See How They Run

Written by Mark Chapel and directed by Tom George is this pastiche of 1950’s whoduunits. It’s a party for the 100th performance of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, but there is tension in the air. The shows producer Petula Spencer (Ruth Wilson) has sold the film rights of the play to John Woolf (Reece Shearsmith), which has created tension between director Leo Kopernick (Adrien Brody) and both screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris (David Oyelowo) and the plays star Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson). After Kopernick and Attenborough come to blows, Kopernick heads off alone and meets an untimely end. The metropolitan police arrive in the shape of constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) and inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) to investigate the crime and find the killer in the murky world of theatre!

I found this great fun from Kopernicks opening monologue that basically tells you the film your about to see through to the ending you’re promised! It looks great with George borrowing heavily from Wes Anderson with its smart framing, colour palette and quirky characters.

What really makes it work though is the always fabulous Saoirse Ronan’s Constable Stalker, new to the job, bright eyed and eager, but it’s her fabulous comic delivery that makes it work. Her relationship with Rockwell’s world weary inspector is the warm heart of the film.

George and the cast have a great time poking fun at the concept of a Christie whoduunit and their theatrical depictions, from its caricaturing of its cast to the story tropes they rely on. But it’s only poking warm hearted fun at them.

The ensemble cast alongside it’s two excellent leads all deliver the quality you’d expect, even if their characters are a little light on detail.

See How They Run is tonnes of fun, a light hearted pastiche, it uses its 50’s whodunnit story to great effect. It’s warm, funny and never too serious. At its heart is the fabulous Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell who take you along on a wonderfully silly adventure. If you’re after a smile then run down to the cinema and give it a whirl.