When you sit in the shadows, sometimes it can be hard to find the light again.
Directed by Anton Corbijn, A Talent for Murder tells the story of Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich), a New York publisher who is given the impossible task of luring retired (and renowned) writer Patricia Highsmith (Helen Mirren) out of retirement for one final book. As the author of the famed Ripley anthology, Highsmith has become a recluse in the mountains of Switzerland, attempting to keep the world at bay. However, as Ridgeway begins to chip away at her gruff exterior, so too does Highsmith begin to chip away at his inhibitions, drawing him closer to a darkness he refuses to acknowledge.
Adapted by Joanna Murray-Smith from her own 2014 play, Murder is a deliciously dark journey into human psychology. Though the story is entirely fictional, the film feels like an inquest into the mind of an author who created one of literatures most notable sociopaths. In essence, this is the sort of story that wants to explore what one must tap into in order to create something truly malevolent. Though, at the same time, it also asks how a character like Ripley can become so beloved. In this way, the film both leans into our love of murder and mayhem, challenging the way that we’re drawn to charismatic villains.
And Murder never runs most foul due to the strength of its cast. As Highsmith, Mirren is almost unrecognizable. Immersing herself entirely into the character, she snarls with an air of superiority that we rarely see within her performances. Her arrogance carries a sort of callous authority. She recognizes the flaws in everyone and everything and is unashamed to inform others about them. Within her, there doesn’t seem to be an ounce of compassion. And it’s utterly compelling to watch.
At the same time, Mirren has met her match in Ehrenreich who walks a very fine line between charisma and chaos. Quite frankly, the actor has always done well in roles as the lovable bad boy. (For example, regardless of what you think of the film, he was chosen to play a young Han Solo for a reason.) Even so, Murder gives him the opportunity to blur the lines between light and darkness even further.
As the talented Mr. Ridgeway, Ehrenreich carries himself with an awkwardness that makes him endearing. In each (early) conversation with Cooke’s Balfour, Ridgeway feels like the school kid with a crush. He wants to ask for her number and hold true to his own innocence. The same is also true as he wrestles with Highsmith over her potential new book. There’s a certain doe-eyed quality to his performance that makes him undeniably likeable.
But, behind those eyes…
As Highsmith’s poking and prodding pushes him further to the edge, Ehrenreich’s eyes continue to darken. Despite the virtue we’d witnessed, Ridgeway becomes increasingly torn. From asking to see a woman again to fits of violence, Highsmith accuses him of not being prepared to do what’s necessary. With his manhood questioned, we watch him battle his most primal urges for the sake of his own humanity.
Very quickly, this becomes a battle for his soul.
And that soon becomes the thematic thrust of this Murder. Ridgeway’s exploration of his darker half is more than just his contribution to the development of Highsmith’s latest thriller. Instead, it becomes a mirror to the deeper impulses of humanity on a larger scale. The question of whether or not Ridgeway will succumb to his primal urges puts his masculinity on trial. Does he really care about his moral sensibilities? Or does he need to unlock some space that he refuses to admit to himself that it exists in order to become the man he could be? (Or, worse yet, who he wants to be?)
Corbijn keeps the camera closely on Ehrenreich’s face, allowing the actor to focus on the fury simmering inside him. And the actor’s ability to cool his affectionate glares is chilling. In one moment, his eyes twinkle with romance. In the next, they darken like the night.
Nevertheless, despite its grim prospects, Corbijn gives the film a certain bounce to its tone. Yes, we’re watching the fictional Ripley plot his machinations. Though the film never loses its playfulness. It’s almost as though this spirited (and spiritual) war truly is a ‘dance with the Devil. Every twisted plot feels mischievous and every manipulation seems savvy in its cruelty.
As such, it’s worth noting that there’s a great deal of fun to be had in the (mis)adventures of Ehrenreich’s Ridgeway. As Mirren’s Highsmith cuts away at his mental exteriors, Murder begins to reveal the corners of his soul that he (might) wish weren’t present. And Corbijn’s delightfully chaotic dive into the madness ensures that you never know where he’s going to take us.
A Talent for Murder is available in theatres on Friday, October 23rd, 2026.
