Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- bleak
- paranoid
- oppressive
- late night noir viewing
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics found the film handsome and intriguingly bleak in its noir treatment, but broadly faulted its convoluted plotting and inconsistent character behavior.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Walter's unhappy marriage to Clara fuels his fixation on her possible removal and makes him vulnerable to suspicion after her death.
Walter's obsession with Kimmel and his own guilty thoughts cause investigators to interpret his behavior as evidence of murder.
The handsome 1960s New York period presentation contrasts with the characters' neurosis, suspicion, and brutal domestic crimes.
Clara's death and the earlier suspicious death investigated around Kimmel create the film's interlocking criminal puzzle.
Films like A Kind of Murder, and why
Deep Water
shared psychological noir atmosphere, marital suspicion, and morally compromised protagonists
The Talented Mr. Ripley
shared Patricia Highsmith adaptation, crime intrigue, obsession, and ambiguous guilt
The Two Faces of January
shared period noir style, domestic murder mystery, and escalating suspicion
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
shared bleak crime thriller tone, unreliable appearances, and investigators closing in on suspects
Movie Details
- Director
- Andy Goddard
- Release Date
- 2016-12-16
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (260)
Cast
- Patrick Wilson
- Jessica Biel
- Haley Bennett
- Eddie Marsan
- Vincent Kartheiser
- Jon Osbeck
- Radek Lord
- Christine Dye
- Kelly Mengelkoch
- Corrie Danieley
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Magnolia Selects Amazon Channel, Monsters and Nightmares Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is A Kind of Murder about?
- A prosperous New York architect’s fantasies of marital escape draw him into a deadly maze of suspicion, murder, and guilt.
- What is A Kind of Murder like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of A Kind of Murder as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is A Kind of Murder violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in A Kind of Murder as moderate.
- What did critics think of A Kind of Murder?
- Critics found the film handsome and intriguingly bleak in its noir treatment, but broadly faulted its convoluted plotting and inconsistent character behavior.
- Which films are like A Kind of Murder?
- Films with a similar feel include Deep Water, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Two Faces of January, and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.
- How long is A Kind of Murder?
- A Kind of Murder runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch A Kind of Murder?
- In United States, A Kind of Murder streams on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Magnolia Selects Amazon Channel, Monsters and Nightmares Amazon Channel.
