By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Boston Strangler (Dir: Matt Ruskin. USA, 2023): First thing you should know is this is not a remake of the Tony Curtis film. In fact, the main characters of Boston Strangler—two female journalists—are not even mentioned in the 1968 film (the cops are the heroes), an example of patriarchal mindset that alone justifies revisiting the grisly case on film.

While the movie succeeds at shedding light on the two reporters—Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole— who cracked the case, it fails as a thriller: there isn’t a shred of suspense to be found, in spite of the grim color palette, bleak score, and rather basic set pieces. In fact, these traits remind us of David Fincher’s work (Se7en, Zodiac, Mindhunter) and the comparison isn’t flattering.

The plot isn’t a mile away from She Said (the film around the NYT journos who exposed Harvey Weinstein), just set five decades earlier: Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley, miscast but game) is a reporter stuck covering domesticity matters, such as how good is the new toaster model. She aspires to break hard news and gets a shot when she speculates three murders of lonely women in the greater Boston area are connected.

Despite official denials and obstructions, McLaughlin is right on the money and is paired with investigative reporter Jean Cole (Carrie Coon, never bad) to continue on the Boston Strangler beat. Their work is impeccable, but at every step they’re forced to deal with discrimination and a hearty dose of misogyny.

Because real life events don’t unfold in three acts, the film feels repetitive and at times aimless. The often-bright Knightley is deprived of all light. Coon is given very little to work with but manages to conjure a lived-in character out of thin air (probably her own research).

The film’s greatest value is as a reminder not to let strangers into your house. Then again, The Cat in the Hat does the same and in verse. 2/5 stars.

Boston Strangler is now playing on Disney+