As the first feature film for director Tom George, See How They Run is a strong starting point. Playing out like a beloved British procedural, the film is a play on the typical whodunnit, with plenty of meta moments and farce thrown in for good measure. After a murder most foul is committed in London’s West End in the 1950s, Scotland Yard puts Inspector Stoppard and Constable Stalker on the case. As the trope goes, the tired detective and rookie cop are an unlikely pairing, but they must learn to put aside their differences and catch the killer.
After a party celebrating the 100th performance of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, Hollywood film director Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody) is found murdered. With Köpernick turning out to be quite an unlikable man, each of the stage show’s cast and crew all have a motive, and are now the prime suspects. The murder of the obnoxious director soon has Stoppard and Stalker stumped, as they realise the killer’s MO goes deeper than they realise. As incredibly entertaining as it is to watch, it soon becomes clear that See How They Run is a mystery hidden within a mystery.
It’s fair to say that anything Sam Rockwell touches is gold, and that is definitely the case with his role as Inspector Stoppard. While it did take us a bit to get used to his English accent, Rockwell’s inspector is a homage to any down on their luck, haggard detective, whose cynicism and patience is tested by the newbie police officer. On the other hand, Saoirse Ronan’s Constable Stalker is the complete opposite of Stoppard; eager as anything, full of beans, and just excited to be working with a seasoned detective. Supporting the two leads are Ruth Wilson as producer Petula Spencer, David Oyelowo as overrated screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris, and Reece Shearsmith as film producer John Woolf. Playing The Mousetrap‘s leads are Harris Dickinson as Richard Attenborough, and Pearl Chanda as his co-star wife Sheila Sim. The entire troupe play off each other well, with their characters’ lives imitating art, with hilarious results.
The film shares a style similar to a Wes Anderson film, with off-handed jokes, plenty of word-play, and a choppy pacing. The running jokes and callbacks throughout the film are well thought out and have satisfying payoffs, and are easily the strongest facet of the movie. While Rockwell is no stranger to comedies, See How They Run shows Ronan absolutely thriving within the genre – making it one that we’d love to see more of her in.
One of the film’s most enjoyable parts is George’s use of meta-references and the breaking of the fourth wall, which run throughout the film, adding an extra layer of humour and ridiculousness to the already quirky film. All up, See How They Run is packed full of fun moments and is an absolute hoot to see. Catch it in cinemas from 29 September onwards.