Taking on a tricky story of a real-life murderer, this crime drama explores these famous crimes from the perspective of the journalist who broke the life-changing story.
The 2023 release, Boston Strangler, is based on the true story of the same name, when a man was found to have killed up to 13 women by strangulation in the 1960s. Playing the journalist who worked for the Boston Record American is Kiera Knightley, as Loretta McLaughlin, retelling the events of the case slowly unravelling.
The film begins in 1962 when the reporter begins looking into three cases of older women who were raped and murdered by strangulation in the Boston area. One of the elements of the crimes she noticed is the way all of the victims were killed using stockings tied around their necks – suggesting this was the work of a serial killer.
Although, after putting the story together, the law enforcement and even her own boss have fears about what this will do and so plan on killing the story before it’s published. When a fourth victim is found, she continues the investigation behind their back, as she faces sexism at work and the breakdown of her marriage, but nothing is stopping her from finding out the truth.
A Rotten Tomatoes review claims: « This movie was excellent. Great acting, an intriguing true crime story, smart dialogue. I am shocked that the reviews aren’t higher! »
Another viewer wrote: « Boston Strangler offers an intriguing retelling of the notorious murders that shook 1960s Boston, with compelling performances from Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon. While it could have been more suspenseful and tense, it did capture the tension and societal constraints of the era, focusing on two female journalists who broke the story in a male-dominated press era. »
One impressed viewer said they felt the film was « excellent » and full of « great performances ». Admittedly they « didn’t know anything » about the real story behind the film but walked away having learnt plenty.
Also starring alongside Knightley are Carrie Coon as Jean Cole and David Dastmalchian, who plays the man believed to be the notorious strangler. In fact, the real case saw him make a confession, and DNA evidence was able to link him to the last victim.
Although it is her leading performance as McLaughlin that stands out amongst viewers’ reviews. One reads: « The film greatly benefits from the dark cinematography, creating an underlying atmosphere of impending doom. The denouement doesn’t quite live up to its promise, but it has a variety of compelling elements, such as Kiera Knightley’s outstanding performance. »
It was McLaughlin’s four-part story about the killer in the 60s when he was first dubbed as the ‘Boston Strangler’, which lent him his name and became part of major crime lore.
Initially launched on Hulu, the film is available to stream on Disney+, but for one night only, you can watch it from home completely free as it airs on Film4 tonight at 9:00pm.
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