Critical response The film received highly positive reviews from critics.
Anupama Chopra of
Film Companion wrote, "Joji is a reworking of Macbeth and while these words might suggest a period setting, Shakespeare's tragedy has been reimagined in contemporary times, on a sprawling rubber plantation in Kerala. But Joji, the youngest of three brothers, is very much a subject of his father's kingdom." Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars, Sajin Shrijith of
The New Indian Express said "
Joji is another brilliant, debate-worthy film about oppressed characters from the enviable imagination of Syam Pushkaran and director Dileesh Pothan. It's the duo's darkest film yet".
Richard Brody of
The New Yorker gave the film a positive review, noting, "The script, by
Syam Pushkaran, is both practical and fiercely expressive," and concludes, writing, "Long before the plot is resolved,
Joji offers a sardonic vision of patriarchal tyranny and the pathologies it spawns... [it] declares, with bitter irony, that there's no end in sight."
The Indian Express rated 3.5 and wrote, "Shakespeare's grand meshing of crime and punishment in Macbeth has spawned many film and stage versions in many languages around the world. Joji picks up the overarching theme beautifully (both writer and director have incorporated crime and punishment most innovatively in their previous work). The only time the film loses its grip, ever so slightly, is in the way it slides on the guilt which is part-and-parcel of a killing, and rolls towards an ending which feels pat. I wanted to see more of how the ‘damned spot’ would deepen, and how everyone, especially Joji, would experience it: the climactic coda feels a tad hurried."
Firstpost rated 3.5 and wrote, "
Joji paints an intriguing portrait of the antonym to mourning in this house of intrigue. Like some of the best of Malayalam cinema's New New Wave, it is a thoughtful, watchful film in which a chain of events unfolds at a natural pace, presenting a wealth of insights into Malayali culture and customs along the way. The succession-related concerns in the Panachel home, gossip by those claiming to support them, the local church's influence in their lives, the tense relationship between the parish priest (Basil Joseph) and this moneyed family all add up to a delightful black comedy that perhaps only Dileesh Pothan and writer Syam Pushkaran could have made."
The Times of India rated 3 and wrote, "And this is not a reflection on Dileesh Pothan's able direction, or the acting talent. Baburaj plays his part with neat restraint, whether he is drunk, comic, angry or confused, and Sunny PN conveys menace perfectly. The camera by Shyju Khalid captures the mood and is immersive, while Justin Varghese's bgm is quirky and sets the perfect tone. Ultimately, it's an exaggerated story about the darkness in a man's heart. But it will definitely be a movie that will be a part of popular culture for its characters."
Sify rated 4 and wrote, "
Joji is the kind of movie that shakes you up and refuses to leave you long after the end titles start rolling. It is affecting and makes you feel how easy it is for a human to give in to greed and then, face the consequences. This one is a MUST WATCH!" .
The Hindu wrote, "
Joji is as much a perceptive study of the slow unravelling of a criminal mind, as it is an indictment of the society and the family structure that is the origin point of that criminality. Dileesh Pothan has scored a hat-trick, with three films that are unlike each other" Critics have also pointed out striking similarities with the 1985 Malayalam film
Irakal. == Accolades ==