Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears
2.5/4
Starring: Essie Davis, Nathan Page, Izabella Yena, Rupert Penry-Jones
Not Rated (probable PG-13 for Violence)
I'm writing this review as an unabashed fan of "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries." Bordering on fanatical. I came across the series by accident and after the first few episodes I began to devour it voraciously. And of course I was devastated when it concluded, although I was fortunate enough not to have to wait between seasons. So when a film spin-off was announced, I was excited enough to frequently check for any news, and more importantly, how I could watch a film spinoff of an Australian TV show. Finally, I got my chance, and sadly, it's not worth the wait. Or even the time investment.
The film picks up a few years after the series left off. Phryne Fisher (Davis) is still off having adventures, and this time she's rescuing the niece of a sheik she knows. Her name is Shirin Abbas (Yena), who has been arrested by the British authorities for asking too many questions about the murder of her family. Only this time Phryne's luck has run out, and she's killed in the escape. At least that's how the story goes until she crashes her own funeral in her own style (she lands her biplane at her own eulogy). Her frenemy turned lover, Detective Inspector Jack Robinson (Page), is deeply hurt by all this emotional turmoil (not unreasonably). But nothing will stop Phryne from getting to the bottom of a mystery. So with a somewhat reluctant Jack in tow, she's determined to help Shirin find out what really happened to her family.
I'm not going to complain about how Hugh, Dot, Burt and Cecil were relegated to cameos. While undoubtedly a part of the show, I'm satisfied with the mere cameos they were given (the film would be incomplete without some mention of them) rather than have them be shoehorned into a story where they didn't have anything to do. Especially because at 101 minutes, the film is padded enough.
Essie Davis returns to the role she was born to play. If an actor is lucky, they find the one role in which their performance transcends "acting." The person and their character fuse. It happened when Amanda Peet played Jill in "The Whole Nine Yards," it happened when Johnny Depp played Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, and it happened when Essie Davis stepped into the heels of the glamorous, liberated Phryne Fisher. Davis was a pure delight to watch in the role, playing the character with the requisite wit, warmth and worldliness. But something feels off about this Phryne. She's naturally a bit older, but the humor and joie de vivre are missing. Her co-star Nathan Page fares a bit better, although rather than the man who loves, fears and is eternally exasperated by Phryne, Jack has been saddled with an eternal pout. What little chemistry they have here is carried over from the show. Which is shocking, since their relationship was such fun to watch. It made you grin as well as send your heart aflutter. Here, 90% of their interaction is bickering.
The story is also problematical. It's not particularly inventive or suspenseful (neither of which would describe the show, by the way). It's also not all that interesting or coherent. The script is uneven and occasionally confusing. Characters are not sharply defined, including Phryne and Jack, who have suddenly become stick figures. There's also a problem with the resolution that breaks with the established reality. It was a risk that just didn't pay off.
"Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears" is a low-budget project for the loyal fans. That's fine. It looks and feels like a super long episode of the TV series. I just wish they put more thought and effort into coming up with a better story. And a screenplay worthy of Phryne Fisher. Maybe they'll get it right in the sequels.
Starring: Essie Davis, Nathan Page, Izabella Yena, Rupert Penry-Jones
Not Rated (probable PG-13 for Violence)
I'm writing this review as an unabashed fan of "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries." Bordering on fanatical. I came across the series by accident and after the first few episodes I began to devour it voraciously. And of course I was devastated when it concluded, although I was fortunate enough not to have to wait between seasons. So when a film spin-off was announced, I was excited enough to frequently check for any news, and more importantly, how I could watch a film spinoff of an Australian TV show. Finally, I got my chance, and sadly, it's not worth the wait. Or even the time investment.
The film picks up a few years after the series left off. Phryne Fisher (Davis) is still off having adventures, and this time she's rescuing the niece of a sheik she knows. Her name is Shirin Abbas (Yena), who has been arrested by the British authorities for asking too many questions about the murder of her family. Only this time Phryne's luck has run out, and she's killed in the escape. At least that's how the story goes until she crashes her own funeral in her own style (she lands her biplane at her own eulogy). Her frenemy turned lover, Detective Inspector Jack Robinson (Page), is deeply hurt by all this emotional turmoil (not unreasonably). But nothing will stop Phryne from getting to the bottom of a mystery. So with a somewhat reluctant Jack in tow, she's determined to help Shirin find out what really happened to her family.
I'm not going to complain about how Hugh, Dot, Burt and Cecil were relegated to cameos. While undoubtedly a part of the show, I'm satisfied with the mere cameos they were given (the film would be incomplete without some mention of them) rather than have them be shoehorned into a story where they didn't have anything to do. Especially because at 101 minutes, the film is padded enough.
Essie Davis returns to the role she was born to play. If an actor is lucky, they find the one role in which their performance transcends "acting." The person and their character fuse. It happened when Amanda Peet played Jill in "The Whole Nine Yards," it happened when Johnny Depp played Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, and it happened when Essie Davis stepped into the heels of the glamorous, liberated Phryne Fisher. Davis was a pure delight to watch in the role, playing the character with the requisite wit, warmth and worldliness. But something feels off about this Phryne. She's naturally a bit older, but the humor and joie de vivre are missing. Her co-star Nathan Page fares a bit better, although rather than the man who loves, fears and is eternally exasperated by Phryne, Jack has been saddled with an eternal pout. What little chemistry they have here is carried over from the show. Which is shocking, since their relationship was such fun to watch. It made you grin as well as send your heart aflutter. Here, 90% of their interaction is bickering.
The story is also problematical. It's not particularly inventive or suspenseful (neither of which would describe the show, by the way). It's also not all that interesting or coherent. The script is uneven and occasionally confusing. Characters are not sharply defined, including Phryne and Jack, who have suddenly become stick figures. There's also a problem with the resolution that breaks with the established reality. It was a risk that just didn't pay off.
"Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears" is a low-budget project for the loyal fans. That's fine. It looks and feels like a super long episode of the TV series. I just wish they put more thought and effort into coming up with a better story. And a screenplay worthy of Phryne Fisher. Maybe they'll get it right in the sequels.
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