To Catch A Killer (2023) movie review

The most delightful aspect of watching movies is when you play a movie with no expectations and it turns out to be fantastic. I love police procedurals. And since the dawn of Marvel, genres that don’t make big bucks aren’t delved into much in Hollywood. And so, To Catch a Killer sneakily arrived in a limited theatrical release before landing in the VOD market. But it’s a really good movie made by a reliable director and his team, with an impeccable cast.

When the New Year’s Eve celebrations are at their peak in Baltimore, random shots are fired killing several. Eleanor Falco(Shailene Woodley), a beat cop on duty, rushes to the call. Once the building from where the shots were fired is identified, she has the presence of mind to get cops to record on video all the people exiting the building.

The case has been handed to FBI investigator Lammark (Ben Mendelsohn) who works with the Baltimore police to try and catch the killer. That one act of violence claimed 29 innocent lives. To avoid further violent outbursts by the killer. Lammark suggests closing parts of the city but he is swiftly turned down by the Mayor’s office. Lammark is pressured by endlessly meddling bureaucracy and competition within the FBI department, rather than collaboration. And he has to deal with that while trying to catch a killer that has disappeared leaving no trace.

The only people Lammark trusts within the department and his team are Eleanor and Jack McKenzie (Jovan Adepo. He also appears in a main role in 3 Body Problem), who is an expert in dealing with intense situations. Together the three of them try and hunt down the killer. The movie is similar to Seven in style and plotting. But it has a look and feel all its own. It’s directed by Argentinian director Damian Szifron whose previous movie, Wild Tales was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film. He also edited the movie himself and wrote it in partnership with Jonathan Wakeham. Szifron has gone for a specific, grim style which is evident in the writing and the look of the film. And the writing is greatly entertaining. ‘Mayor was the Mayor in the sequel. That’s the lesson from Jaws.’, is one of the many interesting lines in the movie. 

Mendelsohn gets to deliver most of the smart dialogue, and he is exceptional in the role. Divided between playing by the rules dictated by his superiors and trusting his instinct, his main goal is to catch the killer and gain the consequential glory. He is banking on Eleanor to use her keen eye to get closer to the killer’s identity. The mentor-protege relationship; passing on knowledge from the grey, experienced detective to the younger cop with clear potential is a rare treat to watch. 

Woodley has never been more impressive than in the role of Eleanor since her debut in The Descendants. She is selling a lot to the audience and without her convincing performance, the whole third act falls apart. But she not only manages to convince us but excels.

The killer in the movie is a brilliant creation as well. A true American killer, a by-product of the capitalistic policies that can pass through the cracks and wreak havoc in society. Szifron, with his outsider perspective, subtly presents harsh realities. To Catch a Killer is less horrifying than Seven but just as thrilling and terrifying. This is a first-rate detective movie and if you are a fan of this genre, it’s a must-watch.