Who doesn’t love an amazing whodunit? I think this might be one of the genres we can all agree on loving if done great. And See How They Run asks a simple question: “What if we skewed it more comedically?” Not a bad question or intention, even though it doesn’t always work out. But this film works, most of the time. And the (pretty much) only reason for that is the one, the only, Saoirse Ronan. I knew she was one of the most talented actresses working today, but it dawned on me whilst watching this movie how almost unfair it is for a person to be this young, stunning and gifted. Like, can you leave something for the rest of us? What’s next; will you release an album and nail that too? Now, come to think of it, she would probably just nailed that as well… wait, where was I?

I remember learning about this film almost by accident during one of my cinema-going experiences with my girlfriend. The trailer for this film played in front of the film we went to see that day. I don’t remember what we watched that day, to be honest with you, but we both looked at each other after the trailer for See How They Run finished and said: “That looks fucking great; we NEED to go see it when it comes out.” So we did and were not disappointed. Well, for the most part. Let me explain.

As much as the trailer did a stellar job of selling this film, I couldn’t help but feel that it also hurt it by putting the best bits of comedy in it. It pains me to write this, but that is the one flaw this movie had going against it; if you watched the trailer, you have already seen the funniest bits. Therefore, if you watch this film expecting to have a laugh riot, you will walk out disappointed. Luckily, the film isn’t a full-on comedy, and it has many other things going for it, like a pretty decent murder mystery and a stellar cast.

Let’s just name the biggest/most known names. Besides Saoirse, we have Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, David Oyelowo and Ruth Wilson. And all have their tiny moments to shine in one way or another, but I would be lying if I said you would remember anybody besides Sam and Saoirse. Because they are our protagonists and, surprisingly, both make for a great comedic duo. Yes, both protagonists, who earned their reputation in mostly serious dramas, have created this unlikely comedic duo that works. The reason they work well is simple – only one (Saoirse) is the unhinged one. Sam has the often perceived ungrateful role of the “straight man” who isn’t there to make jokes but to react to them; or process them. But here’s the thing – every comedic duo must have that straight man; otherwise, we end up watching two (and often there are more than that) people who try to steal the spotlight, having the best jokes, the loudest laugh. And that’s not how you end up with a film like See How They Run; that is how you end up with <insert almost any Hollywood comedy starring two or more comedic actors who are trying to outperform each other>. I saw one too many of these movies that should have worked on paper because all actors/performers involved are talented and funny people, and they rarely did work, that is why I appreciated what Sam did here.

Ok, I can’t hold on for longer; let’s talk about Saoirse Ronan. While looking through her filmography, this film might be the closest to “comedy” she has done yet (at least from the movies I saw) but holy shit, did she deliver. Every line reading, every punchline, and every pause was on point. One could almost say: “Well, of course, she nailed it; this role was gold!” No, this role was gold because Saoirse made it into it. Her role; of keen but not necessarily the most capable detective could have gotten real old, real quick. But every time we would approach that territory, this film slipped into the other, more earnest side and let Saoirse showcase how she can balance and almost switch between her comedy chops and the dramatic ones. Spoiler alert, she does it effortlessly, meaning she is so talented she makes it look effortless, so I guarantee you, most actors would have had a tough time. But not her. At this point, and despite her young age, the lack of any Oscar statues in her cabinet bothers me. Sure, she has time and hopefully another several decades ahead of her, but let’s not “sleep” on Saoirse Ronan.

One other thing I appreciated was the 1950s aesthetic. The movie replicates it very well, and you might see some names you recognise, like Harris Dickinson, who portrays young Richard Attenborough. One would think; having him (and one surprise historical figure show up towards the very end) would result in something interesting, but no. He’s just kind of… there. Sure, he had some funny lines, but I wasn’t sure whether he was “needed” or might even say his character was underutilised. And the same goes for the “surprise historical figure” who wasn’t advertised in the trailer. The moment that person showed up, I thought there would be some big pay-off to it, but no. Except for one gag with a poisoned cup of tea, they did nothing much with that character. It sometimes felt like this film focused so much on Saoirse and Sam’s characters that it had forgotten about the others. 

The other thing that stopped me from fully enjoying this film was that towards the end, the film shifts its gears to be more dramatic than comedic. I understand why, but I wasn’t as invested in the murders and wanted to see a bit more of Sam and Saoirse together. I honestly wonder how this film will age with repeat viewing(s), knowing now who the killer is, whether this will get any better, or whether this has been “just” a void filler before the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) comes out. It will be interesting to compare those two against each other. Even though I don’t like to do that when was the last year we got two high-profile “whodunit” movies?

Overall, See How They Run was a good enough time in the cinemas, especially if you are a fan of your typical Agatha Christie “whodunit” stories. Sadly, it never reaches the heights of something like Knives Out (2019, my review here), proving yet again; how hard it is to combine the whodunit genre with some comedy elements. Well, forget about blending any genres; how hard is it to make a whodunit that stays with you for years? But don’t get me wrong, See How They Run was an almost perfect film that I can’t wait to rewatch for Saoirse’s performance alone. Also, to see how it holds up, knowing the killer’s identity and whether I might have missed some jokes.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke