See How They Run – Film Review

There’s nothing quite like a good old-fashioned whodunnit to warm your insides and make you feel all warm and cozy, right? It’s a feeling that I share with millions of others in the world which is a little bit funny if you think about it because we’re watching a detective trying to solve a murder case.

Why in the world are these kinds of movies so entertaining then? Some part of me believes that it’s partially because we feel like we, too, are going to help the detective solve the case. It also probably helps that the detective is usually some super eccentric guy who we just can’t help but fall in love with.

Tom George‘s See How They Run is a suitably cozy viewing experience that just so happens to be fun and interesting while also featuring an extremely likeable and charismatic lead detective. And while it’s nowhere near as fun as another murder mystery film from this year (That would be you, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery), it’s still a relentlessly entertaining movie that’s a genuine crowdpleaser.

George’s direction here is sublime. He obviously has a huge passion for these kinds of stories as well and it shines through in nearly every single scene. I also love how this movie frequently mentions the works of the iconic Agatha Christie, who also had a huge influence on this film.

Another hugely important aspect of any murder mystery film is having a great cast of characters, and it’s always better if you have an amazing cast of actors to play them. Thankfully, that’s exactly the case here. Saoirse Ronan is extremely energetic and at the top of her game in the role of Constable Stalker, who works alongside Sam Rockwell‘s Inspector Stoppard for most of the movie.

Together, Ronan and Rockwell have outstanding, electric chemistry together. They’re one of the most duos of the entire year. A few other great standouts in the cast include Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, and Harris Dickinson just to name a few.

There are some instances in which the film does feel a little long, however, which is more than a little unfortunate seeing as how the film runs just a bit over ninety minutes. The second act is where things start to slow down a considerable amount and the film desperately struggles to find ways to keep things fresh and exciting.

Luckily things get right back on track later on, and the film is able to make a remarkably solid landing. This is not the best murder mystery film of the year but it’s definitely a highly enjoyable one that’s filled with plenty of twists and turns for those who are massive fans of the genre such as myself.

See How They Run wonderfully utilizes its highly talented cast in this highly enjoyable and unpredictable, albeit poorly paced, murder mystery comedy.