The murder mystery is being reinvented in the wake ofRian Johnson’sKnives Outtrilogy, though that doesn’t mean every film in the genre will be worthwhile. However, you can see how Johnson’s film served as the blueprint forAnton Corbijn’sA Talent for Murder. Patricia Highsmith’s psychological thriller is refraimed within the trappings of a whodunit, though its conclusion may be the most formulaic part. That said, there’s enough here to chew on, especially when you focus on the central performances that let this riveting thriller crawl under our skin.
The plot ofA Talent for Murder
While not an outright murder mystery,A Talent for Murderappropriates the codes of the genre through a metatextual narrative. Literary agent Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich) travel to Switzerland to pursue author Patricia Highsmith (Helen Mirren) into releasing the rights for the ultimate Tom Ripley novel she is soon going to start writing.
Reality will eventually blur into fiction as Edward becomes Highsmith’s target as the ultimate figure on which her latest book will be based. The two try to figure out what Ripley’s next murders will look like and how they will fit into a story that turns far darker than when Ridgeway arrived in Switzerland.
A thrilling, but predictable, two-hander
The bulk of the movie is essentially a two-hander between Highsmith and Ridgeway. DameHelenMirrenportrays the acclaimed author with enough acerbic wit to keep us engaged, especially when she never gives Edward what he wants.
He has to work with her to get a signature after he’s essentially proven he not only knows Highsmith’s oeuvre but fundamentally understands the driving force behind Tom Ripley’s motivation to escape his sense of self. Perhaps her American accent is as exaggerated as whatMirrenis currently doing as Maeve Harrigan inGuy Ritchie’sMobLand, but her sense of timing is genuinely unmatched.
Anyone who has been holding out onAlden Ehrenreichstock is also proven right. But talking about his role would mean spoiling a pivotal turn that feels telegraphed yet still thrilling to see as the actor follows in the footsteps of some of the most iconic screen presences in cinema history.
His performance is a genuine challenge. ButEhrenreichwalks the tightrope of his character effectively, especially during scenes where he recounts to Highsmith how his killer would murder the family of Clementine Balfour (Oli and get all of her family’s inheritance for himself
What’s most impressive aboutA Talent for Murderis how its (shot on film) visual language creates a genuine experience of pure cinema. CinematographerRobbie Ryanfocuses mainly on the characters’ faces, especially as they shift within reality and their fictitious personas, and this approach almost feels Hitchcockian. Never mind the acclaimed filmmaker getting name-dropped early on; the language clearly appropriates some of his best techniques, especially when it juxtaposes close-ups of shifting faces through montage.
The camera constantly moves and diverts our attention to the gaze of both Edward and Clementine, especially during a thrilling final scene where both actors deliver the most complex and layered turns of their respective careers. Revealing what happens would rob you of the fun.
Some astute viewers might not have fun, though, given the movie’s predictable nature, and it’s easy to guess exactly where the story is going. Perhaps too easy.
It also doesn’t help thatDickon Hinchliffe’s score essentially tells us how to feel at every turn, or what’s going to happen at any given occasion. This hampers some of the dramatic tension thatCorbijnwants to build. We instantly know where the film is going. This meta-narrative offers few surprises, which cheapens the suspense of a movie that aims to blur the lines between fiction and reality while clearly showing what is real and what isn’t without giving the audience time to reflect.
A Talent for Murderfilm rating and final thoughts
It’s difficult to discuss more aspects of the movie without revealing a single thing. What you need to know aboutA Talent for Murderis how thrilling it remains, especially when you focus on the internal and external games the actors play as figures of pure deceit.
When you understand howEhrenreich, Mirren,andCookeoperate in this quasi-theatrical environment, it’s easy to enjoy such carefree entertainment, even if the wheel isn’t being reinvented. Sometimes, that’s all you should want out of a movie.A Talent for Murdergives us exactly that.
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