THE POSTCARD KILLINGS

UK/US, 2020, 104 minutes, Colour.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Famke Jensen, Cush Jumbo, Joachim Krol, Steven Mackintosh, Denis O'Hare, Naomi Battrick, Ruairi O'Connor, Eva Rose, Dylan Devonald Smith, Sallie Harmsen.

Directed by Denis Tanovic.

Interest in the film as a version of a novel by James Patterson, the popularity of Patterson’s novels over the decades – commanding a wide audience.

This is an international story, espionage, murder mystery, police procedures, and a contrast between the American approach, direct, shoot first, and the contrast with international investigations. A great deal is made of the postcards, of works of art, the design, international, codes.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan is the American investigator, trying to find out the truth about the death of his daughter on holiday in Europe. There is a range of American and British actors in supporting roles.

In itself, plenty of action and intrigue. But, for readers of James Patterson’s novels, perhaps a bit too violent for their tastes.

The film was directed by Dennis Tanovic whose No Man’s Land won the Academy award for Best Foreign language film. His films include popular thrillers like this one as well as arthouse films with Eastern European sensibilities.

1. The title? The international killings? The use of the postcards, the pictures of the works of art in galleries, the city locations, the continued messages and themes? From a James Patterson novel?
2. The range of international settings: the detail of London, visits to Madrid, the detail of Stockholm, visit to Munich? Brussels? The scenes in the United States, New York, apartments, the mansion, grounds, the prison? The musical score?
3. The film as a murder mystery? Police procedural, differences in different countries? The American approach, shoot first and then ask questions? International reaction to the American detective, his presumptions, his demands, arrogance even making allowances for grief?
4. The situation, the honeymoon couple, the graphic visuals of torture and death? The succeeding couples? The poses, like the works of art? Then the postcards and the statements?
5. Following the grief and investigations of Jacob Kanon? Presence in London, the discussions in London, his frustration with Pearce, Pearce doing his job, classified information? The meeting with other police? The sympathy of the German officer, giving information, supplying the photos, the walks and discussions? The Swedish authorities? The authorities in Brussels?
6. Jacob Kanon, the scene in the airport, the demands to go to Spain, the ugly American? His travelling to the other countries, making contact? The information from the journalists who receive the postcards? In Stockholm, tracking Dessi, her resistance, learning the story, meeting with Jacob? The discussions, the clues, building up the picture, her writing the article?
7. Valerie, coming to London, her grief and outbursts against her husband? The flashbacks for the wedding? Her resenting her husband sending the couple to Europe? Her going back to the US, the phone calls, her making investigations, the discovery about the identity of the young couple, their millionaire father, the son informing on him, his imprisonment? The neighbours and their chat? Her information, going to the prison to interview Simon?
8. The Randolphs, young, on the train, enjoying Europe? The football crowd, Pieter and his appearance, conversation, getting the drinks? The screenplay setting him up as the killer? The couple avoiding him? His seeing them in Stockholm, the discussions about where they were staying, Peter and his wife, her artwork, his many tattoos? Their going for the cruise?
9. The shock to discover Pieter and his wife murdered? The impact of the twist?
10. The focus on the young couple? Taken by the police, Sylvia having an answer for everything, keeping the receipts? Mac, the interrogation? Seeing them together, the hotel, the disguises, leaving Stockholm?
11. The revelation about the truth, the investigations, their not having any back story? The revelation about Simon, the financial deals, Mac as the missing son? Sylvia as the older daughter? The flashbacks, the harsh treatment by their father, aesthetic, boarding school, knowledge of the arts? The suicide of their mother? Their art knowledge, the postcards, the posing of the bodies, the literary allusions? The issue of incest? The revelation that both were adopted?
12. Jacob, the continued pursuit, the taking of Dessi, crashing the car? Jacob in the lift, the truck, finding the car, the couple and their talking with Dessi, the build-up to her death, Jacob and the confrontation, Mac wounded, his sister taking him into the snow?
13. Jacob of the German officer, their friendship, his retirement? The return with the body? The funeral? Jacob and Valerie reconciled?
14. The twist with the postscript, Simon and his phone call – and his daughter still alive?