Being followed through dimly lit city streets is a woman’s worst nightmare. Women are taught from a young age to be careful; don’t go out alone at night, don’t speak to strangers, and stay with a group or a man for protection. Throughout time, women have always had to stay vigilant, all while living in fear of impending danger that may lurk around any dark corner.
As a vicious nor’easter brewed over Boston, Watertown native and writer-director Matt Ruskin introduced his latest film, THE BOSTON STRANGLER, to a packed theater. Premiering on Hulu on Friday, March 17, Ruskin executes a powerful film that blends physiological thriller and feminist biographical drama, while addressing the nightmare that all women face, whether it’s 1965 or 2023.
Echoing notable journalist-led flicks like ZODIAC and SPOTLIGHT, THE BOSTON STRANGLER tells the previously untold story of Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), a headstrong journalist marooned at the lifestyle desk of Boston newspaper The Boston Record American. Frustrated with the misogyny in her workplace (no woman in sight in the crime section), she begs her editor, Jack MacLaine (a grizzled Chris Cooper), to investigate the recent slayings of women in Greater Boston. He hesitantly relents, and pairs her with jaded reporter Jean Cole (Carrie Coon). Wide-eyed and optimistic, McLaughlin sets out to uncover the killer.
The eerie atmosphere of THE BOSTON STRANGLER sets the tone of the film immediately. Shot primarily in the South End neighborhood of the titular city, the film offers frightening beauty despite the disquieting story it tells. Slivers of streetlight spill onto rain-slick cobblestone, snow falls silently outside a victim’s funeral, and old, wood-paneled hallways guide McLaughlin through the shadows. The film is striking in all its terror, and sucks in its audience—making you feel like you’re standing at a crime scene with McLaughlin and Cole.
Knightley leads a cast of natural talent. Coon, Cooper, and Boston native Alessandro Nivola (portraying an altruistic but dispirited city cop that aids McLaughlin in her investigation) melt into their roles. Knightly and Coon’s strong performances create a ‘folk hero’ element to their characters. These determined, empathetic journalists seek justice and truth for the women being slain in the Massachusetts metropolis, while the male-laden police department turns a blind eye.
David Dastmalchian — who offers a chilling performance as rapist and strangler suspect Albert DeSalvo — is one of the film’s biggest highlights. His facial expressions, his dead-eyed stare, lurched gait, and unsettling demeanor create a haunting antagonist. Dastmalchian, who got his start in a small role as a schizophrenic Joker thug in THE DARK KNIGHT, is quietly becoming a notable name in the film industry, and I couldn’t be happier for him. Starring in upcoming flicks like Christopher Nolan’s OPPENHEIMER, and having previously been featured in box office hits BLADE RUNNER 2049 and DUNE, Dastmalchian deserves the success. His ability to slip into his roles, whether they be nefarious, unsettling, or comedic, comes easily. He’s one to keep an eye on — between his visage and his performances, Dastmalchian is proving himself to be a distinctive actor.
Ruskin’s STRANGLER breathes life into McLaughlin and Cole, giving them a voice that has been quiet for decades. The film lets the audience peek into the unknown with our leading ladies, and encourages us to stand up to the danger that’s lurking around the corner — no matter who it is, or what year we live in.
Tags: Alessandro Nivola, Anne McCabe, Ben Kutchins, Bill Camp, Boston, Carrie Coon, Chris Cooper, David Dastmalchian, Horror, Hulu, Jean Cole, Keira Knightley, Loretta McLaughlin, Matt Ruskin, Morgan Spector, Paul Leonard-Morgan, Peter Gerety, Ridley Scott, Robert John Burke, true crime
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