--- title: "A Talent for Murder: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-talent-for-murder/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/a-talent-for-murder" critics_score: 68 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A Talent for Murder (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 68 from 10 reviews: 7 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics find A Talent for Murder an entertaining, witty mystery, with praise concentrated on Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Patricia Highsmith and her exchanges with Alden Ehrenreich. The leads’ verbal sparring gives the film much of its tension, even in reviews that find the plotting less persuasive. Several critics also admire its polished appearance, slow-building suspense and understanding of Highsmith’s fiction. The reservations concern momentum, theatrical staging and whether the mystery has enough bite. Opinion ranges widely: The Playlist finds the plotting consistently suspenseful, while The Guardian thinks it fails to deliver the expected surprises or give its leads sufficiently vicious material. Ehrenreich also divides opinion within the broadly positive reviews. The Wrap regards his nuanced, shifting performance as the film’s chief strength, whereas Deadline finds him less convincing when the story takes its meta turn. The performances attract firmer agreement than the script. ## IndieWire — Kate Erbland Rating B. 14 September 2026. Festival review. Erbland finds the film an entertaining, clever mystery, though it loses momentum when it strays from its central two-hander. She especially praises the sharp, compelling face-offs between Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/a-talent-for-murder-review-helen-mirren-alden-ehrenreich-1235213279/) ## Slant Magazine — Chris Barsanti Rating 3/4. 16 October 2026. Barsanti calls the film an elegant, witty potboiler that captures the compulsions behind Ripley. He praises the performances and the film’s understanding of Highsmith’s work. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/a-talent-for-murder-review-helen-mirren-anton-corbijn/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Caryn James Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2026. Festival review. The critic finds the film an entertaining, sleek homage whose shortcomings do little to diminish its appeal. She praises Helen Mirren’s performance and the film’s sumptuous look and absorbing slow-burn style. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/a-talent-for-murder-review-helen-mirren-alden-ehrenreich-1236698230/) ## The AV Club — Monica Castillo Rating B-. 19 October 2026. Castillo finds the film a clever, entertaining cat-and-mouse drama, though its staging feels too theatrical. She singles out the electric mental chess between Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich for praise. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/a-talent-for-murder-review-patricia-highsmith-helen-mirren-alden-ehrenreich) ## Time Out — Elizabeth Weitzman Rating 3/5. 20 October 2026. Weitzman finds the film underpowered overall, despite Helen Mirren’s lively performance as Patricia Highsmith. She singles out Mirren’s spirited turn, while faulting the meta-mystery for not cutting deep enough. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-talent-for-murder-review-2026) ## The Guardian — Benjamin Lee Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 15 September 2026. Festival review. Lee finds the film an admirable but uneven return to twisty chamber thrillers, with its plot failing to deliver the expected surprises. He praises Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich as a formidable pair, but says the script gives them too little truly vicious material. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/15/talent-for-murder-movie-review) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. The headline characterizes the thriller as underwhelming, suggesting a negative verdict. It singles out Helen Mirren’s spiky portrayal of Patricia Highsmith. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/a-talent-for-murder-review-helen-mirren-is-spiky-author-patricia-highsmith-in-anton-corbijns-underwhelming-thriller/5220450.article) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 September 2026. Festival review. The critic finds the film a joyous, tense showcase that works especially well because of Alden Ehrenreich. They single out his nuanced, shifting performance as the film’s standout strength. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/business/a-talent-for-muder-review-helen-mirren-alden-ehrenreich/) ## The Playlist — Zachary Lee Rating B+. 21 September 2026. Festival review. The critic finds it a first-rate, suspenseful mystery that keeps viewers guessing through its final frame. They praise the lead performances and the way the visual worlds of fact and fiction gradually bleed together. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/a-talent-for-murder-review-anton-corbijn-helen-mirren-alden-ehrenreich-20260921/) ## Deadline — Damon Wise Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. Festival review. Wise calls the film flawed but very entertaining, with a strangely satisfying conclusion. He especially praises Helen Mirren’s mesmerizing portrayal of Patricia Highsmith, while finding Alden Ehrenreich less convincing in the film’s meta turn. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2026/09/a-talent-for-murder-review-helen-mirren-anton-corbijn-patricia-highsmith-1237104717/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/a-talent-for-murder.md