Watch Them Run – Movie Review

“If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.” This is the maxim enunciated by one of the film’s characters in the opening sequence, referring to the abundant whodunit —detective stories focused on following the clues of a crime, reconstructing its background and discovering the culprit among a handful of suspects— that exist in the field of literature, theater or audiovisual, and that are supposedly so attached to a formula that become indistinct. Now, when a formula is overexploited, it is common for stories determined to distort, criticize or parody it to emerge, which is what the film aspires to. look how they run in his eagerness to become a breath of fresh air. But does she succeed in a satisfactory way?

To begin with, it should be clarified that director Tom George’s debut film does not give up proposing a mystery that holds the viewer captive. His tactic is to adopt the clichés of the whodunit and blatantly expose them, but without sacrificing the enigma around a homicide; in this case, set in the 1950s and taking place in a London West End theatre. The victim is an unfriendly filmmaker named Leo Kopernick (Adrien Brody), murdered behind the scenes the night of the play’s 100th performance. The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. That’s when Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and Agent Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) enter the scene, a classic odd couple tasked with investigating the crime and putting the puzzle together.

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Until a certain point, look how they run seems equivalent to screamthe movie slasher that in 1996 arrived in theaters to break down the terrifying subgenre to which it belongs and list its rules. In both titles, the self-referential attribute is one of the main attractions. And as far as the recent premiere is concerned, the metatextual romp operates by breaking the fourth wall, with characters who speak to the public or who anticipate how the film itself will be articulated. Fortunately, they are not resources that are abused or that stop being fun for the most part. But one drawback of this crime film lies in its lack of subtlety and ingenuity in defying audience expectations.

Regarding other productions whodunit comedy drenched, look how they run even feel left behind. Faced with her merely burlesque speech —which in the end is not so sharp or transgressive—, the last three years have brought us the television series Only Murders in the Buildingwhich enriches the equation with the variable of true crime podcasts (very popular today), and the Oscar-nominated feature film Between knives and secretswhich flips the mold in favor of a commentary on privilege, hypocrisy and xenophobia in America.

For its part, when the story seems to be heading towards the theme of insensitivity and opportunism in the world of entertainment, Tom George’s film puts a resounding brake in order to preserve its lightness. And it is not bad that it does; it’s just a little frustrating that it has no purpose beyond ridiculing a recipe that others are already updating and reinventing.

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In terms of images, look how they run it inevitably evokes the style of Wes Anderson; in particular, by the way of making visual comedy (look, for example, how a group of people backs away in a straight line and in an orderly way before a threatening situation). There are also clear allusions to Alfred Hitchcock, as well as a small tribute to Stanley Kubrick and a chase from the cartoon. Scooby Doo. Thus, the colorful mixture leads to a pastiche that, although it seduces the gaze, struggles to emanate its own personality. However, it must be conceded that his recurrent use of the multi-screen —at first, somewhat arbitrary— ends up becoming a charming mechanism for merging different perspectives into frames and rhythmically underlining transitions.

to novelty whodunit it also favors a vibe that perhaps reminds the orchid thiefthat 2002 film that instead of simply being a film adaptation of the homonymous novel, talks about the complex process of adapting it. look how they run nor does he take to the cinema (in its entirety) the text on which he is very freely inspired; in his case, the true play The Mousetrap. This is because Mark Chappell’s script prefers to turn her into one more element of his self-referential fiction, similar to what happens in Spike Jonze’s feature film.

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The cast delivers to perfection, with everyone having a chance to demonstrate their comedic timing. Sam Rokwell also delivers several enjoyable moments of physical comedy, in his role as a sullen and annoyed detective. But the one who was obviously destined to steal the movie is Saoirse Ronan. The actress leaves her comfort zone to embody a sidekick extremely hilarious, whose penetrating gaze – a sign of ferocity in the protagonist of the two queens— here transmutes into a humorous delight. Also noteworthy are his inopportune puns and his rigorous use of the police notebook; a feature that would no doubt make Sergeant Nicholas Angel of the film proud Hot Fuzz.

look how they run delivers on entertainment without qualms. It probably does not have the most refined line of argument or incisive criticism of a formula that has been revised and transformed for some time. However, it is a good exercise that pays homage to the public’s enduring fascination with the whodunit and the various ways of reinterpreting it. If you at least leave the cinema wanting to revisit your favorite Hercule Poirot adventure or in the mood to play Clue: Super Detective, mission accomplished.

Due to the health crisis caused by COVID-19, at Cine PREMIERE we recommend that you review the necessary health measures with the health authorities (especially the General Guidelines for the mitigation and prevention of COVID-19 in closed public spaces) before going to the cinema to watch a moviea.