In a film where Helen Mirren plays Patricia Highsmith, you might not expect the highlight of the film to be her co-star. But with Anton Corbijn’s “A Talent for Murder,” a tense and playful little chamber piece riff on murder mysteries, my goodness is it.
The reason? Alden Ehrenreich. An excellent, though initially underrated, performer who went from being stranded in “Solo: A Star Wars Story” to becoming a must-see presence in everything from “Fair Play” to the recent “Weapons,” he’s absolutely magnificent here. Channeling Highsmith’s famous Tom Ripley character as he tiptoes between do-gooder and person with possibly more dubious intentions, he’s a delight in every sense of the word. If you’ve had stock in Ehrenreich, best be ready to cash it in, as he’s proven once more that he’s got, as the kids say, the juice.
An adaptation of the play “Switzerland” by Joanna Murray-Smith, the film centers on an emissary for a publisher, Edward Ridgeway (Ehrenreich), who has come to try to get famed author Highsmith (Mirren) to sign a contract committing to write another book. This, unsurprisingly, turns out to be easier said than done, as she has sequestered herself far from the world and seems to be hell-bent on drinking away her remaining years. However, Highsmith eventually agrees to sign if the bumbling but handsome young man will help her determine how to commit a murder. A fictional murder, of course (why would you even think any different?!), but one that would be able to be done without being caught.
As reality and fiction start to blur, the innocent Edward starts to seem like he might not be so different from one of Highsmith’s greatest creations: Tom Ripley. Without tipping anything off, this is where Ehrenreich comes alive, shifting his performance so effortlessly that it sends a chill up the spine. It’s darkly fun but also measured work, never descending into camp or broad comedy. The beauty of the performance comes from the contrasts between the two parts he expertly plays in the narrative.
The more the two go back and forth, the more we start to get drawn in by the potential for someone to actually die before the ink is dry on the contract. Much like Steven Soderbergh’s chamber piece “The Christophers,” the film gets plenty of mileage out of the duo just sitting down to talk with each other, exchanging verbal barbs instead of blades and bullets, though there are always plenty of those looming in the background as well.
Based almost entirely in fiction, “A Talent for Murder” goes from pondering what such a give-and-take might look like before gradually pulling the rug out from under our feet. As you begin to question the stories within stories being shared, the film proves to be a joyous showcase for not just all its cast, but further proof of Ehrenreich’s immense talents. Without him, it’s hard to see the film working. But with him at the helm, he kills every scene he gets his hands on. Just make sure you keep your eye on everything he does and every word he says. Look away for even a second, and that may be your undoing.