See How They Run - A Satirical Take on an Agatha Christie Whodunnit

Photo: See How They Run, Walt Disney

The dumb – witted but meticulously put together murder mystery, 'See How They Run' has hit the big screens and it has all the ingredients for the perfect whodunnit.

*SPOILERS AHEAD!*

Set in 1950’s West End London, plans for a movie, based on the classic Agatha Christie play ‘The Mousetrap’, come to a sudden end as audacious American director Leo Kopernick (Adrien Brody) is oddly murdered in a costume department. Tasked to uncover the mystery of his death is a rather worn out Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and an incredibly enthusiastic apprentice, Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan). The contrasting characters converse many comical one liners through out the film, making their relationship an unexpectedly intriguing watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q00qh7Ab6Mk

Directed by Tom George, and featuring cinematography by Jamie Ramsay, the movie is like a chucklesome Wes Anderson - style remake of ‘Knives Out’. Ruth Wilson, Sian Clifford, Tim Key and Harris Dickinson are just some of the big names that help complete this all-star cast, each of them having their own possible motives to the murder of Leo Kopernick.

What’s particularly clever about this movie, is the way in which it simultaneously explains how whodunnits work whilst solving a murder itself. Various plot twists are thrown into the storyline making the audience second guess their answer to the mystery, although, the final answer is almost near impossible to guess from the start.

Photo: 'See How They Run' Searchlight Pictures

Elements of ingenious foreshadowing take place as a scene, consisting of Reece Shearsmith, David Oyelowo and Adrien Brody, is shown in the form of flashback. It shows Adrien Brody presenting his idea of the perfect ending to ‘The Mousetrap’ movie. As ‘See How They Run’ draws to a penultimate end we see the exact ending he had described, possibly implying the somewhat sweet yet sour thought that he did still get the movie ending he fought, and potentially died, for.

Photo: 'See How They Run' Searchlight Pictures

One outstanding performance, that shone out amongst the rest, was portrayed by Charlie Cooper who plays Dennis, the Usher for the theatre. I watched Charlie originally in the TV Mockumentary ‘This Country’ (directed by Tom George), which he co-stars in with his sister Daisy May-Cooper. After watching the show many times, and only ever finding their performances more compelling and hilarious, when I saw him in the trailer for this movie, I knew I had to watch it. To my surprise, Cooper had a larger role in the film then I had assumed based of the trailer, this only made me enjoy the film more. He portrayed the complex character of Dennis both humorously and passionately, bringing elements of comedy and apprehension to his scenes.

Without giving too much away, 'See How They Run' expertly ties in all the essentials of a flawless comedic mystery. It's simplistic cinematography allows us to digest all the information rapidly revealed to us in each scene, whilst the cast bring humour to soften some of the harsher parts of the plot. In awe of the unveiled truths we find along the way, particularly at the end, the head – turning storyline leaves you speechless and wanting to watch it unknowingly all over again.

Catch 'See How They Run' on Disney + now: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/movies/see-how-they-run/HgcwkPxW5llV