# See How They Run (2022 film)
**See How They Run** is a 2022 comic murder mystery directed by Tom George and written by Mark Chappell, set in 1953 in London's West End around the production of [Agatha Christie](https://www.edgepedia.org/agatha-christie)'s play *The Mousetrap*. When an American film director planning a screen adaptation of the play is murdered backstage, a world-weary Inspector Stoppard ([Sam Rockwell](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-rockwell)) and an eager rookie Constable Stalker ([Saoirse Ronan](https://www.edgepedia.org/saoirse-ronan)) investigate a whodunit among the play's cast, producers, and crew.[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/see-how-they-run) The film was produced by Searchlight Pictures and DJ Films and released in the United States on September 16, 2022.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/see-how-they-run/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | September 16, 2022 (US); earliest release September 8, 2022 (United Arab Emirates)[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/see-how-they-run) • [3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt13640696/) |
| Director / writer | Tom George (feature debut), screenplay by Mark Chappell[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/see-how-they-run) |
| Lead cast | Sam Rockwell as Inspector Stoppard; Saoirse Ronan as Constable Stalker; David Oyelowo, Adrien Brody, and Ruth Wilson[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/see-how-they-run) |
| Setting | London's West End in 1953, at the 100th performance of *The Mousetrap*[4](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/see-how-they-run-campy-cat-mouse-caper) |
| Runtime / rating | 98 minutes, PG-13[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/see-how-they-run) |
| Box office | $21,966,634 worldwide, of which $9,586,237 domestic; domestic opening $3,007,657[3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt13640696/) |
| Critical reception | 75% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (199 reviews); Metascore 60 on Metacritic (40 reviews)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/see_how_they_run) • [2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/see-how-they-run/) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and cast
The film opens on a winter evening in 1953, as the cast and crew of *The Mousetrap* celebrate the play's hundredth performance. Film producer John Woolf ([Reece Shearsmith](https://www.edgepedia.org/reece-shearsmith)) wants to adapt the play for the screen and has invited the American director Leo Köpernick ([Adrien Brody](https://www.edgepedia.org/adrien-brody)) to direct. Köpernick, who narrates the opening and dismisses the play as a second-rate murder mystery, is murdered backstage, and the investigation falls to Inspector Stoppard and Constable Stalker, with much of Theatreland under suspicion.[4](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/see-how-they-run-campy-cat-mouse-caper) • [6](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/see-how-they-run-movie-review-2022)
The film mixes fictional characters with real historical figures. [Harris Dickinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/harris-dickinson) plays [Richard Attenborough](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-attenborough) and Pearl Chanda plays [Sheila Sim](https://www.edgepedia.org/sheila-sim), the original stars of the play; Reece Shearsmith plays the real producer John Woolf; and Agatha Christie herself appears as a character late in the story.[4](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/see-how-they-run-campy-cat-mouse-caper) • [7](https://audreyarmstrongwriter.com/2022/11/17/if-youve-seen-one-youve-seen-them-all-an-analysis-of-see-how-they-run-2022/) David Oyelowo plays the screenwriter Mervyn Cocker-Norris, who clashes with Köpernick over how to translate Christie's whodunit into a screenplay, and Ruth Wilson plays Petula Spencer.[8](https://ondemand.spectrum.net/movies/MV017392750000/see-how-they-run/) • [9](https://detroitcineaste.net/2022/10/10/see-how-they-run/)
## The Mousetrap connection
The film is built around the real history of *The Mousetrap*, which opened in London's West End in 1952 and, apart from a pause during the pandemic, has run continuously since, with over 28,000 performances, making it the longest-running play in history.[6](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/see-how-they-run-movie-review-2022) The story takes place at the celebration of its 100th performance in 1953.[4](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/see-how-they-run-campy-cat-mouse-caper) Like the play, the film ends by drawing the audience into the secret of whodunit.[10](https://www.thebanner.org/mixed-media/2022/10/see-how-they-run)
