Boston Strangler – A Strong Period Crime Thriller (Early Review)

For one reason or another, there haven’t been that many investigative journalism films as of late. In the past, the subgenre has delivered resonating films that shine a light on important issues and stories and challenge the status quo. Based on a true story, Boston Strangler is a 1960s period crime thriller rooted in the world of investigative journalism that is sure to have viewers on the edge of their seats and feel empowered. While it may not bring anything new to the table, for what it does do, it does very well. Though the film’s title perhaps suggests a more sinister watch but it is merely a backdrop for a larger character study about the women who put themselves out there during a time when they were often marginalized and victims of rampant sexism while also solving the case. There still is some darkness to it, however, the latter delivers the more compelling storyline as the excellent performances across the board, led by the pairing of Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon, are the true standouts here.

Boston Strangler is of course set in Boston around the time of the Boston Strangler murders in the early 1960s where an ambitious reporter named Loretta McLaughlin (Knightley) saw something more and was the first reporter to connect the string of murders and break the story of the killer. She, alongside fellow senior reporter Jean Cole (Coon), faced much of the sexism of the time while reporting on the one of the Boston’s most notorious serial killers, working tirelessly to keep the public, but most importantly the women who found themselves in the crosshairs, informed. As the city found itself on edge and in the midst of various forces looking to silence them and sweep the case under the rug, Loretta and Jean persevered and embarked on their own fact finding mission and get to the bottom of what really happened. As they dove deep into the victims and the connections between them, it became clear that they were doing more than the police were. Inevitably ruffling some feathers along the way, pursing the case while not starting a war with the police department was a fine line.

That being said, there were other factors at play here with Loretta and Jean being women and the Boston strangler victims being women big factors. Because of that, the case wasn’t seen as a high priority until the public outcry from their reporting made it increasingly harder to ignore. As the case and the victim count grew, it became more complicated the deeper Loretta and Jean dove. For Loretta, the case was her big break, looking for respect and to be seen as something more than a mere lifestyle reporter. She took this case a lot more personally as this was her first crime case and she felt connected to the victims. Learning on the job, this made the dynamic between Loretta and Jean more fun to watch. In spite of the latter being the far more experienced reporter, she still encountered a lot of the same issues which came from her being a woman in a male dominated industry. With that experience, she just knew how to handle it better and navigate through those hurdles. Not simply accepting how things were they way they were, Loretta vowed to not stop until she got the truth. Little did she know, the twists and turns that would entail as the case took a life of its own.

Though those familiar with the story will more or less already know what happens, this did not make the film any less tense to watch, especially in its final act. While the score added to that tension, the writing and performances are what truly brought it to life. While the story was mostly procedural in nature for better or worse, strong and relatable characters and a resonant commentary against the misogyny and sexism of the time made it worthwhile. Knightley is an absolute force as Loretta McLaughlin, consistently moving forward in the face of personal and professional adversity though the film occasionally leaned on melodramatic cliches. She stood up for what was right and it was easy to connect with that while her flaws and inexperience made her relatable. Her chemistry with Coon as Jean Cole made for a fun dynamic as she was someone who Loretta could lean on. Resigned to the way things were, she was reminded how they could be better and it was also easy to connect with that. Also, she was just so cool.

At the end of the day, Boston Strangler is a strong crime thriller that may not bring anything new to the table and an even better character study.

still courtesy of 20th Century Studios

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.