Film review: ‘SEE HOW THEY RUN’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

Some might have deduced from the movie poster – which features individual shots of the large, sharply dressed ensemble cast – that quirky murder mystery comedy, See How They Run is a homage to Agatha Christie’s whodunnits.  This very likeable, if slightly tepid film is actually based around Christie’s phenomenally long-running play The Mousetrap.

Set in London in 1953, the film sees the cast and producers of the play celebrating its hundredth performance. Attending the soiree is the obnoxious Hollywood director Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody) who, despite hating the play, is trying to score the gig directing the movie adaptation. After infuriating most of the guests, including pompous screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris (David Oyelowo) and the play’s star, none other than a young Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson), Köpernick is found murdered.  Suddenly, life is imitating art as all connected to the play are now suspects and potential victims. Stepping into the Hercule Poirot role of investigating detective is the droll and often inebriated Inspector Stoppard (an apparent nod to playwright Tom Stoppard) (Sam Rockwell with a British accent). Much to his annoyance he’s assigned the dedicated but ditzy young Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) as his partner.

As the two bumble through the investigation, the film becomes a gentle parody of a typical Agatha Christie whodunnit, at times going very meta by including as characters, people involved in the original Mousetrap production such as Attenborough and then wife Sheila Sim (Pearl Chanda) and having the investigation take place in locations that look like the sets from The Mousetrap and even at Agatha Christie’s house. Just as important, though, is the awkward but affectionate relationship between Stoppard and Stalker, their antics and banter at times recalling Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in Hot Fuzz.  This is essentially a comedy but while there are a few laugh-out-loud moments, the gags don’t always hit the mark.  The comic set pieces tend to be more amiable and wryly amusing than hilarious.  As the emphasis is on comedy, the dynamics of the murder investigation – despite being as intricate as most murder mysteries – aren’t particularly engrossing.

Of the large cast, Saoirse Ronan steals the film as the charmingly innocent and intrepid constable Stalker. Her naïve enthusiasm, which often results in her trying to arrest people on the flimsiest of evidence, is the film’s highlight.   Rockwell is enjoyable as always but his performance is a little too restrained and his Inspector Stoppard is hardly an iconic sleuth.  Most of the cast make noticeable contributions although a couple of characters pop in and out and have almost no impact on proceedings.

This is, for the most part, an attractively staged film with director Tom George and the production designers convincingly recreating 1950’s London and including some wonderfully ornate art deco interiors.  The filmmakers also score additional kudos for including Richard Hawley’s magnificent, time-transcending ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ on the soundtrack.  In terms of post-modern reimaginings of the murder mystery, See How They Run is not in the same league as the witty and inventive Knives Out but the cast, particularly Ronan, make it a mostly fun romp.

Nick’s rating: ***1/2

Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Crime/ Murder Mystery.

Classification: M.

Director(s): Tom George.

Release date: 29th Sep 2022.

Running time: 98 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

 

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