See How They Run

See How They Run

In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered. When world-weary Inspector Stoppard and eager rookie Constable Stalker take on the case, the two find themselves thrown into a puzzling whodunit within the glamorously sordid theater underground, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril.

  • Released:
  • Runtime: 120 minutes
  • Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
  • Stars: Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, Harris Dickinson, Charlie Cooper, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Pearl Chanda, Sian Clifford, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, David Oyelowo, Shirley Henderson, Paul Chahidi, Lucian Msamati, Angus Wright, Tim Key
  • Director: Tom George
 Comments
  • EthelredBusybody - 29 December 2023
    Enjoyable Twist on Agatha Christie
    This was a 6.5 stars for me, so I rounded that up to 7 stars. It certainly isn't the best movie I have ever watched, but it was worthwhile and a bit of fun.

    I thought Ronan and Rockwell had great chemistry, aided by a gentle, quirky humour (and some good one-liners), which kept me going throughout a slightly slow movie.

    I didn't know who the murderer was until the very end, so that always makes for a good mystery. I enjoyed the production style, whatever that may be. Mainly British, I guess. A little Wes Anderson-y as some have suggested? Certainly not a typically American whodunnit.

    It was fun to see some British actors in unexpected roles such as Oyelowo, Key, Shearsmith and Henderson. They all did well in their supporting roles.

    And of course, Msamati. Whenever I see him, I feel a strange sense of pride. The first time I saw him, I recognised a Zimbabwean accent. Here, he has a prim and proper English accent and like the above-mentioned folks, he does justice to his "small" part.
  • gridoon2024 - 13 August 2023
    Delightful comedy - whodunit
    "See How They Run" is a smart, knowing whodunit spoof that also works as a legitimate whodunit; at first you may feel a bit disappointed by the identity of the killer, but if you think about it, it's just an intentional, satirical take on a classic whodunit trope. The film has a deadpan sense of (often black) humor, and an elegant production design, but really its best feature is Saoirse Ronan's flawless - and very appealing - performance; she never once strikes a false note. Sam Rockwell takes a bit longer to find the right tone, but he gets there by the end. Loved the cameo appearance of Poirot's house! *** out of 4.
  • avindugunasinghe - 15 May 2023
    Glamour
    It's not the destiny but the journey that's beautiful. A murder mystery set up in 50s Britain that draws a colourful picture of the society in general and culture surrounding entertainment business. Great collection of unique characters that actively engage making the story intriguing. Theme similar to that of a stage play that actually centered on one is excellent. Visuals are rich with fitting tones of colour that sets the mood perfectly. Background music is heavenly and timely emphasizing the meaning of scenes. Acting is strong and maintains the integrity making the movie a production that's highly recommended.
  • snd-18644 - 2 January 2023
    A muddled whodunit
    Whodunits are done to death and continued to be so. See how they run is no exception. The taking appears commonplace with the dead guy narrating the story and a lethargic detective assisted by a bumbling, over enthusiastic yet a sincere assistant driving the narrative. While Sam Rockwell trying to imitate a Scotland yard's detective is laughable (though I have high respect for him as an actor), it is Ms Ronan who actually provides some laughs in an otherwise muddled production. And like a textbook ending the least suspected character turning out be the killer for hard to believe reasons only adds to the murky narrative. I had high hopes seeing Rockwell, Brody et al in the lineup but at end of it I was disappointed.
  • mrsrosen - 18 December 2022
    If you like Agatha Christie..
    It's not just that it's based round The Mousetrap, there are loads of little references to characters in Poirot and other stories. So if you're familiar with other stories there's the odd extra smile factor like the name of the dentist.

    It has a dry sense of humour and classic whodunnit format. If it wasn't a winning formula, The Mousetrap would never have been so popular.

    Lots of people are put off Christie stories due to the rubbish TV versions, but really her stories are great and of course, entertaining. I like the audio dramas better.

    Reading the other reviews confirms my suspicion that this can all pass you by completely and it's still fun to watch.
  • nathandm-75297 - 3 December 2022
    You've seen one, you've seen them all
    "It's a whodunit. You've seen one, you've seen them all." Not sure if that line is supposed to be ironic or not but regardless, See How They Run is certainly a movie you've seen before, and you've seen it done much, MUCH better than this. See How They Run is a terribly predictable and uninspired murder mystery film that thinks it's much more clever than it actually is, even though the film goes head-first into just about every cliché that the genre is known for.

    The humor falls just as flat as the overall plot despite its decent cast and competent direction, and the movie doesn't offer anything new, worthwhile, or even memorable to the murder mystery genre. If the film had genuinely funny or clever humor throughout, then I wouldn't have minded the rest of the predictable plot but since that's not the case, See How They Run is a basic, done-by-the-numbers mystery film that was a bit of a slog to get through honestly.
  • mfb-88130 - 24 November 2022
    A lot of fun
    Clever, very enjoyable who-done-it packed with delightful performances and tons of Easter eggs referencing dozens of mystery and detective stories across theater, film and literature.

    It's light hearted and laugh out loud funny. Rockwell is terrific, as usual, Saoirse Ronan brings a surprisingly light touch and a lot of heart to her character, the incomparable Ruth Wilson is among the eclectic rather large supporting cast BUT... Adrian Brody really steals the show with his charming portrayal of a caddish, narcissistic director with no morals what so ever. Very funny, relaxed and easy going romp.
  • eva3si0n - 16 November 2022
    See How They Run is a pleasant light detective comedy
    See How They Run is a pleasant light detective comedy. A good cast starring Sam Rockwell. Funny dialogues that don't feel dumb and primitive. The comedy genre is now in fact dead, and See How They Run is one of not many examples of good comedy in recent years. The era of the 50s in England is not poorly transmitted either. And of course, a normal denouement in the spirit of the same Agatha Christie, in the circle of which the whole plot stands. Another thing is that the film tries to seem like a mystery, but it completely fails. But comedy is complete, taking into account excellent dialogue thanks to Saoirse Ronan. Stylistically, the film is very reminiscent of the work of Wes Anderson, here even the actors are the same)