See How They Run: A Serviceable Whodunit

For every film that comes out that is at the polar ends of the quality spectrum and end up being something special, there are just as many, if not more, movies that hover right in the middle and are simply perfectly serviceable for what they are. In a year like 2022 where Death on the Nile was forgettable and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is shaping up to be a massive hit based on early responses, something like See how They Run will ultimately end up as a footnote in a strong year as a type of “also-ran” which is a shame because the movie is very well done.

See How They Run is the investigation into the murder of director Leo Kopernick (Adrian Brody) by Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan), who has been tasked with adapting a popular stage play as a movie alongside writer Mervyn Crocker-Norris (David Oyelowo) and producer John Woolf (Reece Shearsmith).

The performances of the cast are all fantastic which should not be surprising considering a large portion of the cast is made up of acclaimed and award-winning actors and actresses. Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan have great chemistry and their comedy dynamic makes the movie work very well. On top of that, the way the rest of the cast plays off of Ronan’s inexperience makes for great comedic moments.

Beyond all of that, the movie manages to nail the look and feel of a 1950s murder mystery, down to the announcement at the end not to spoil the movie for those who have not seen it yet. The design of the sets and costuming are all perfect and the movie leans into the aesthetic to the fullest effect. The immersion and commitment to this makes the movie feel like a unique experience.

If there is any problem with the movie, it is that it runs a little short while the pacing does not match that runtime. The first half of the film is paced very well with plenty of time allocated to the characters to properly exposit their backstories, then the back half of the movie is stuffed full of the rest of the character stories, the stories of Stalker and Stoppard, and the resolution of the plot and not in a breakneck pace designed to feel like it is being rushed along for a narrative or artistic reason. The film probably could have been aided by an extra 15 or 20 minutes, but that is a minor gripe.

At the end of the day, See How They Run will probably be swallowed up by the other comedies and mysteries that came out this year. That said, for the month of September this is a pretty solid theatrical release if someone is looking to go to a theater and have an enjoyable experience.

Final Rating: 9/10