Review by
Eric Hillis
Directed by: Tom George
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, David Oyelowo, Harris Dickinson, Ruth Wilson, Reece
Shearsmith, Sian Clifford, Shirley Henderson, Charlie Cooper
I've never been a fan of the whodunit as a thriller format. Spending
the length of a movie, book or play trying to second guess the author
just isn't something that interests me. Give me the Hitchcock/Columbo
format of letting us know who the killer is upfront please. That way I
get to shout "They're behind you!" when the killer is, well…behind the
hero.
That's not to say I dislike whodunit movies. I love them, but not as
thrillers. The best whodunits are essentially character based comedies,
and watching a clever professional or as is often the case, amateur
detective interrogate a series of eccentric toffs on a stormy night is
always a joy.
Directed by Tom George and written by Mark Chappell,
See How They Run is a comedy that fully understands the
true appeal of the whodunit and gives us a roster of engaging
eccentrics. Like so many whodunits, it revolves around a backstage
murder, but in a postmodern twist, the central murder here occurs
backstage at a 1953 West End production of Agatha Christie's The
Mousetrap, which famously continues its run today (a run interrupted
only by the COVID-19 pandemic).
When pompous American director Leo Kopernick (Adrien Brody) is
hired to helm a screen adaptation of The Mousetrap, he's attacked and
killed in the costume room of the theatre before the killer deposits his
body on the stage (a nod perhaps to Michele Soavi's backstage slasher
Stage Fright?). Called in to investigate is permanently hungover Scotland Yard
inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell), assisted by Constable Stalker
(Saoirse Ronan), a rookie female cop whose boundless enthusiasm
only gives him further headaches.
Thus begins a spoof of classic British murder mysteries as the odd
couple of Stoppard and Stalker learn to work together to crack the case.
The movie is something of a comedy roast of the murder mystery,
frequently mocking the tropes of the genre but always in a loving way.
For instance, David Oyelowo's precious screenwriter complains
about the laziness of flashbacks just as the movie is cutting to a
flashback. Imagine if The Muppets took on Christie as they did Dickens
and you'll have some idea of the humour at work here.
With its elevated and exaggerated portrayals of the mid 20th-century
British upper middle classes, not to mention a killer decked in
raincoat, hat and gloves, See How They Run often
plays like the German Edgar Wallace adaptations of the 1950s and '60s.
Known as Krimi, these films simultaneously parodied British culture
while also displaying a loving fascination for its eccentricities.
Krimis had style in abundance, as does See How They Run. Unlike the production it revolves around, the movie certainly can't
be accused of being stagey, as George keeps things interesting with some
beautifully framed shots, pacey editing and the occasional split-screen
sequence thrown in for good measure.
Movies like this always live or die on the strength of their casts, and
everyone here is completely in tune with the sort of movie they're
parodying. Ronan gives a truly endearing performance as the movie's one
true innocent – it's as though she's the enthusiastic human star of a
muppet movie. Harris Dickinson is surprisingly good as Richard
Attenborough; while he may not look anything like Dicky, he nails the
distinctive voice and affectations of the legendary star. I won’t
mention who plays Christie, as I don’t want to spoil the enjoyment of
the movie revealing an inspired but unexpected piece of casting.
You don't need to be a fan of classic British murder mysteries to enjoy
See How They Run, but if you are you'll have an extra level of fun spotting its many
send-ups and references to real life figures from the British film and
theatre world of its era. It's not going to beat The Mousetrap's run,
but See How They Run deserves a few weeks in your local
multiplex.
