See How They Run is a comedy mystery directed by Tom George, in his feature film debut, and written by Mark Chappell. It was released by Searchlight Pictures before making its way to HBO Max.

In 1953 London, Hollywood director Leo Köpernick (Adrien Body) is murdered at the 100th showing of Agatha Christie’s (Shirley Henderson) “Mouse Trap,” a play about a murder starring Richard Attenborough (Harris Dickinson) and Sheila Sim (Pearl Chanda). Scotland Yard Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) is assigned the case and forced by Commissioner Harold Scott (Tim Key) to train rookie Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) who dreams of being a detective. The two find that Leo was disliked by his producer John Woolf (Reece Shearsmith), screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris (David Oyelowo), and others associated with both the play and upcoming film adaption. The two police officers look for the truth in an industry made of lies.

The soundtrack is superb. From the score to the songs, composer Daniel Pemberton did an excellent job. The music matched perfectly with each scene and it truly complemented the film. It was impressive work.

I do feel like the movie lacked a certain amount of gravitas. Sure, it was a solid story, but it was nothing I had not seen before. Even with the meta-humor of the victim narrating seemed like something borrowed instead of something new. I’m also unsure where the film’s title came from. There was not a lot of running.

However, the performances of Rockwell and Ronan are what make the movie fun. They are not a pairing you would normally consider, but the duo had good chemistry in both the humor and the tension within the plot. They delivered each line with a special zing.

It is the same for the rest of the cast. It was an eclectic group of actors and actresses with all of them pulling out some excellent performances.

Aside from the points of contention mentioned earlier, I genuinely had a good time with this film. It had a solid plot that kept everything tight-knit, close to the chest, and, best of all, it did not overstay its welcome. Tom George definitely exceeded my expectations and crafted a well-rounded story.

You often get glimpses into Hollywood through self-aware features, so seeing the British film industry was a cool angle that did intrigue me.

Bottom line, See How They Run has good humor, a solid score, and a grounded cast that made the movie seem like a lot of fun.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Some foul language, Violence, Alcohol abuse

FAVORITE QUOTE: You must see this is an overreaction.

Check out the trailer below:

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, or novel you would like me to review. While you are at it, check out my reviews of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and Exemplum. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more posts like this one.

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