I am having a difficult time formulating my thoughts around Handsome: A Netlflix Mystery Movie. It is created as a comedic parody, and runs like a murder mystery. It is about Gene Handsome, a detective who lives alone with his dog. Handsome is good at what he does, near retirement, and instructs up and coming detectives about how to do the job. When a murder occurs, we get to see Handsome put his skills to the test as he sorts through the clues to find out who did it.
It is not like a modern day mystery film, as it reveals its murderer to the audience in a wall-breaking scene at the beginning. So, what are we left with as the audience? There is no mystery for us to solve, and we are left with needing to be entertained by the good detective to keep our own interest in play.
The movie runs more like an older television murder mystery show than it does a proper movie. I haven't watched a lot of those older television shows, so perhaps this movie went right over my head. It could be that this is a deliciously entertaining movie that hits all of the beats and plays with them in a fun way. I wouldn't know, though. So, as it is, I must look at it for what it brought to the table for me.
The comedy, and there is plenty of it, carries most of the weight of the movie. Having said that, this is not as clever in wit as I would have expected from Jeff Garlin, who I have loved since I first saw him in Curb Your Enthusiasm. The man can deliver the goods, but there is just not a lot to deliver in this movie. Garlin co-wrote the script with Andrea Seigel, and he directs it as well. The jokes of the movie can go from broad to lazy, but they never fall into the realm of complete stupidity that you would get from a lot of modern comedies. This makes it bearable, and there are times that I laughed, although those times were few and far between.
So, if the comedy isn't that outstanding, where does that leave the detective plot? As I mentioned, the murderer is revealed right away, so there is a great deal of strength that is needed from the policing and investigating side of things to make this story work. The murder victim is the baby-sitter for a new neighbour of Handsome's, so this one has him working close to home. There is a nice element about this, because it brings him into contact with his neighbour Nora (Christine Woods). The two share some moments together where we get to see the unguarded side of Gene Handsome. Not that he is a particularly guarded individual, but it is a look into his life and where he ended up.
This is key to the success of Handsome: A Netflix Murder Mystery. We need to identify with the main character, or else it all goes down the toilet. With the fun of solving the mystery out of the audience's hands, there needs to be something for us to hold onto, and unfortunately the laughs are not enough. We need to be glued to the protagonist in this one. They try hard for that, and it is met with some success. Unfortunately, there is just not enough here to completely grab on to. The character is likeable enough, and there is some depth to him, but it wasn't the kind of character that really stands out.
It really is a shame, because Garlin is incredibly talented and there are moments in the movie where it shows he is really skilled as a director. It is just not a complete package, though. It is far too inconsistent in its delivery. If you are up for a murder mystery that takes all of the fun out of it, this one may be for you. For me, I will reserve my full judgement until I see another offering from Garland, believing in the meanwhile that he is capable of more than this.
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