The murder mystery, or whodunit, has long been a staple of both stage and screen entertainment. Undeniably, the works of novelist Agatha Christie (“The A.B.C. Murders”) have served significantly as the inspiration for and basis of many cinematic and theatrical productions. Albeit, many of these outputs fit into a similar mold or succumb to tropes pioneered by Christie, namely the concept of a group of suspects gathered together while an overconfident detective unravels the case before their eyes.
Armed with a head-turning ensemble cast and glaring self-awareness, “See How They Run” sets out to lampoon the average whodunit with its tongue-in-cheek humor and sure-fire attitude. Though its eagerness to dissect the Christie-esque formula and subvert its tropes does not come without a few misfires, the film ultimately goes out with a bang as a respectably fresh take on the genre.
Set in London circa 1953, the film navigates both the theater and cinema industries as worn out Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell, “The Bad Guys”) and naive, yet eager Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan, “The French Dispatch”) work to solve the case of a murdered Hollywood director (Adrien Brody, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”). The narrative is primarily centered around the West End production of Christie’s (Shirley Henderson, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”) play “The Mousetrap,” as well as subsequent attempts to adapt it for the screen.
Functioning simultaneously as a love letter and counterthesis to “The Mousetrap,” the narrative bears both subtle references and striking plot similarities to Christie’s work, which work in tandem with attempts at subversion that work to varying degrees. In a clever, meta fashion, elements of the story also parallel moments pitched for its central film within a film, thus prompting viewers to keep their eyes and ears open as hints toward the plot’s resolution are sprinkled throughout.
In the spirit of classic whodunits, “See How They Run” sports a colorful cast of characters, namely those involved in “The Mousetrap’s” production, to serve as possible suspects. Such personalities include real-life figures like actor Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson, “Where the Crawdads Sing”) of “Jurassic Park” fame, in addition to original characters like Mervyn (David Oyelowo, “Chaos Walking”), a screenwriter, Dennis (Charlie Cooper, “This Country”), a theater usher and Petula (Ruth Wilson, “Saving Mr. Banks”), the theater’s owner. Despite the film’s use of amiable performers and familiar archetypes, a noticeable lack of character development among them may restrain some viewers from becoming completely invested in the mystery.
An exception to these character flaws is Constable Stalker, whose naivety and drive contribute to some enjoyable and heartfelt moments. Her youthful nature also serves as a needed foil to Stoppard, whose drunken, world-weary personality would not be able to support a film on its own, despite providing a fresh contrast to the common detective archetype.
Perhaps the most problematic aspects of the film are its questionable editing decisions. Namely, its use of split screens often comes without rhyme or reason, other than to show the perspectives of multiple characters at points where it is not necessary, or where frequent cuts would better convey increased tension.
While it is far from being the next Christie masterpiece, “See How They Run” takes a stab at rewriting the whodunit formula in a way which shows respect for the genre, rather than mock or misunderstand it. Displaying love for the genre and an enthusiasm to restructure it, the narrative possesses all of the makings a rousing mystery, warts and all.
Image from Searchlight Pictures via Youtube
