Is 'In For A Murder' Worth Heading Into Netflix For? The Verdict

Next Film / Netflix

A murder mystery in a quaint small town in Poland is the backbone for an engrossing Netflix original film. “In For A Murder” follows Magda, a stay-at-home mom of two, who is married to a loathsome, unfaithful bully of a husband. Haunted by the disappearance of her childhood friend when the duo was in their teen years, Magda is sort of frozen in time.

Without any closure to soothe the ache of her missing friend, Magda has moved on with her life the best that she can when “In For A Murder” begins. So, imagine Magda’s surprise when she is out walking her adorable dog, and she makes the gruesome discovery of a body. Adding to the “Dateline” worthy mystery, the victim is a woman wearing an identical necklace to the one Magda’s friend, Weronika, had.

Magda owns a comparable version with her initial. The dead woman is not Weronika, so who is she? Secrets are about to boil to the surface as Magda springs back to life in hopes of solving the mystery alongside police commissioner Jacek and her nose for crime. Magda’s interest in crime fiction finally pays off as she heads “In For A Murder.”

Despite the dark subject matter, the movie keeps a light tone about itself. Magda is endearing, and the pinches she finds herself in are a quirky addition to the dark comedy that pervades the movie. Director Piotr Mularuk strikes a similar tone to Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick’s wild crime caper “A Simple Favor” to an extent while maintaining off-beat originality.

“In For A Murder” works to balance the tale’s zany energy and manages it quite nicely. For reference, “In For A Murder” is a far cry from the seriousness of “Zbrodnia” (“The Crime”). If you enjoyed that Polish TV series or Netflix’s recent adaptation of the brain-teaser “The Woods,” you are likely to enjoy this movie.

The deprecating performance of Anna Smolowik is the linchpin that makes the movie a step above the rest. Smolowik gives gravity and dimension to Magda while securing ample comic flair that helps her spring off of the page. So, if you want something more serious than Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston’s “Murder Mystery,” watch it.

As someone who loves their share of mysteries, “In For A Murder” supplies a compelling one that takes viewers on an intriguing track that like “Mystery 101” combines detective work on more than one front. While detecting, there is also a crucial statement about those left behind. Magda may not have disappeared like Weronika, but she vanished, nonetheless. That powerful realization is worth its weight alone.

“In For A Murder” is streaming on Netflix alongside a lot of other intriguing mysteries both as movies and TV. For another Polish-language offering, check out “Signs” on the streaming giant.