The movie opens with the blood-soaked bodies of Raam(Jeeva) and his mother Sarada(Saranya) on the floor of their house. When the police realise that Raam is in fact alive, he is arrested for the murder of his mother. The police commissioner(Rahman), not completely convinced of Raam's guilt, begins investigating the murder. Malaisamy(Murali), a policeman and Sarada's neighbor, becomes unwillingly involved in the investigation since his daughter(Gazala) was in love with Raam while his son(Sakthi) was Raam's classmate.

Raam definitely shows a Pithaamagan influence. Basic elements like a protagonist who is not your average human being and who has little to say, his life revolving around his relationship with one person and his anger when the relationship is shattered are the same factors that drove Pithaamagan also. But Ameer presents Raam as a murder mystery rather than just a character study. This results in a fast pace and therefore, an increase in the entertainment value of the film. But some elements, necessitated by both the murder mystery and wider commercial acceptance, also the movie descend to the level of an ordinary thriller at some places.

Raam opens in a stunning manner. As the camera moves slowly over the framed photos, with the sound of the TV in the background, we get the impression of a normal, peaceful household in the wee hours of the morning. So, seeing the bodies sprawled on the floor is a nice jolt. And Within the next few minutes, Ameer manages to spring quite a few surprises on us. The first is when we see Jeeva open his eyes. Another good surprise is his actions after the policeman has entered the house. The sequence gets the movie off to a roaring start and we are immediately hooked. Ofcourse, the pressure is then on Ameer to not let this adrenaline rush ebb - a difficult job indeed after the fine start. He manages to do just that for the first half before letting the pace flag somewhat in the second half.

Jeeva in Raam is not a person I could imagine a girl falling in love with. His moodiness, religious leanings and propensity for violence all make him fascinating as a movie hero but not believable as the target of a teenage girl's love. So Gazala falling in love with him and declaring undying love for him(even after his response is to offer to buy her some corn!) never rings true. The romance seems abrupt since its never clear why Gazala actually fell for him and never fits into the proceedings. On the other hand, Ameer blends comedy into the movie very skilfully. A single character, Vaazhavandhaan, who is harassed by the police since he was Jeeva's friend, raises hearty laughs without affecting the seriousness of the movie. Almost every single comment of his in the police station is hilarious and the scene where he thrashes a sleeping Jeeva brings down the house.

The murder mystery is resolved cleanly and in a rather uncomplicated manner. Ameer guides the screenplay with a firm hand without any loopholes or loose ends. For instance, its clever the way he sets up Jeeva's move to a cell in the back, setting the stage for him overhearing a key conversation. The movie begins to drag a little after this point though. The climax itself is a little disappointing too as it ends too fast considering the way Jeeva's character had been developed until then.

Jeeva leaves his loverboy role behind successfully to take on the main role here. He is menacing in many scenes and conveys the quiet intensity needed for the role. Saranya's casual and low-key dialog delivery, which earned laughs in Arul , is effective in earning our sympathy here. Her love for Jeeva comes through clearly and she shines in the scene where she pleads with Murali to not call her son mentally retarded. Gazala is pretty and convincing. Rahman makes a believable police commissioner, expressing well his wish to solve the case as well as his unwillingness to trouble his junior's family. Murali is dignified as always and Sakthi impresses in the second half. 'Ganja' Karuppu's dialog delivery makes his lines very funny.

Yuvan Shankar Raja, who seems to find his groove in serious, offbeat films(remember his soundtrack for 7/G Rainbow Colony ?) rather than regular, romantic movies, delivers superbly here. Numbers like Arariro... and Nizhalinai... are soulful and filled with wonderful lyrics. Manidhan Solgindra... is very effective in the background as Jeeva goes on his search. Even Boom Boom... manages to stand out inspite of the generic situation it happens in. Ramji's camera captures the soothing atmosphere of Kodaikanal well throughout. One particular shot, revolving around Jeeva as he meditates atop a high peak, in the Manidhan Solgindra... song sequence is simply breathtaking.