cider

A serviceable, goofy take on a Christie-esque mystery film but with some noirish edges to it. However, what really bumps this movie up a notch is just the kind of craft goes into the actual filmmaking - very good comedic timing on edits, script. Beautiful color grading and set pieces. Wonderful camera work on dialogue/talking head shots. Definitely is making a wonderful homage to the time period. Less effective are some of the split POV shots - I kept waiting for them to illuminate things happening at the same time but often were just for additional information. I think some of the visuals (specific close up shots, soft lighting) are what give it that Wes Anderson vibe because he too is often borrowing from certain aesthetic traditions.

I was kinda disappointed by Sam Rockwell's vocal coaching as his accent was all over the place, but everything else about it was quite fun. Saoirse Ronan is a really good actress, but it also felt like her performance was straight out of a Wes Anderson film instead of this one. All in all, I think a decently written and acted mashup between a slightly twee murder mystery and an interesting drawing room drama.