Movie Review // The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer

I saw a movie a couple of weeks ago that was screening at the Tribeca Film Festival that has stuck with me for all this time. I keep finding myself thinking about this comedy/drama at the strangest moments! The film has the hilariously lengthy and descriptive title, The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer and stars Steve Buscemi as the titular serial killer, Kollmick, as well as John Magaro as Keane, the writer who decides to write about him. Britt Lower plays the writer’s long-suffering wife, Suzie, who has finally decided she wants a divorce. The film was written and directed by Tolga Karaçelik.

From the beginning of the film when Keane is at a dinner party talking at length about his latest, inane-sounding book about Neanderthals that he has been working on for years with little progress, while his wife seethes at the other end of the table, this film has an amazing comedic sensibility. I found myself laughing out loud frequently while watching. Especially when Suzie tells Keane the traffic signal is green when it is obviously still red, nearly causing the two of them to be killed. Keane is oblivious to how fed up his wife is with his lack of motivation and willingness to take initiative in the relationship until she tells him she wants a divorce.

Britt Lower shone as the dissatisfied wife who has dark impulses of her own to deal with. Her intense expressions and delivery made her character the most believable part of the small cast. Steve Buscemi was born to play the role of a serial killer, picking up where he left off in his iconic role in Con Air. His stoic expression and constant bewilderment at Keane’s bumbling antics are what give this film so much of its humor. When Buscemi’s serial killer pretends to be a couple’s therapist to help the struggling family, the film really leans into the absurdity of the premise and delivers tons of laughs. Magaro is pitch perfect as the inept and oblivious writer whose life is falling apart around him forcing him into strange new situations.

This movie was set in New York City and the cinematography and direction did a lot to capture the ambiance of the location. As in any good film, the location felt like another character in the film. The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer won 2nd place in the narrative audience award competition at Tribeca Film Festival.
There were no real surprises to this film, the “twist” was telegraphed pretty far in advance, but I deeply enjoyed the process of getting there. The audience was left wanting to learn more about Kollmick and his motivations, yet he remained a mystery. Perhaps there will be a sequel someday. I would love to see more from this cast and characters, as well as from the director!