"To Catch a Killer"

In "To Catch a Killer," director Damián Szifron attempts to use the serial killer genre to critique various failing systems in American society. The film opens with a deadly sniper attack that leaves 29 people dead on New Year's Eve. FBI chief investigator Geoffrey Lammark lectures the Baltimore Police Department, reminding them that their suspect is a person and that someone loved him, trained him, and sold him the gun. Among those listening is a young beat cop named Eleanor, who was a first responder on the night of the attack.

Eleanor, played by Shailene Woodley, serves as the film's protagonist and producer. She helps the FBI think outside the box in terms of places the perpetrator may have left his DNA. She also lends her brain to Lammark and his team, including charismatic FBI Agent Jack Mackenzie. However, the film's ambitions overwhelm its abilities. The characters are underdeveloped, and the plotting is overwrought.

Woodley's Eleanor is positioned as a modern-day Clarice Starling, yet she is out of her depth in this role. Scenes of her returning to her sparse apartment to pensively take a bath, swimming alone in a large Olympic pool, or walking the streets at night alone are meant to paint her as a loner, but they mostly play like a parody of this kind of character. The film tries to critique various failing systems in American society, but it botches its attempt at a sophisticated critique of the many broken systems plaguing modern American society.

One of the film's most significant flaws is its characterization. Lammark feels like a stereotypical hard-as-nails cop. Although Ben Mendelsohn attempts to bring complexity to the character, many of his flowery speeches come off like parodies of those given by Mandy Patinkin's poetic profiler Gideon in the early seasons of "Criminal Minds." Eleanor is no Will Graham, and Woodley is not up to the task of bringing the kind of layers Hugh Dancy brought to that character on "Hannibal" for three seasons.

The film tries to critique various failing systems in American society, but it botches its attempt at a sophisticated critique of the many broken systems plaguing modern American society. Ultimately, "To Catch a Killer" blames all of the gruesome violence it depicts on the perpetrator's mental health and offers only a surface-level exploration of the system that failed him.

Despite the film's flaws, its cinematography is stylish and well-lit. Szifron and cinematographer Javier Juliá's imagery is pleasing to the eye. However, this cannot save the film from its many shortcomings. The film's third act is the weakest part of the film. When Eleanor finally does end up face to face with the killer, Woodley simply does not have the gravitas needed to pull off the intended emotions of the scene. She's also responsible for maybe the worst line delivery of the year, pleading with the killer to seek medical care, exclaiming, "Medication. That shit works."

The film had the potential to be a sophisticated critique of the many broken systems plaguing modern American society. Unfortunately, it falls short of its ambitions. The film's characterization is underdeveloped, and its plot is overwrought. Although the film's cinematography is stylish, it cannot save the film from its many shortcomings. Overall, "To Catch a Killer" is a disappointment.

In conclusion, "To Catch a Killer" is a well-intentioned thriller that aims to use the serial killer movie formula to critique various broken systems in American society, from politics to law enforcement to mental health care. While the film has some stylish visuals and moments of clever investigative work, it ultimately falls short due to underdeveloped characters, trite didacticism, and a botched attempt at a sophisticated critique in its third act. Shailene Woodley's performance as the lead character is also a weak point, lacking the gravitas needed for the film's emotional climax. Overall, "To Catch a Killer" is an ambitious but flawed film that could have benefited from more focused storytelling and stronger character development.