See How They Run

Let me confess to a weakness. I will love any film starring Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell!

This film will not appeal to everyone, but it had me laughing from beginning to end. Saoirse Ronan has already demonstrated her great talents in Lady Bird (2017), Brooklyn (2015) and Hanna (2011). Mr. Rockwell won a best supporting Oscar for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri (2017) and was a standout in one of my favorite films JoJo Rabbit (2019).

Here, Rockwell plays Inspector Stoppard, a London detective investigating a murder in 1953. It took place off stage of Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap”, the longest-running play in history. A loathsome American movie director, Leo Köpernick  (played by Adrien Brody), is killed when he arrogantly wants the film rights to a play he has never seen.

Inspector Stoppard’s efforts suffered two challenges. The first is a drinking problem where he fakes dental appointments to get loaded. The second is being assigned Constable Stalker (Ms. Ronan), an eager rookie who takes notes of everything she sees and hears.

Their interaction is the highlight of the movie. That includes interviews with cast members and police superiors.

Watch for a great ending where invitations from the killer attracts the entire cast to Ms. Christie’s home. An encounter occurs that is saved by the arrival of our struggling heroes.

Hunt this quaint film down and let me know what you think. Like it or not, it is not a waste of time.