To Catch A Killer
Directed by Damián Szifron
★★★
To Catch A Killer 2023
Undoubtedly Fincher-lite, Damián Szifron’s horrendously titled new movie, To Catch a Killer, is a sometimes thrilling and unpredictable crime procedural with a lot on its mind.
To Catch A Killer may have ambitions that exceed its grasp, but don’t think that this is just your run-of-the-mill, straight-to-VOD crime drama. In our current climate, the way we consume media is somewhat of a chaotic mess, and that is ever present throughout the vast variety of different streaming services and on-demand platforms. Gone are the days of a movie either going to theaters, going straight to video, or becoming a made-for-TV movie. It seems that there is an endless array of content for all genres, and that is even more so the case when it comes to crime films. For every fantastic film like Gone Girl or Vengeance, you have something like The Postcard Killings or Gangster Squad. Szifron’s latest falls somewhere between Hulu’s recent Boston Strangler and Netflix’s Lost Girls.
From a directing standpoint, Szifron wears his influences on his sleeve. Every dampened street recalls Prisoners, and every tense home-based set piece alludes to Zodiac. It’s not a style that is new to the viewer, but is that necessarily a bad thing? Until recently, we’ve praised new Marvel directors for making copy-and-paste films from the MCU Google Docs outline or even doled out awards for Todd Haynes’ Scorcese rip-off Joker. While Szifron teeters the line between flattery and imitation, he mostly lands on the side of the former.
The film also ties in strong characters and fleshes out their motivations. We understand why they act the way they do and what decisions brought them to this point. Although there may be a little too much showing rather than telling, the film can still produce more affecting characters than some of its counterparts.
Additionally, the film can be unbelievably tense and shocking at times. From the moment the film started with a fireworks show, I was hooked and unsure of what to expect. It kept me guessing until it didn’t, faltering in the third act.
The central performances from Shailene Woodley and Ben Mendelsohn are the film’s greatest asset. Both of these actors are obvious professionals, but both also always tend to bring something a little extra to their roles. Woodley uses her eyes as her weapon, portraying even the slightest of emotions with just a look. Mendelsohn has a certain presence about him that is both menacing and empathetic and can steal just about any movie he is in.
To Catch A Killer may be somewhat familiar on a cinematic level, but there is some really great character work going on, and has enough shocking moments to warrant a watch.
*TO CATCH A KILLER Opens Only In Theaters Friday, April 21, 2023*
