Coffee With a Killer Review: RP Patnaik's film has a good concept but the presence of way too many subplots spoils the viewing a bit. The climax twist is quite engaging.
Last Updated: 10.30 AM, Feb 02, 2025
A professional killer(Temper Ravi) takes a contract to carry out a murder in a bustling coffee shop. As he arrives at the café, he finds several other people played by Ravi Babu, Satyam Rajesh, and Srinivas Reddy are also present there for a special purpose. How will this professional killer fulfill his commitment in such a busy place and how do the characters mentioned above create new issues in the story? To know the answers, stream the film on Aha now.
Coffee With a Killer has been directed by the popular R. P. Patnaik, who has chosen an intriguing subject for a suspense thriller. The film is set in a coffee shop where a murder is planned, and various people from different walks of life play a role in the crime while also serving a special purpose in the story. This premise is interesting, and R. P. Patnaik sets up the narrative in an engaging manner.
However, to stretch the story, he adds multiple comedy sequences that unfortunately do not work in this setup. These silly jokes take away from the seriousness of the proceedings. Had the director maintained a gripping and serious tone throughout, Coffee With a Killer could have had a much stronger impact.
Several episodes feel unnecessary, seemingly added just to create confusion and push the story forward. The main track featuring Temper Ravi is somewhat neglected as the focus shifts to other, less engaging subplots. Though the runtime is crisp, these additional tracks dilute the intensity of the film.
Despite having seasoned actors, their potential is underutilized due to weak character development. However, R. P. Patnaik handles the suspense elements decently, and the climax twist is well-executed, delivering a shock to the audience. But to reach that point, there are too many filler scenes that could have been avoided.
Regarding performances, Srinivasa Reddy and Satyam Rajesh hold attention with well-written roles, and both seasoned comedians deliver strong performances. Temper Ravi plays a negative role effectively, Ravi Babu is neat on his part, and the supporting cast does well in their limited screen time.
The production values are quite good. Cinematography and editing were handled by Anush Gorak—while his camerawork is impressive, the editing could have been much sharper. Similarly, the music is quite average, and the background score could have been significantly better.
In the end, R. P. Patnaik presents a unique premise but falls short in execution. Had he maintained a more serious and gripping narration, the film would have been far more impactful. As it stands, Coffee With a Killer ends up as a routine thriller that lacks the much-needed intensity.
On the whole, Coffee with a Killer is a suspense drama that has a great premise but the narration is made silly by adding silly tracks. A few twists in the climax are good but the rest of the film is just ordinary and has nothing new to showcase.