Murder Mystery 2 review: A fun, forgettable romp
Review Overview
Cast
7Script
5Pace
6David Farnor | On 02, Apr 2023
Director: Jeremy Garelick
Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Adeel Akhtar, Mark Strong, Melanie Laurent, Jodie Turner-Smith
Certificate: 12
Do you remember Murder Mystery, the crime caper released by Netflix in 2019? Even if you watched it, you probably don’t recall much about it, apart from it starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. And, most likely, the fact that you rather enjoyed it. Those two details were just enough to make the film a hit – and prompt Netflix to order a sequel. That just-enough mentality is, well, just enough to make Murder Mystery 2 a similar success.
The film reintroduces us to Nick (Adam Sandler) and Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) Spitz, the long-married couple who finally went on a European getaway only for their holiday to turn into a whodunit. While they try to build that experience into their own fledgling detective agency, a friend made during that incident – the super-wealthy Vikram (Adeel Akhtar) – invites them overseas once more to attend his wedding to Claudette (an underused Mélanie Laurent). But when Vikram goes missing before the nuptials can take place, Nick and Audrey take on the case, even as the spiralling chaos turns them into suspects.
The result is a more globe-trotting affair than the first film, building up to a final act in Paris. That broadened scale leaves the sequel with less murder and even less mystery on the cards – the original’s Agatha Christie-like fun gives way to a more generic action comedy. Compared to Knives Out and Glass Onion, it suffers for that decision to dial down the sleuthing, sitting closer to See How They Run in the self-aware whodunit stable.
That, however, is to miss the key piece of the puzzle: the movie’s smart casting. Akhtar is amusingly over-the-top as the foolish kidnappee, Jodie Turner-Smith is having fun as a ruthless countess, Dany Boon reprises his role as a self-centred French inspector and Mark Strong is delightfully deadpan as an ex-MI6 agent turned private detective legend. But the real reason to tune in are Aniston and Sandler.
Sandler’s latter-stage career continues to impress and surprise, as his everyday, put-upon charm gives just enough reason to believe Nick’s not the best PI around – he’s primarily interested in the artisan cheese in their hotel room – without undermining his loyalty to Audrey. Aniston, meanwhile, is once again the MVP, as she emerges smarter and quicker than everyone around her, while still getting the chance to drive the sports car and perform perilous stunts whenever the opportunity arises. Together, they’re a genuinely winning double-act, with just enough warmth, affection and bickering to elevate everything around them.
The script – again by James Vanderbilt – descends into crass, lazy moments far too often, but also knows to give its lead couple just enough material and screen-time to shine, while director Jeremy Garelick conjures up some unexpectedly thrilling set pieces, including a showdown on the Eiffel Tower and an impressive van chase.
Clocking in at an impressively tight 90 minutes, the result is a forgettable holiday abroad, but one that takes itself just seriously enough, and remains just playful enough, to be an enjoyable romp. Expect a third outing imminently.