“Don’t jump to conclusions.”
Well, it’s a whodunnit. When you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, right? Well, that’s at least how our narrator, American film director Leo Kopernick (Adrien Brody), puts it in the opening sequence of See How They Run. And while, to a certain degree, Kopernick’s remarks are true, director Tom George and writer Mark Chappell have brought a cute, clever, and charming addition to the whodunnit genre that keeps the audience engaged and entertained.
It’s 1953 in London, and Kopernick has his sights on directing an adaptation of the Agatha Christie play The Mousetrap after its successful run on the West End, starring Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson) and Sheila Sim (Pearl Chanda). But during a party after the 100th performance of the play, Kopernick gets into with a few of the guests, including Attenborough, and gets killed backstage. After his body is planted onto the set…or rather is staged (the movie made the joke, I didn’t, okay?!), a veteran/drunk officer, Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and the novice/eager officer, Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) are tasked with solving the mystery. But, of course, something like this is never so simple to solve.
As Stoppard and Stalker get to work, the clues are revealed in their meetings with the suspects – a producer, a writer, some famous actors (you know, the usual suspects), etc. Woven nicely into the plot, these meetings and the police partners’ journey around town show off how the neatly concocted story and witty dialogue of See How They Run really makes the film thrive on a good pace. This is also complimented by the sharp and energetic camera movements – something that would remind many film buffs of the quirky and neat Wes Anderson. And to the viewer’s delight, many of the visual and verbal comedic elements (pun lovers unite!) are never short of clever with the very least getting a few chuckles out of the audience.
With a talented cast sporting their eccentric roles, the comedic performances are as strong as they can be. Ronan, however, is clearly the shining standout in her supporting role as she is the story’s most relatable, sympathetic, and funny character in the entire film. Despite it being her first ever comedic role, Ronan shows that she can transfer her acclaimed dramatic talents to this genre with a great ease.
The only real thing I would fault the picture for is the flamboyant gay writer Mervyn Cocker-Norris (David Oyelowo) and his boyfriend (though their relationship is never directly addressed, of course) come across as perhaps too silly and digging way too much into the ridiculous stereotypes of being difficult and sensitive. While the film is obviously not outright making a purposefully derogatory depiction, I do fear that there is the unfortunate opportunity that this depiction can come across as offensive to some.
But overall, See How They Run is a movie that is just a good time. Also starring Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, Harris Dickinson, Charlie Cooper, Shirley Henderson, and more, this film is quick, entertaining, has its heartfelt moments, has a decent amount of fire-y action, and is quite funny. If you get the chance, kick back and have a nice time with a good old-fashioned murder mystery for your Saturday Matinee.
See How They Run is now playing in theaters.
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence/bloody images and a sexual reference.
Runtime: 98 mins
Director: Tom George
Writer: Mark Chappell
Cast: Kieran Hodgson; Pearl Chanda; Gregory Cox
Genre: Comedy | Mystery
Tagline: The greatest murder ever staged.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Let's not jump to conclusions, Constable."
Theatrical Distributor: Searchlight Pictures
Official Site: https://www.searchlightpictures.com/see-how-they-run/
Release Date: September 16, 2022.
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered.
