Run Baby Run review: RJ Balaji's earnest presence and smart screenplay make this an entertaining thriller

3/5

Story: A bank employee gets the shock of his life when he finds an unknown young woman in his car. The latter seeks help from the former as her life is in danger and stays at his home for sometime awaiting her guardian to pick her up. However, the woman meets with an unfortunate fate, leaving him in trouble. He goes through a slew of unanticipated terrifying incidents after which he becomes one of the suspects in a murder case. Quite vexed about the harrowing experiences, he decides to gather information about the lady who made his life a mess.

Review: Jiyen Krishnakumar's Run Baby Run is a welcome change for RJ Balaji who has headlined only comic entertainers till date. The movie, touted as a thriller flick, wastes no time in establishing its plot and is devoid of unnecessary elements.

The life of Sathya (Balaji), a middle-class bank employee who is about to get married to her lover (Isha Talwar), turns topsy-turvy after Thara (Aishwarya Rajesh), a medical student seeks protection in his house. She has exposed an influential person and is on the run. Sathya allows Thara to stay at his place after listening to her story, but wakes up the next day to find that she has been killed.

Upon the advice of his friend Jai Ganesh (Vivek Prasanna), a cop, Sathya decides to dump the body, but his plans land him in unexpected troubles and things go beyond his control.

Meanwhile, Kabir Ahmed (Tamizh), a stern cop, takes up the murder case and starts suspecting Sathya, who goes after the truth behind Thara. With ample evidence galore, can Sathya escape the clutches of Kabir?  

The highlight of Run Baby Run is its fast-paced screenplay in the first half which offers edge-of-the-seat experience from the word go. Balaji's portrayal as the confused middle-class young man who is torn between hiding a crime and managing his love life does complete justice, and we are easily able to relate to the complexities he goes through.

Aishwarya is flawless as an orphan student who fears for her life and registers her presence in the sequences in which she appears. Vivek Prasanna depicts the role of a concerned family man and a committed friend convincingly. Tamizh and Radhika Sarathkumar are apt in their roles, but their characters could have had more screen space. Isha Talwar, too, makes only a short appearance.  

The background score by Sam CS is effective in a few episodes and acts as the perfect catalyst. Madan's editing is crisp and Yuva's visuals are neat. The film, which has a thoroughly engaging first half, turns out to be a decent watch overall, thanks to the mediocre latter half.

The adrenaline rush which is evident in the first hour goes downhill when more characters are introduced along with the antagonist. The climactic twist and the backstory aren't bad, but could have been more captivating. After an intriguing entry, the role played by Tamizh, becomes under-developed, leaving the proceedings diluted.  

Verdict: What could have been a completely engrossing thriller turns out to be a decent watch, thanks to the comparatively less engaging third act. Watch it for the sincere performances of actors and a few neatly staged sequences which will keep you glued to the screen.