This is a straightforward recommendation with no culture war angles to explore. The recommendation is directed especially at those on FR -- about three quarters of us, by my rough estimate -- who complain that "They don't make movies like they used to." If that's what you think, go see this movie. See it now, while it's still in the theaters, so you don't have to patronize Netflix or Amazon or Disney or whomever. If you wait for it online, it may be consigned to a silo to which you don't subscribe, which would be a shame. Don't worry about loud or disruptive behavior in the theater; the idiots will all be down the hall in another theater watching flying spandex or The Woman King. The TikTok types will have no interest in See How They Run because the plot can't be explained in ten seconds and everybody keeps their clothes on. You may have the theater to yourself.
Here's the trailer: See How They Run trailer
This movie was just fun: a murder mystery in the style of Agatha Christie in which everyone involved looks like they had a blast making it. Yes, it's a hoary old stock genre. There's nothing wrong with that if it's well done.
I will still go out every few years and support a local theater in doing A Christmas Carol (in my case, usually at Ford's Theater in DC), as long as the production is true to the spirit of Dickens and doesn't c**p it up with modernist garbage in an effort to "do something new."
Seeing something new is not why audiences flock every year to see A Christmas Carol -- the most-performed play of all time -- and it's not why people turn out for Agatha Christie plays. This movie respects its audience enough to honor the genre. I am adding this one to my list to recommend to people who complain that "they don't make movies the way they used to." They do make movies like they used to, just not as many as you and I might like. Which is why we should support them when they come along from time to time. Recent examples include Death on the Nile (2022), a Hercule Perot story (a dud of a movie, despite a star studded cast and big budget, but honorable in intent), The Outfit (2022; a perfectly serviceable homage to the noir gangster genre of the 1940's and 50's; Mark Rylance is outstanding), Old Henry (2021; a throwback western), the criminally underseen Montana Story (2021; a classic indie character drama, shot under strict covid protocols with the smallest possible cast and crew and therefore very "theatrical" in feel; this could have transferred almost seamlessly to the live stage and depends entirely on brilliant acting; gets my vote for the most morally conservative film of the year), and The Lost City (2022; an old fashioned romcom and another film that looks like all involved were having fun). These are all from the last year. I'm sure there must be others. These are at least solid and watchable, "our kind" of films. A couple of them are excellent. None of them are woke.
See How They Run is self-aware enough to play with the conventions of the Agatha Christie formula and to acknowledge that the audience is in on the joke as well. But this is tightly controlled and cleverly done. Do we know what is going to happen? Of course we do; it's an Agatha Christie type story, which means false leads are going to be scattered all around, there will be more suspects than the audience can keep track of, and the surviving suspects will somehow assemble in the drawing room at the end as our intrepid detectives unmask the criminal.
This kind of story is enjoyable simply for the acting, and the acting here is wonderful. A sprawling ensemble cast is uniformly excellent, and the central pair of Sam Rockwell and Saiorse Ronan is superb. I will rewatch this film, probably more than once, simply to delight in how perfectly they play off one another.
This is a very funny movie, at least if you pay attention to good acting. It's not laugh out loud funny, although it may nail you a couple of times, but it's the kind of film that has you smiling throughout. The humor is understated and deadpan. Sam Rockwell as Inspector Stoppard and Saiorse Ronan as Constable Stalker are one of those comic pairs that just work. Ronan in particular is simply delightful. She has usually played dramatic roles (with Oscar nominations for Atonement, Brooklyn, Lady Bird, and Little Women.) Here she's in a comic role, and she's a force of nature. Constable Stalker is charming, serious, charming, determined, charming, funny, charming, spunky ... well, you get the idea. Just remember to keep one eye on Saiorse any time she's onscreen, because she's so good at acting (and stealing scenes) in the background.
I want to avoid spoilers, but it is important to note that Sam Rockwell (53) and Saiorse Ronan (28) are both perfectly aged for their roles. This is important. I don't know whether the script was written specifically for them, or at least heavily revised, but it feels that way. This is set in London in 1953. They are playing broadly comic intrepid detectives. But both characters would have been adults during the war, Ronan's character a very young adult. There is a very brief exchange about halfway through, as this odd couple pair start to get to know each other, that will rock you. It isn't overplayed. It's just a sentence or two in passing and it isn't revisited. But suddenly, in a couple of seconds, these two likeable, funny people are transformed into real, three-dimensional characters in whom you will be 110 percent emotionally invested. They remain comic characters in the film, but They Have A Backstory, and you will be rooting for them. It all takes less than ten seconds, combined. Brilliantly done. Constable Stalker is also an age-appropriate young woman in early 1950's London who is enraptured by the mystery and magic of stage and screen, and Ronan is hilarious as she tries to remain professional while fangirling her way through encounters with the theatrical people caught up in the murder mystery.
A great movie? No. But a very good one. Some reviewers -- the snooty ones who don't like it because it is a formulaic genre film -- are critical, but most are giving it solid B/B+ grades. I think it's a bit better than that. It is certainly a film that freepers longing for the days of yore should enjoy.
Pinging the usual suspects. Enjoy.
As always, recommendations of good stuff you’ve seen lately are encouraged.
Thanks for the ping...
Last night I watched, for maybe the 15th time over the years, “His Girl Friday” with Cary Grant & Rosalind Russell...
I was seven (7) when they released this movie...
Sam Rockwell as a Scotland Yard inspector? I’d see it just for that. And an inspector names Stoppard? A nod to Tom Stoppard no doubt.
Sam Rockwell is an extremely talented character actor.
Hi.
Been to Ford’s theater a few times. “A Christmas Carol, Nutcracker and The King and I.”
Yule Brenner (sp) and I forget the actress’s name. Was great.
Then to Morgan’s... Or Morton’s, never mind
Sheesh.
Is Adam’s Rib still there?
5.56mm
Looks like fun. Thanks.
Lady Madonna....
I have been watching three related series: Inspector Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour. If you haven’t seen them you might enjoy their complexity and period drama about 1960 thru 1990 is covered. Definitely the better of the British police procedurals with probably the best character development. Best watched in the order I listed. Conservative Laurence Fox stars in one of them.
The wifey and I went to see ‘Love you Darling’ last night. The reviews were mixed. But, there is literally NOTHING ELSE she wanted to see.
We both like it. The performances were very good. The plot is confusing.... I won’t say much more. At dinner, after the movie, we spent a lot of time arguing about what we saw. I call that a success. :-)
Not much political in this, that I saw... at all. Just, strange.... and, interesting. Still not sure I understand what I saw. But, I LIKED it. :-)