It’s been a while since we’ve seen Saoirse Ronan on the big screen, but that will change on September 16 with the release of See How They Run, a comedy-mystery set in post-WWII London.
Saoirse plays a young police officer in charge of investigating the murder of an actor who will star in a film version of the successful play in which he stars.
Here’s the official synopsis for the film: “In 1950s London, plans for a film version of a blockbuster play come to an abrupt halt after a critical member of the crew is murdered. When a world-weary inspector and an anxious rookie agent take on the case, they find themselves drawn into a puzzling whodunit set in the glamorous and seedy world of underground theater, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril.”
The trailer shows Saoirse as a young police officer eager to solve the case. Her co-stars include Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, and Ruth Wilson. At just 98 minutes, she looks like an easily digestible caper.
Saoirse, 28, told The Guardian that the island world of theater is a perfect setting for a murder mystery. She has some experience, as she starred in The Crucible on Broadway for five months in 2016.
“The theater world is very claustrophobic by nature,” he said. “It’s wonderful, but it can also be stressful. You’re seeing the same people every day for months and you’re doing the exact same show every night. And yes, there are surprises. But there is a monotony that drives you a little crazy. So it’s very natural for a murder to take place in a theater.”
Speaking of See How They Run, he said: “For me, it’s less about who did it and more about being introduced to all these colorful characters. That’s the drama, I guess, but it’s almost like a soap opera. The script is basically the character of me and Sam walking around and interviewing people like you’re doing right now. The actors have a few minutes to shine. And we sat in the corner playing the role of observers, taking notes, like idiots. That’s how these movies work, so why mess with the formula?
See How They Run was filmed during Covid, and being on set was a welcome respite from the chaos in the real world, Saoirse said.
“It’s weird because this movie has a very dark underbelly,” he told The Guardian. “It’s about alcoholism, tragedy and loss in post-war Britain. But people go to see a movie like this because they know what they’re going to get. In the end, I think, there’s a consolation in that.”