I still have plenty of catch-up to play, but getting back to the movies and writing about film again has been great. So, thanks for your patience.
Whodunnits are very formulaic but See How They Run handles that with a great sense of humor and more than enough self-awareness to pull it off successfully.
Set in 1950s London, a popular play is shut down when the director of its upcoming film adaptation turns up dead on set. A grumpy, alcoholic detective and an ambitious young constable are tasked with untangling the mess.
This was an impressive debut feature from Tom George, entering a well-established genre. It is important to understand that this isn’t some attempt at reinventing the wheel. George is fully aware and engaged in what kind of movie he is making, and is clearly a fan so it’s more like putting that wheel on a different vehicle and going for a ride.
The script by Mark Chappell knows exactly where it wants to go, and how it wants to get there, and it doesn’t pretend to be anything that it’s not. He introduces the audience to the film with a voice over monologue from an unreliable narrator that walks the line of breaking the fourth wall but certainly tests its tensile strength regardless.
In that VO, we also get an overview of what a whodunnit is for anyone in the audience that might not already know, but that moment is really for those that do. There is a sort of unspoken acknowledgement with these kinds of films that it’s the viewers’ job to play detective and the filmmakers’ job to try and fool them. Sort of like going to a magic show. I loved how that set the tone right away and actually let me enjoy the characters more than simply trying to solve the puzzle.
It felt almost like a Wes Anderson film to me, and that’s certainly a good thing, but it’s also surprising to see that (nearest I can tell) George and Chappell hadn’t worked together previously. Everything is paced well and we get a story that’s more character-centric as opposed to more mystery, and it all comes together in an hour and 38 minutes. That is a talent that has gone by the wayside as long form storytelling has become more popular. There are a lot of characters to fit into the narrative, but I never felt like I wasn’t getting enough.
Sam Rockwell’s Inspector Stoppard is reminiscent of many classic noir-era detectives. He drinks to cope with some burden from his past but also happens to be a good detective. Rockwell has fun with it, of course, even if it’s somewhat toned down in comparison to a lot of his other work.
His somber, dry attitude opens the door for Saoirse Ronan to keep the tone lighter as Constable Stalker, Stoppard’s partner/trainee. She is written with a deadpan kind of humor that works well in the vacuum of their partnership. Ronan is adept with her comedic timing and delivery, and the two of them made for a strong pairing.
Adrien Brody is the aforementioned unreliable narrator and he’s also the victim here. It might be a spoiler, but that information is freely given away to start the trailer so it’s fair play. It’s a great role for him and Brody has such a big personality that he could have easily been the centerpiece, but I like that he is both there and not.
This was a fun role for David Oyelowo too as screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris. You can tell that Chappell had a lot of fun writing the eccentric screenwriter role and Oyelowo nailed it. Similar to Brody, he too could have been the centerpiece of the story because he certainly is during all his scenes.
One of the most appealing aspects of this movie, going in, was the visual aesthetic of 1950s London and Amanda McArthur’s production design didn’t disappoint. There are a lot of pedantic pseudo-historians who may want to gatekeep the accuracy of some things on camera but I wasn’t expecting rigid historical accuracy. It’s rooted in real history but doesn’t pretend to be a work of non-fiction, at least I never took it that way.
Cinematographer Jamie Ramsay had fun with this too, which translates through the screen. It’s not every scene, but there’s an art to keeping the mystery alive and still providing visual appeal. While not the focal point of some other period works, the costumes by Odile Dicks-Mireaux were nicely done and it was fun to see how each character had their own distinct visual identity attached to their wardrobes.
Even though I see there was potential for more, I had fun with this and most people who are into whodunnits and mysteries should too. It’s not as devious in its approach to its mystery as say Knives Out, but it’s not trying to be either. The tone is much lighter, despite the whole murder investigation thing.
Don’t overthink it and enjoy.
Recommendation: See it if you are a fan of whodunnits and murder mysteries in general because this is one lets you know it’s okay to have fun with it at the very beginning.
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