<p>The gruesome attack on a middle-aged woman in an ATM shook the city in 2013. The perpetrator Madhukar Reddy, who was nabbed after four years in Chittoor, had a strong criminal past. True events of violence have always allured filmmakers, and <span class="italic">Attempt To Murder</span> (ATM), from debutant Amar Gowda, is about the aforementioned incident.</p>.<p>Amar, with a cast filled with newbies, weaves a decent story but the film comes short in many aspects. Some of the sequences that lead to nabbing the culprit are engaging. The cinematography by S K Rao is a winner and gives the audience the feel of a thriller, despite many weak plot points. </p>.<p>The biggest problem with ATM is the stereotypical idea of making a thriller. The investigation officer (Amar) is seen with a Rubik’s cube to give him the aura of a smart man. To drive home the point that the killer (Surya)is a psychopath, he is shown living in an abandoned house and appears shabby with long and unkempt hair. ATM forgets that subtlety can also build tension as the background score is cringingly loud. </p>.<p>There is romance between a cab driver (Chandu) and an IT employee (Shobhitha). While it is not a crime to have a love story in a thriller, the treatment is key. The songs act as speed-bumps. With no big star to redeem it, ATM demanded a tighter screenplay to keep the audience hooked. </p>.<p>The acting is appalling as the newcomers fail to carry the weight of the well-written characters. Amar shows promise and one can only hope he improves in his next venture.</p>
<p>The gruesome attack on a middle-aged woman in an ATM shook the city in 2013. The perpetrator Madhukar Reddy, who was nabbed after four years in Chittoor, had a strong criminal past. True events of violence have always allured filmmakers, and <span class="italic">Attempt To Murder</span> (ATM), from debutant Amar Gowda, is about the aforementioned incident.</p>.<p>Amar, with a cast filled with newbies, weaves a decent story but the film comes short in many aspects. Some of the sequences that lead to nabbing the culprit are engaging. The cinematography by S K Rao is a winner and gives the audience the feel of a thriller, despite many weak plot points. </p>.<p>The biggest problem with ATM is the stereotypical idea of making a thriller. The investigation officer (Amar) is seen with a Rubik’s cube to give him the aura of a smart man. To drive home the point that the killer (Surya)is a psychopath, he is shown living in an abandoned house and appears shabby with long and unkempt hair. ATM forgets that subtlety can also build tension as the background score is cringingly loud. </p>.<p>There is romance between a cab driver (Chandu) and an IT employee (Shobhitha). While it is not a crime to have a love story in a thriller, the treatment is key. The songs act as speed-bumps. With no big star to redeem it, ATM demanded a tighter screenplay to keep the audience hooked. </p>.<p>The acting is appalling as the newcomers fail to carry the weight of the well-written characters. Amar shows promise and one can only hope he improves in his next venture.</p>