Helen Mirren Delves Into Patricia Highsmith's Mind in 'A Talent for Murder'
Helen Mirren stars as Patricia Highsmith in a wholly fictional thriller that turns the author’s Swiss retreat into a cat-and-mouse game.
- Helen Mirren stars as author Highsmith in the psychological thriller 'A Talent for Murder,' which held its gala premiere at Toronto. Director Anton Corbijn presents a fictionalized look at the writer's life.
- The story follows Edward Ridgeway, a New York publishing employee, who visits Highsmith's Swiss chalet to secure a contract for a sixth Ripley novel. Their interaction quickly escalates into a tense cat-and-mouse game.
- Mirren portrays the author as a 'hardass,' while Dimitri Capuani's production design creates a stuffy, fetid atmosphere. The film's 105 minute running time sustains an elegant slow burn.
- On the train, Edward meets Clementine, a fellow New Yorkers orphan also traveling through the region. Although the film is true to Highsmith's character, the narrative remains entirely fictional, serving as metatextual literary noir.
- Bleecker Street will release the film Stateside on Oct. 23, positioning it as an 'upscale adult diversion' suited to early fall's chill. The release timing capitalizes on the season's tone.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Helen Mirren on playing 'tortured' author Patricia Highsmith in TIFF film
Oscar winner Dame Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich star in A Talent for Murder, bringing the dark genius of crime novelist Patricia Highsmith to the screen. On the TIFF red carpet, the stars and director Anton Corbijn spoke with CBC’s Alejandrina Alvarez about taking on Highsmith's complex legacy and bringing the psychological thriller to life.
‘A Talent for Murder’ Review: Helen Mirren Is a Deliciously Bitter Patricia Highsmith in a Sleek Literary Noir That Doesn’t Quite Draw Blood
We’ve grown so used to seeing Helen Mirren imperiously slumming her way through boilerplate grande dame roles in recent years that it’s a genuine thrill to see the actress bare her teeth in “A Talent for Murder” — playing no less compromising a character than Patricia Highsmith, embodied here as a woman every bit as […]
‘A Talent for Murder’ Review: Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich Face Off in This Punchy Twist on Patricia Highsmith
In recent years, movie audiences have fallen back in love with the whodunnit, thanks to the mighty talents of Rian Johnson and Kenneth Branagh and more. That the classic mystery subgenre would continue to stake its claim in the cinematic world is no surprise. When executed well, there’s nothing quite so fun as going for a ride that ends with a tidy, smart ending. This is who did the deed, and this is how they did it, and this is why. Iconic nove…
‘A Talent for Murder’ Review: Helen Mirren Is Cranky Crime Author Patricia Highsmith in Anton Corbijn’s Deliciously Twisty Psychological Thriller
In Anton Corbijn's 'A Talent for Murder,' Helen Mirren plays Patricia Highsmith alongside Alden Ehrenreich and Olivia Cooke.
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