Review: I’m Game
Film: I’m Game
Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Kayadu Lohar, Mysskin, Antony Varghese, Samyuktha Viswanathan, Vinay Forrt and Kathir
Director: Nahas Hidhayath
Story: Nahas Hidhayath
Director Of Photography: Jimshi Khalid
Film Editor: Chaman Chakko
Music: Jakes Bejoy
Rating: 2.5 stars
Synopsis: Dan John (Dulquer Salmaan), the heir to a wealthy family, is a reckless spendthrift and an overconfident gambler. Dan throws away the last sum of money his mom has to spare on a bet he makes during a cricket match. As always, he loses the bet. In frustration, he holds one of the security guards at the club a hostage and demands his money back.
He gets the money back. However, while fleeing with it, he ends up having an accident as a result of which he loses his right forehand. Luckily for him, there is a donor available and he undergoes a transplantation surgery to have the forehand of the donor attached to his right arm. The surgery works and all is well until one day, he realises the transplanted forearm has a mind of its own and is using his body to exact revenge!
Analysis:
I’m Game is disappointing. No, it is not that the film is bad. It is reasonably wellmade and fairly enjoyable. But after having consistently witnessed Dulquer Salmaan in good stories, this film, in comparison, appears a tad boring.
I’m Game in my book happens to be the weakest film in Dulquer Salmaan’s filmography. Despite having a talented cast and an interesting setup, the film struggles to make a lasting impression and falls short of the expectations one would naturally have from a project led by an actor of Dulquer’s calibre.
Dulquer Salmaan gives the film his best. He commits himself completely to the role and brings his trademark charm and intensity to the character. There is clearly considerable effort in his performance, particularly in the more demanding portions. However, even Dulquer’s best efforts cannot overcome the film’s shortcomings. The plot, its writing and execution prevent his performance from making the desired impact.
It is not just Dulquer who does a fine job. Kathir too delivers a dependable performance and adds weight to the proceedings. But the biggest surprise of the film is Mysskin, who is easily one of its highlights. He brings tremendous conviction and personality to his character, making every scene involving him considerably more engaging. Mysskin’s performance has an effortless quality to it, and he manages to leave a stronger impression than the material itself deserves.
Unfortunately, the film doesn’t consistently capitalise on the potential offered by its cast. The narrative lacks the spark required to keep the audience invested, and several moments that should have had a stronger impact end up feeling underwhelming. This becomes particularly disappointing because the film has performers who are clearly capable of elevating the material.
Dulquer remains watchable throughout, while Kathir and especially Mysskin provide some of the film’s most memorable moments. Yet, performances alone cannot completely compensate for a film that doesn’t come together convincingly as a whole.
Overall, I’m Game just about manages to pass, thanks largely to its performances, with Dulquer Salmaan, Kathir and particularly Mysskin giving the film some much-needed strength. But considering Dulquer’s impressive body of work, this is easily his weakest outing and still leaves one disappointed.
