Bharat Agarwal

The writing in the first half was sharper than most recent releases.

Solid, if a bit safe in the places it could have pushed.

Caught this over the weekend, the second half really picked up the pace.

A quiet, understated film that trusts its audience more than most recent releases have. No dramatic score cues telling you how to feel — the performances do that work instead. Some viewers will find the deliberate pace frustrating, and that's a fair criticism. The final act payoff justifies the patience it demands from you earlier on. Cinematography is restrained in the best way, letting scenes breathe without over-directing them. This won't be for everyone, but for the right audience it'll stick with you long after the credits.

The second half is where this really finds its feet.

Sharp writing, and it trusts the audience to keep up.