See How They Run is a 2022 mystery comedy film directed by Tom George. It stars Saoirse Ronan, Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, Harris Dickinson and David Oyelowo.
In 1953 London, Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap celebrates its 100th performance, and the sleazy American director Leo Kopernick tries to convince the producer John Woolf to allow him to direct the film adaptation. After Kopernick’s drunken behavior toward’s the female lead Shelia Slim leads to a fight with her husband and co-star Richard Attenborough, Kopernick is killed backstage by an unknown assailant.
Inspector Stoppard investigates the murder with inexperienced Constable Stalker. Everyone at the theater is declared a suspect and a potential victim, including the play’s producer Petula Spencer and Woolf’s wife Edana Romney. Stoppard tries to close the theater until the murder is solved, but the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Harold Scott, steps in, assigning Stalker to assist in the investigation.
This film is pretty slow for much of its runtime, but the acting is really good and there are several laugh out loud moments. The plot is clever. There is murder, humor, tragedy and a tiny bit of romance in this movie. Three of the characters break the fourth wall, making the film more humorous, but only making it a little more entertaining.
Sam Rockwell is outstanding as alcoholic Inspector Soppard, Saoirse Ronan is great as Constable Stalker. Adrien Brody, though his role is cut short is very good as Leo Kopernick. Ruth Wilson is great as well as Petula Spencer. Reece Shearsmith does a fine job as John Woolf. Harris Dickinson is good, not great as Richard Attenborough and David Oyelowo is excellent as Mervyn Cocker-Norris.
Some may find the storyline of this film offsensive, as it a comedic murder mystery. It has the feel of a typical Agatha Christie story, but with added humor and clever bits. Though the acting is superb, the film lacks in entertainment value. The trailer makes the film look wildly entertaining and funny and it is only a tad engaging and only few times did actually laugh out loud. With a great cast and plotline, I was expecting so much more, instead I found myself very much bored for a good portion of this movie. I love a good murder mystery and comedy, so I thought this was going to be a winner, but I was let down.
Several of the charaters are fictionalized versions of real people, like Richard Attenborough was a real actor, John Woolf was a real film producer who really did produce The African Queen, and Agatha Christie we all know is was the queen (still is) of murder mystery books.
Of course this film is filled with violence, as well as adult humor, foul language, drinking and smoking. So this is not a family film. If you’re looking for a an entertaining whodunit, this isn’t it. Though you’ll get a few gasps and laughs out of it, for the most part, you’ll probably be rather bored.
The film is mostly slow, but comedic at times, then ends abruptly. The best things about this one are the acting, costumes, scenery and plot. Overall, it is a pretty much an unhurried, yet comical at times, mediocre movie. If you want a better, funny murder mystery type film, try Clue from 1985 or Arsenic and Old Lace from 1944. I can’t imagine this as a stage production, it would be probably be even more less amusing. 13+ 3/5