PLOT
The Record-American reporter Loretta McLaughlin establishes the link between the Boston Strangler killings as the first journalist to do so. With her colleague and confidante Jean Cole by her side, Loretta tries to continue her investigation as the mysterious killer claims more and more victims. Still, they are thwarted by the pervasive misogyny of the time. Yet, McLaughlin and Cole heroically continue to investigate the matter at great personal peril, risking their own lives to learn the truth.
The planned drama film “Boston Strangler” from 20th Century Studios will star Keira Knightley. Along with Carrie Coon’s portrayal of her coworker Jean Cole, she broke the Boston Strangler story in real life. The feature picture will reportedly be written and directed by “Crown Heights” star Matt Ruskin, and it will be made by renowned director Ridley Scott and producer Kevin Walsh under their Scott Free brand.
REVIEW
The Boston Strangler is the most recent true crime narrative to be adapted but with a difference this time. The infamous Boston Strangler killings between June 1962 and January 1964 served as the basis for the movie. A serial killer murdered 13 women during that time.
The movie will be based on the accurate account of Loretta McLaughlin, the first journalist to link the murders and break the Strangler story. In spite of the chauvinism of the early 1960s, she and her coworker Jean Cole covered the most notorious serial killer in the city and made a concerted effort to educate women.
Paul Leonard-Logan as the composer, Ben Kutchins as the director of photography, Anne McCabe as the editor, John P. Goldsmith as the production designer, and Arjun Bhasin as the costume designer round out the rest of the cast.
Ratings: 3/5
The specifics of the crimes and the investigation are all historically accurate, as are the victims’ names, the sexism Loretta and Jean experienced, and the fact that Loretta and Jean came up with the name “Boston Strangler” themselves. Due to these elements, it receives a final score of three out of five.
Helming Matt Ruskin, who wrote and directed the Sundance Award-winning film Crown Heights, has expertise adapting true stories and is the writer and director of Boston Strangler. The project also has legendary director Ridley Scott on board as a producer.
The Boston Strangler won’t be shown in theaters; it will only be available to stream on Hulu. Fans should avoid getting their hopes up for a theatrical release because Hulu and Disney frequently make their movies exclusively available for streaming.
