Strewth, Sleuth

Rating: 6/10 (29 November 2019)

The ongoing repeats on UK television of Poirot, Miss Marple, Midsomer Murder etc illustrate a still healthy interest in the 'suspects gather in the library for the unmasking of the criminal' genre and box-office returns in the next few weeks will indicate whether it's one thing to watch in your living room gratis but another to schlepp to the multiplex and shell out good money. My first impression at the opening, as the camera tracked through the grounds of Gotrocks Manor, then entered and trawled past paraphernalia like that seen in Mank's adaptation of Sleuth with Caine and Olivier was that we were in Rip-Off Central but whereas Sleuth was a two-hander here we have a matching set of suspects aka red herrings to banish all thoughts of rip-off. It's well done, glossy, slick but ultimately empty as an election promise.