Boston Strangler (2023) Movie Review

In Matt Ruskin's "Boston Strangler," Keira Knightley delivers a compelling performance as Loretta McLaughlin, a wife and mother who works at the Record-American newspaper. Alongside her partner Jean Cole (played by Carrie Coon), Loretta discovers a connection between recent murders in the area, in which women are strangled with their underwear tied around their necks in a bow. The two women are the first to pursue and broadcast this connection through the paper, aware of the importance of this information for women all around the greater Boston area.

Ruskin approaches this story as a type of newspaper noir, drawing inspiration from David Fincher's "Zodiac." While the movie lacks the general edginess of Fincher's film, Ruskin's tribute to Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole can still entertain due to the feats of journalistic competency and courage it's packed with.

As the movie progresses, it narrows its focus on Loretta and her pursuit of the truth behind the murders. The plotting takes on interesting layers, including the moment when Loretta and Jean call out the Boston police for mishandling the investigation and leaving innocent Bostonians in danger. However, the movie loses the worry of Loretta facing immediate danger from either the murderer or anyone backing the police. Instead, the stakes become more about someone believing so strongly in the case that they risk losing focus on their family life.

Despite the growing drabness of the movie and the absence of a distinct visual style, there are standout performances from Alessandro Nivola as a Boston cop who supports Loretta's tenacity and Chris Cooper as Loretta's boss. Bill Camp also delivers a brief but memorable performance as the Boston PD commissioner. David Dastmalchian plays a resourceful character, but his role feels familiar.

"Boston Strangler" recreates the wild course of events surrounding the murders, leading to decent, unsettling twists in a third act based on truth. However, the emotional resonance is scant, even for how the movie casts another spotlight on game-changing Boston journalism. By the end, Knightley only has so much space to construct a distinct arc from her dedication that lasted years and altered Loretta's personal life.

Overall, "Boston Strangler" pays tribute to Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole's hard work, but it falls short in filling in the larger story. The movie's focus on women in a predominantly male space while investigating a crime about women in danger is intriguing. However, the lack of a distinct visual style and the growing drabness of the movie make it less effective than it could be. Despite its flaws, Knightley's performance and the movie's themes of journalistic competency and courage make it worth watching.

In conclusion, Matt Ruskin's "Boston Strangler" is a flawed but compelling tribute to the feats of journalistic competency and courage displayed by Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole, who were the first to pursue and broadcast the connection behind recent gruesome murders in the greater Boston area. While the movie suffers from some pacing issues and a lack of distinct visual style, the performances from the cast are solid, particularly Keira Knightley's portrayal of Loretta McLaughlin, and the third act based on truth delivers decent, unsettling twists. However, the emotional resonance falls short, and the movie could have benefited from more time to explore its themes and characters. Overall, "Boston Strangler" is worth watching for its portrayal of game-changing Boston journalism and the bravery of those who pursued the truth in the face of danger and opposition.