, which blends well with the mood of the film.