Fans of theater and Agatha Christie alike will rejoice at the latest clever whodunit from director Tom George. See How They Run is a snappy, modern take on Christie’s The Mousetrap (also known as Three Blind Mice for those whose Christie knowledge runs deep). The film centers around Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell), a burnt-out alcoholic who also happens to be an investigator for Britain’s Scotland Yard, and his plucky sidekick Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) desperate to make a name for herself as a detective. When the two are forced to work together to solve a backstage murder, the two must learn to trust each other if they have any hope of finding the killer.
Set in 1953, the film takes place on the anniversary of the 100th performance of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. The play is being performed by a small cast of self-important actors, and its production on screen mimics the real-life version of Christie’s play which made its theatrical debut at London’s West End theater in 1952. Just like the real version of the play, which has gone on to be the longest running play not only at West End but also in the entire world (it is still being performed to this day), the play within the film is a success. But just when things seem like they couldn’t get any better for the cast and its crew, tragedy strikes. Stoppard and Stalker must bring the detective work off-stage and into the real world as they systematically interview the cast and crew of the play in the hopes of finding a suspect and a motive.
At first glance, See How They Run feels like it’s going to bring something new to the realm of spirited whodunits. After all, the movie is a self-reflective joy ride that unfolds like a series of nesting dolls on screen. The characters are all almost scarily self-aware, occasionally dropping clever nods to their roles within the conventions of a murder mystery plot, and fans of the genre will no doubt have fun trying to untangle the film’s multitude of red herrings from the true clues. However, while the film is an entertaining period piece, it never feels entirely fresh. At his best, George cleverly blends the real-life history of Christie’s play with the plot to create an extremely meta retelling of the famous mystery writer’s work, but if you’re looking to be wowed, this may not do the trick.
Nowadays, when a jaunty mystery film comes out, there is hope that it will be provide a clever new take on an old formula, but this just isn’t the case here. Experienced sleuths may find the ending anti-climactic, especially when the killer is revealed. Still, the film has a remarkable cast, and Rockwell and Ronan are expectedly a joy to watch. Rockwell’s loveable mess of a character pairs well with the strong-willed Ronan, and the duo turn what might have been an otherwise traditional affair into something new and fun.
It wouldn’t be hard to imagine this whodunit going the way of Rian Johnson’s popular Knives Out (watch for the sequel), and fans of the latter will no doubt find something to love here, but anyone looking for the same donut hole quirkiness will be disappointed. While See How They Run is a clever enough mystery, it never really gets its feet off the ground.
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