“Maggie Moore(s)” makes the perfect case towards marriage as a result of, nicely, the husband(s) at all times did it. The not-quite-whodunit facilities on a perhaps considerably true story — it even opens with the played-out disclaimer that “a few of this really occurred” — about two ladies with the identical identify who’re each killed with a purpose to cowl up the opposite’s homicide. Consider a “Columbo” episode combined with “Strangers on a Practice,” however within the context of a comedy of errors. And sadly, a few of these errors are partly as a result of a lackluster script by “Hollywoodland” scribe Paul Bernbaum, whose biggest declare to fame is the long-lasting “Halloweentown” film, which sadly has extra suspenseful parts than “Maggie Moore(s).”
John Slattery directs the function, his second following his 2014 drama “God’s Pocket,” with his fellow “Mad Men” alum Jon Hamm stepping in as the superbly forged small city police chief who’s tasked with uncovering what actually occurred to each Maggies. The operating joke of each deaths being something however murders is the strongest quip within the movie, which additionally stars a understated Tina Fey as a nosy neighbor turned key witness (and Hamm’s love curiosity). Nick Mohammed performs Hamm’s cop associate, bringing the identical irritated power from “Ted Lasso.”
What might have been a breezy crime comedy as a substitute leans on a bizarre plotline that includes youngster porn (not so enjoyable to snigger at) and a considerably convoluted case involving husband primary, Jay Moore (Micah Inventory), who’s reducing corners at his sub sandwich franchise spot and turns into twisted up in a pedophilia ring. When his spouse Maggie discovers pictures of underage women, she threatens to make use of it as stage of their pending divorce. Jay hires deaf enforcer Kosco (Comfortable Anderson) to scare his spouse; as a substitute, Kosco kidnaps her, kills her, and lights her automobile on fireplace to char the physique.
Enter: the second Maggie Moore (Mary Holland) as a cover-up dying. Who is aware of, perhaps there actually is a serial killer focusing on Maggie Moores on the unfastened, Jay wonders. No less than this aspect works on a primary plot stage, as Inventory’s character is a moron and nobody is pretending this is smart in any other case.
The strongest argument of the movie is, oddly, towards the establishment of marriage itself, because the second Maggie’s husband really wished her lifeless anyway, all the higher to run off along with her $700k life insurance coverage coverage and his bartender mistress. (Hamm is a widower, Fey is a divorcee, and each appear to have the happiest relationship within the movie.)
The “aw shucks” small city vibe of all of it, full with Hamm being seen as essentially the most eligible bachelor round, ultimately codes “Maggie Moore(s)” as extra of a rom-com than a homicide thriller. However weighed down with a cliched script a drained performing, the movie doesn’t absolutely land both style seamlessly. “Maggie Moore(s)” is a cute approach to spend a pair hours in transit on a aircraft; in any other case, the one actual dying that sticks is 2 hours of your treasured movie-watching time.
Score: C
“Maggie Moore(s)” premiered at 2023 Tribeca Movie Pageant. Display screen Media will launch the movie in theaters on Friday, June 16.
