The Limehouse Golem

(spoiler free)

A Victorian London murder mystery from the screenwriter of ‘The Woman in Black’, the stage was certainly set for ‘The Limehouse Golem’ to be a deliciously dark crime thriller. The film is also based on the novel by Peter Ackroyd entitled ‘Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem’. Though, would this adaptation for the silver screen prove a success or should this story have been left on the pages of it’s original novel?

The film opens with the discovery of several gruesome crime scenes and the brutality showcased in these first moments does not let up. The film paints Victorian London in a very unfavourable light but considering the context of the story this seems more than appropriate. The only beacon of hope for characters and audiences is the theathre where several of the characters reside and much of the narrative takes place. This focus on art, performance and expression made for a fine accompaniment to the much more sinister story at work here. This tale is told in a very creative manner, using different characters to imagine what might have happened to the unfortunate victims of the Golem. Within these moments it’s no surprise that, considering her credentials, screenwriter Jane Goldman is able to inject an unsettling kind of tension. The story has many incredibly clever subtleties that hint to the killers identity but there are also some clues that are maybe slightly too obvious. Nonetheless, the premise and themes present are executed well enough that this never detracts from the audiences overall enjoyment of the film.

The brilliant Bill Nighy is the actor tasked with taking on the role of the investigating detective, Inspector John Kildare. Possibly not the first actor who would come to mind for this kind of role but as the film unfolds and we get to know Kildare somewhat it’s clear that Nighy is well suited here. Olivia Cooke plays Elizabeth Cree, a successful performer who is on trail for the murder of her husband who’s death may or may not be connected to the other Golem killings. Cooke performs well, offering a good dynamic with Nighy. It was co-star Douglas Booth who stood out the most for me though. Booth plays fellow performer and mentor to Cooke’s character, Dan Leno. To a certain degree he gives a dual performance here showcasing both his on stage persona and his real self behind the make-up and drag. Booth juggles this challenge very confidently and in doing so delivers his career best performance to date. The rest of the cast is made up of talented actors such as Eddie Marsan & Daniel Mays who fulfill smaller roles which contribute effectively to the overall picture.

These performances wonderfully compliment the menacing murder mystery at the core of this film. This is also helped brought to life by the impressive costume and set design. Ultimately though it was the foreboding writing that kept me enthralled which held with it an energetic pace. The setting and content of the story offered something more unique for the genre too resulting in an entertaining yet chilling whodunnit that’s well worth your time.

Rating – 8/10

Question: What’s your favourite murder mystery film?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)

---

Thanks for reading this review and please let me know what you thought about the movie! Leave a comment below or drop me a tweet over at @HCMovieReviews.

---