3 (Tamil Movie Review): Journey of few down to earth characters through the extremes of life.

3 (Review)
Script and direction: Aishwarya R. Dhanush
Starring: Dhanush, Shruthi Haasan, Prabhu, Sunder Ramu etc,,,
Music: Anirudh
Language: Tamil
Release: March, 2012
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There is a saying 'Life is made up of years that mean nothing and moments that mean it all.'
Plot: Few down to earth characters' journey through the extremes of life. Not always our  life moves as smooth as it begins, anywhere anytime anything might change.

'Sometimes people leave and they never say goodbye'

Hats off to Aishwarya R Dhanush. Her debut is impressive. Selected a bold theme and executed well.
The rocket paced first half could relate to our school days filled with first love and infatuation, while the second half is an out and out emotional black mail, dealing with situations just opposite to the first half.
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Pluses:
* Dhanush.
* Songs and BGM.
* Entertaining first half.
* Emotional second half.
* Beautiful Shruthi Haasan.
* Good supporting cast: Prabhu, Sundhar and Siva. Well used.
* Production value.

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Dhanush' mesmeric performance is the soul of '3' and Anirudh's music, the backbone. Dhanush's face expressions showing various emotions deserve yet another award. Brilliant. With a good director, his performance can match any top class actors in India. Shruthi Haasan! this is her best performance but at times goes overdose in emotional scenes. In the flash back scenes, she is a treat to watch so is her mannerism and her eyes. Chemistry works well. Sundar and Siva comes as surprises. Good. Prabhu and Rohini is good again.
Special mention is needed to Aishwarya for using the supporting cast well. Through out the course of the journey a friend of Ram (Dhanush) is involved.
Anirudh R.: A great find. Look out for: 'Po nee.. track (bgm), Idhazhin oru oram... & 'Why this kolaveri..'.

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What is the title '3' reflects?
Two sides of Ram and the struggling Janani in between!
Parents, friends and wife.

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Minuses:
* Misleading trailers and teasers.
* Shruthi Haasan's emotional scenes in the second half seemed a bit overdone, with over-acting (I don't know whether the word over-acting!! can be used here or not).
* Situations leading to or timing of 'why this Kolaveri..' song.
* Rytham of the movie changes drastically now and then, and could have been better if the changes happened slowly.
* Certain scenes rises few unanswered questions.

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Note:
* Overall structure and basic plot reminded me of T.V. Chandran's Malayalam movie, 'Kathavasheshan'.
* The only action scene which comes in the second half, is very similar to that of Dhanush's own 'Kadhal Konden'.
* Too much of Selvaraghavan touch (Presentation of songs, the mood of the film and the flow).

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Warning: This is a dark film and not the one which the trailer and teasers promised you.
Overall: The movie has its heart but in a darker tone, much darker than the expectations.
I rate this movie as the best Tamil movie of the year till date (March).
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'Ithuvarai unudan vaazhntha en naatkal

marumurai vaazhnthida vazhi illaya...'

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4/5
Unexpected. Emotional. Touching.