Keira Knightley Grips Audiences with 'Zodiac' Style Thriller 'Boston Strangler'

by Zach Miller

    Boston Strangler directed by Matt Ruskin, follows news reporter Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley) and Jean Cole (Carrie Coon) in their journalistic pursuit of the 1960s prolific serial killer known as the Boston Strangler. 

    The execution from start to finish was phenomenal with period backdrops from the art department to the shadowy cinematography. Throughout the film, Keira Knightley keeps us on the edge of her seat with her obsessive drive to uncover patterns in the killings with her reporting. Ruskin and his crew do terrific work when immersing us in the crime-fueled 1960s period of Boston. These two young female reporters not only search for answers on the killer, but take an introspective approach, analyzing their own abilities to tackle investigative reporting in a male-dominated industry. 

    The film excels in establishing the dark tone of the historic Boston Strangler case, not holding back on brutality. In fact, it’s what we don’t see, hiding the killer in the dark most of the film, that scares us. As the audience can surmise that he’s circling his next victim, the characters within the film are unaware that they are seconds from meeting their own demise. Keeping his anonymity from the start allows the audience to walk hand-in-hand with Loretta on her quest to find the truth. 

    As I’m sure many film junkies can attest, the film offers elements running parallel to Zodiac directed by David Fincher. One can’t help to draw the same distinctions of Jake Gyllenhaal’s Robert Graysmith when Knightley begins to lose touch with her relationships, becoming consumed by her work. The cinematography also draws clear inspiration from cinematographer Harris Savides with sodium vapor yellow light, in addition to, the coarse blues with alleys devoured in shadow. However, just because there are nods of inspiration from Zodiac does not mean Boston Strangler didn’t define its own identity. 

    The screenplay is a rich, gripping story delving deep into the morals of journalism, and sexism in the workplace for McLaughlin and Cole. Loretta persists with her editor Jack Maclaine (Chris Cooper), itching to get the chance to begin her venture. But when she begins to railroad the Boston police force over their fumbling of case leads, she is swiftly kicked to the curb. Not only does she battle the turmoil in the office, but her personal life at home begins to dismantle. Through her relentless pursuit, she succumbs to the addiction of being the first to grab a breaking news case, while in the meantime her family needs her. Through this layered complexity of Loretta McLaughlin, Knightley delivers one of her finest performances to date and continues to show us her range as an actress. If investigative serial killer thrillers are their own sub-genre, this is a sure-fire runner-up behind Zodiac.

Overall Rating: 7.5