katrinaolson.ca - The Limehouse Golem

Posted on Thursday, October 12, 2017 at 08:00 PM

The Limehouse Golem

Review by Katrina Olson-Mottahed x CalgaryMovies.com

A KO Review by Emily Mody

The Limehouse Golem is a feature length narrative film directed by Juan Carlos Medina. This film follows John Kildare (played by Bill Nighy), lead detective on a case that follows a rash of murders that have shaken a small community. The locals have become so disturbed by the seemingly irrational nature of the killings that they claim a Golem must be responsible. While Kildare begins to investigate the possible suspects, he becomes entangled with a young widow named Lizzie Cree (played by Olivia Cooke) who is standing trial for the death of her husband. The Limehouse Golem is an unexpected and exciting take on the whodunit genre.

I really enjoyed watching this film. The Limehouse Golem poses some interesting questions regarding its discourse on women. I cannot say with any level of certainty that this was a feminist film although I do believe that was the director’s intent. How the relationships were portrayed in this film is, perhaps, the prime example of this. It was made clear from the beginning of the film that Lizzie is not interested in intimate and romantic relationships with men. Every relationship that Lizzie has with a man is utilized to elevate her to a new position whether it is regarding her career or social life. In some ways, Lizzie is a strong example of a working woman but based on her dependency on men it is difficult to identify exactly the message that is being conveyed through this film. Maybe it is neither a feminist nor anti-feminist message. Perhaps it is solely trying to make a statement about the complexities that exist in our lives. I think it is the intricacies of this discourse that allowed me to really enjoy The Limehouse Golem.

The Limehouse Golem is very comparable to Sleepy Hollow directed by Tim Burton. Sleepy Hollow follows Ichabod Crane, a young medical examiner, who is sent to investigate the decapitation of three people in a sleepy, rural town. Both films share a very Victorian tone and atmosphere. Both films also share the fearful aspects and the tension of the whodunit genre. Sleepy Hollow is slightly more satirical and shares more similarities with the horror genre then The Limehouse Golem. The Limehouse Golem is a true crime film. There are no elements of fantasy or paranormal in Limehouse. Regardless of this distinct difference I think that if you enjoyed Sleepy Hollow you would thoroughly enjoy The Limehouse Golem.

I would recommend The Limehouse Golem to anyone with an interest in crime films or mysteries. This film contains nudity, sexual content, violence, gore, and domestic abuse. The Limehouse Golem is a very good, classic whodunit film that will keep you guessing until the very end. This film opens in Calgary on Friday, October 13, 2017, exclusively at The Plaza Theatre.

Calgary Showtimes:  Limehouse Golem, The >