FLAT THRILLER, EDGE
‘Alienist’ oddly flat despite convincing setting
Aserial killer stalks the dingy streets of New York City in 1896.
And the most unlikely team of sleuths — led by a psychologist with a fascination for abnormal personalities, a newspaper illustrator and the first woman to work for the police department — might be the only ones to stop the slaughter.
Based on the best-selling 1994 novel of the same name by Caleb Carr, “The Alienist” — the term used to describe psychologists then because those who were mentally ill were considered “alienated” from their true selves — captures an era but can't seem to find a pulse.
Police are too happy to write off the discovery of a dead boy on a bridge. Found in a dress, the boy's eyes have been plucked out, the body savagely torn apart. Police identify him as a male prostitute and figure he got what he deserved.
Knowing he won't get any help from his own men, Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty, “The Hurt Locker”) recruits his old friend, psychologist Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Bruhl, “Rush”), to investigate. Laszlo, in turn, calls on newspaper illustrator John Moore (Luke Evans, “The Girl on the Train”). When he isn't spending his time in high-class brothels, John draws headshots of the rich and insipid for the society pages. He's ready for a change.
More than ready for some excitement: New York City Police “typewriter” — she'd prefer to be called secretary — Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning, “American Pastoral”). As the first female employee on the force, Sara endures an avalanche of sexist harassment every single day — yet hangs on to her ambitions, to her vision of what she wants her life to be.
The three discover that the murder is linked to several other unsolved murders, of boys who dressed as girls. Laszlo becomes determined to understand the killer, even if it means exploring the darkest recesses of the city, even if it means risking his own sanity.
“Our weaknesses sometimes serve us better than our strengths,” he notes.
Filmed in Budapest, “The Alienist” gets high marks for creating a city scene so immersive, you can practically smell the unwashed masses. A chase down a street overrun with horsedrawn carriages proves to be as harrowing as anything on any CBS procedural.
Yet there's a real disconnect in this telling.
With the exception of Sara and two junior detectives, fraternal twins ostracized on the force because they are Jewish, the story seems as dry as a box of Wheat Thins.
The scenery is set. The people are dressed for their parts. But “The Alienist” rarely gets moving.