Joji review: Fahadh Faasil is terrific in this top-rate psychological thriller

Joji (2021), which is the third direct-to-OTT release for Fahadh Faasil in a span of six months, marks the actor's third collaboration with director Dileesh Pothan and writer Syam Pushkaran. With each outing, the combo has only gotten stronger and managed to deliver work that will stand the test of time. In Joji, a top-rate crime thriller that examines the downfall of a family, Dileesh and Syam join hands to explore the theme of greed and how it can bring about one's downfall. Based on William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the film depicts a series of events experienced by the Kuttappan family after an unfortunate incident. 

Fahadh plays Joji, a youth who harbours grand aspirations. However, his domineering father feels he’s nothing but a loser. Joji and his two elder brothers are controlled by the patriarch. And when the father suffers a stroke and is half-paralyzed, each member of the family has their own reason to celebrate. At the same time, the children also feel that they will lose everything if their father recovers. Joji comes up with a plan and pulls off what seems like the perfect crime but a mess ensues. 

The film, aided by Syam’s solid writing, beautifully explores the dynamics of a family torn apart by greed and a lust for power. Even though it's based on a play written in the early 17th century, the story feels highly relatable, and the characters are hard to judge. Joji works effectively as a slow-burn psychological drama as much as it’s about a crime and the events that follow. The slow buildup to the crime is very strongly complemented by the haunting score of Justin Varghese and the breathtaking visuals of Shyju Khalid. After committing the first crime, Joji wakes up the next morning and goes for a run and he reaches the top of a nearby mountain. When he stands on the summit of the mountain and looks down upon his house nearby, the visual is both beautiful and chilling.

In what’s easily one of his juiciest performances in recent times, Fahadh breathes life into Joji – a sly, sadistic character with absolutely no remorse. It’s amazing how each of his collaborations with Dileesh and Syam has resulted in a performance that’s hard to forget. The supporting cast is equally impressive, especially Unnimaya Prasad as Bincy, the daughter-in-law of the house. Her character is a modern-day version of Lady Macbeth, and she’s equally terrifying, her calm exterior notwithstanding.

Joji is being streamed on Amazon Prime Video.