Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, David Oyelowo, Harris Dickinson, Charlie Cooper, Shirley Henderson, Lucian Msamati and Pearl Chanda
A 1950s murder mystery period piece brings together a quality cast for a classic "who-dunnit?". In the shadow of many classic murder mysteries out there, this is twists and turns a-plenty...
In 1953 London's West End, 'The Mousetrap' murder mystery play is a rousing success with audiences. American movie director Leo Köpernick (Brody) is in town to adapt the stage play to the big screen with a lavish cast, crew and production.
However it doesn't take long for Köpernick to ruffle feathers and make enemies, and he is soon murdered. Inspector Stoppard (Rockwell) and young Constable Stalker (Ronan) are brought into investigate, who both have their own thoughts and views on the murder.
Suspects include theatre producer Petula Spencer (Wilson), actor Richard Attenborough (Dickinson), film producer John Woolf (Shearsmith) and playwright Mervyn Cocker-Norris (Oyelowo). Stoppard and Stalker clearly have their work cut out to solve the crime...
The investigation into a brutal murder of a notorious American film director, working on the adaptation of a stage play into a feature film, plays out here like a stage play itself. Director Tom George (in his big screen debut) brings together nods and winks from the golden age of murder mysteries and doesn't dare mess with the genre for the final product.
It's one step away from mad-cap farce, but bristles with that sense of tongue-in-cheek fun and fever, never stopping to catch it's breathe. Kudos for this also falls to Brit writer Mark Chappell. Chappell brings his experience of quick wit, character relationships and play on words to the forefront here. And in turn this matches up with a roster of stars who are all veterans in their field of character development across many genres. They are more than capable to deal with the script on offer and flourish in a glamorous production. It all works together for a pleasing outcome.
With a cast that includes the likes of Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, David Oyelowo and Adrien Brody, that already shows what you are in for - a well acted, character driven piece of story telling.
Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan are the double act that hold this piece together. The polar opposite of service police, but unified by their individual strengths to make a solid pairing.
There are no surprised with the characters on show here, and to some extent the whole film plays the genre very safe. It's just a genre that isn't tackled as safe as it could be, and so often drowns under it's own weight. Here, it's very simple and very identifiable with no surprises or genre breaking additions. You've seen the characters before in many great murder mysteries of the past, in both book, stage and screen. All of them are given time to pad out their motives for murder, their own dark demons coming to the surface to be investigated.
Rockwell is the washed up Inspector, finding solace at the bottom of a pint glass and quibbling with his peers. But he has a sharp eye and keen mind to get the job done. Ronan is the bright-eyed, eager to please young Constable, seen as too junior to investigate a serious crime but bringing new ideas and observations to the case. You couldn't get two very different leads if you tried, but it's the chalk and cheese approach that keeps things interesting.
The rest of the cast chew into their roles with delightful glee. Harris Dickinson as a young Richard Attenborough commands a real accurate portrayal of the late actor. Adrien Brody makes his presence felt across the film, despite being offed in the opening minutes. Ruth Wilson and Reece Shearsmith say more without words, making it hard to distinguish just who could be behind the crime and why. That's half the fun; finding out. And at only 90mins long, there's nothing here to try and make a well worn genre into anything new.
Wes Anderson must be credited for the subtle influences George has woven through his story. Those who recognise the use of quirky characters, rich colours, period production design and steady camera work, snappy edits and split screen effects between characters and locations. These all help push the story forward away from the script, and adds an almost polished sheen to proceedings with great attention to detail and setting.
As stylish as the production is and the cast itself, it can be an acquired taste with this fast-paced array of characters cracking wise at each other. It aims for subtle humour more than chin-stroking mystery, and uses the actors far more as an anchor for the story, rather than the story itself. It may not be as intriguing or immersive as a murder mystery, but for a period piece that honours the genre with the look and feel of what we've seen before, this doesn't really put a foot wrong.
The 1950s come alive in a murder mystery that honours the greats with a Wes Anderson-inspired collection of quirky characters, lavish set design and fast-paced character relationships. It's not a memorable mystery, but entertaining enough for a watch.
'See How They Run' is a co-production between Searchlight Pictures, DJ Films and TSG Entertainment
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