A TALENT FOR MURDER: A Review Of The New Mystery/Thriller Starring Helen Mirren

Introduction

I have never read any of Patricia Highsmith’s novels. She is primarily known for her series of books featuring Tom Ripley, a complex and well-nuanced psychopath, as well as Strangers on a Train, which was adapted for the screen by Alfred Hitchcock. That being said, my reading tastes lean heavily toward mysteries and thrillers. So I suspect her books will cross my path someday. In A Talent for Murder, we are not treated to another adaptation of a Highsmith novel but rather a fictional story about a publisher attempting to convince the reclusive author to write one more Ripley novel. The film is based on Joanna Murray-Smith’s 2014 play Switzerland.

The amazing Helen Mirren takes on the role of Patricia Highsmith, a woman who, by most accounts, was every bit as difficult as the film portrays her. Highsmith was notoriously difficult to work with and, apparently, just as difficult to engage in conversation. She could be abrasive, cantankerous, and downright unpleasant. Both her American publisher, Otto Penzler, and her Swiss editor, Anna von Planta, experienced her less-than-welcoming personality firsthand. Mirren does an excellent job capturing this side of Highsmith. She portrays a woman whose considerable intelligence is matched by an almost complete lack of patience for those around her.

Synopsis

The real lead in A Talent for Murder, however, is Edward Ridgeway, portrayed by Alden Ehrenreich. When the actor first appeared on screen, I was rather thrown. For a moment, I wondered how someone had managed to de-age Gary Burghoff, who played Radar O’Reilly on the classic television series M*A*S*H. I genuinely did not recognize Ehrenreich, the same actor who played a young Han Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).

Ridgeway has been sent by Highsmith’s publisher to convince her to write another novel. He is at least the second person to have been sent on this mission. His predecessor has vanished, and no one seems particularly optimistic about what might have happened to him. Ridgeway, however, comes prepared. He brings along items that Highsmith desires but has difficulty obtaining in Switzerland, including her favorite whiskey, shirts, and a knife she has been wanting.

He also arrives armed with considerably more than a passing knowledge of Highsmith’s previous writings. The young man is practically a walking encyclopedia of her novels. His knowledge, persistence, and obvious enthusiasm eventually convince Highsmith to entertain the possibility of writing another book, or at least to continue the conversation.

As the movie progresses, we are drawn into Ridgeway’s vision of the possible story that Highsmith might write. We begin to see a second narrative unfold. This one is from Ridgeway’s point of view. In this imagined story, Ridgeway becomes Tom Ripley, and his potential victim is a young heiress played by Olivia Cooke. She is also a woman Ridgeway met on the train while traveling to see Highsmith and with whom he has remained in contact.

Discussion

This aspect of the film reminded me of watching the Masterpiece Mystery adaptations of Anthony Horowitz’s Susan Ryeland novels. In those stories, Ryeland experiences the novels she’s editing, with people from her real life appearing as characters in the fictional mysteries. I think it’s a smart storytelling device, one that makes for an engaging experience when handled properly. Here, director Anton Corbijn does a fine job melding the two narratives without making them confusing or difficult to distinguish from reality. Rather than becoming a distraction, the fictional story serves as a useful tool for moving both narratives forward.

This all rolls nicely into a will-she-or-won’t-she situation regarding Highsmith writing another novel. The other aspect of the film I really enjoyed was the repartee between Ridgeway and Highsmith. Their exchanges reminded me of another wonderful film in which much of the dialogue consists of a battle of wits between two characters: Sleuth (1972). Interestingly, Sleuth was also adapted from a stage play. Much like that film, A Talent for Murder relies on two intelligent characters verbally sparring, with each attempting to gain the upper hand. It’s this back-and-forth that makes their relationship so entertaining to watch.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the beautiful locations where this film was shot. Between Switzerland and Italy, this is not a difficult film to watch for the scenery alone. Highsmith’s home is particularly fascinating, both in its design and the atmosphere it creates. I also enjoyed the use of shadows throughout the film. Objects and figures seem to emerge from the darkness. Not as cheap jump scares, but as a deliberate tool to disorient both the viewer and the characters involved in the action. It’s a subtle but effective technique that adds to the film’s sense of unease without ever becoming distracting.

Conclusion

A Talent for Murder received a theatrical release on October 23, and I am glad it did, as this is a film that deserves to be seen on the big screen. I look forward to watching it again with friends, as I am curious to see their reactions to how this well-crafted story unfolds. The acting is solid, the direction is excellent, and the film is visually beautiful. If you are a fan of a good whodunit or a psychological thriller in the vein of Highsmith’s Ripley stories, you should find plenty to enjoy here.

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