## Style
The film is a self-aware take on the whodunit genre. It opens with a voice-over from the character about to be murdered, breaks the fourth wall, and sends up genre conventions, including Köpernick's insistence that any film adaptation must have a murder in the first few minutes.[4](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/see-how-they-run-campy-cat-mouse-caper) • [11](https://www4.wng.org/WORLD_10.8.2022.pdf) Reviewers noted the debt to character-driven British television comedy, with director Tom George citing [Armando Iannucci](https://www.edgepedia.org/armando-iannucci) as a major influence.[12](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/interviews/saoirse-ronan-was-brilliant-improv-running-with-moment-tom-george-see-how-they-run) George came to the film from directing three seasons of the mockumentary *[This Country](https://www.edgepedia.org/this-country)* for the BBC, and it was his first feature.[13](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/aug/26/its-almost-like-a-soap-saoirse-ronan-and-david-oyelowo-on-how-the-whodunnit-rose-from-the-dead)
## Release and box office
[Searchlight Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/searchlight-pictures) released the film in the United States on September 16, 2022, with the earliest release on September 8, 2022 in the [United Arab Emirates](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-arab-emirates); the domestic distributor of record is [Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/walt-disney-studios-motion-pictures).[1](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/see-how-they-run) • [3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt13640696/) Searchlight's production notes describe it as a number one film at the UK box office in 2022.[14](https://5657b7b3-8e47-4c55-ae4c-00d9c807d55c.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae0be75a-6e4a-4123-ac90-f1c443d0df7f/storage/tmp/binary6a36040804cb56.78404906?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=ASIA33DHLJ7EUIY2V4OA%2F20260620%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260620T030752Z&X-Amz-Expires=1200&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEAMaCXVzLXdlc3QtMiJHMEUCIQDadKaBZgIDpqH0CazfRpBZQxKZ7Xu%2BnGWE4URDVu%2F2SwIga%2BQhnG59D04x2T%2Bcx49w3Bi68rNNTsoMa5zWTS30SYIqvQQIzP%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARABGgw4MTQxMTMwNTA1NjkiDCmZKFeQVXDfZCLoBiqRBG8hnxqF%2Bcv5Qn4h6wVzl80ubQA9tMYkasBYI2ZSxEPMNB34vutroJTlwHQY8Xj9Kv1S%2BEI448aK3kA0tvznD25TdLWdqNxjEZXtrvwEynd9u%2Fj34wyVyMj2zyz79Tg7OTwWFx41m5UzcraBP8ZZ%2BTHgDJHqNtnrFp%2BBA7p2MKZS9Q2shAxy4KVf8uSf5ZsWHPM6Y%2Bfu5hX%2FE9y27c23JBGrrdVd4Zo6YlS%2BD6aKyVGtvFHBWu1HsDVB%2BTnVw4bCOl9nqam9kkbYl46bakjl0mGPQNBC%2FEQFId5qvYLxf94GpKVm712%2Br00yfkzBW%2FMBUlEKbsdT0ciAM6NTGkhmxMYjGAWmXn8OoguoU9T0dZRBBlkUw98Ri5yu%2FV1bxKmspZr1fH3BsYEkEaG5sQuIsqsb2rCfr%2BGtjDY5qZ7QgEQFwUaHTWB3nEVd%2FIqcb3GbOaVafFHLwkteafqi8u36uAjaQn4EWO9CMklteBrq2RZtmlVoBEl4Nb4AZ9FcJ0H8c6oVsb26rN7b0BodKN%2BMttozwvVrDdFybtgLGgEApA%2FRpjeG%2Flrjazs96eatYk1Xij8%2B1KJJHrEDCKdeDXt43tMZqTYd9N4T7cb1v3nTVc%2FxG0jN1aAoc0leZeGEoJ%2FYUr135%2Fj%2BY0UOyhLMM1qTVH5R63XKAXQAuziwHkxMQtbfMIFTikVyo18CtGL3JGjvV%2BswuoPY0QY6ogEbhfkhzm1fY6RjSAyv572kRzQ5GW2BdFzsAmyWlyaZHZtpkatDH9h3xCgHCG8jvrz3y%2FBYZ%2FTFlijKPYmrWhwWZlOxEYUsxNJf1RaaWKl6QDlOChC2sxnGTzxA9KLmNbUQtjlKjH7ziyS7RG0RZ3AVtNSoAF7vtb%2FDopEV9UuQxE4sjCnFRyGEGBTEgxm4ejYp71AJEuHjOJY2VUnNWUXEOzE%3D&X-Amz-Signature=d8ed6aa156163270093895334b4cda3e033603e2fdd1b0f27fd37dd0c0e7dd17&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=attachment%3B+filename%3D%22IS-THIS-THING-ON-Production-Notes_FINAL.pdf%22) Worldwide grosses reached $21,966,634, with $9,586,237 from domestic theaters and $12,380,397 internationally; the domestic opening weekend was $3,007,657.[3](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt13640696/) A home video release followed on November 1, 2022.[15](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/See-How-They-Run-%282022%29)
## Reception
Critical response was moderately positive. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 75% Tomatometer from 199 reviews, with a critics consensus calling it "one fun whodunit" while noting it invites Christie comparisons; the audience Popcornmeter stood at 69%.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/see_how_they_run) Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 60 based on 40 critic reviews, in the "mixed or average" band, with 25 positive, 14 mixed, and 1 negative review.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/see-how-they-run/) Reviewers singled out Saoirse Ronan's comedic performance for praise, with several noting that her eager Stalker contrasts with Rockwell's laconic Stoppard.[16](https://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/see-how-they-run) • [17](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13640696/criticreviews/) The film received one nomination each at the BAFTA Awards, the London Critics Circle Film Awards, and the International Film Music Critics Awards.[2](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/see-how-they-run/)
## References
1. [See How They Run, 20th Century Studios](https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/see-how-they-run)
2. [See How They Run Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/see-how-they-run/)
3. [See How They Run (2022), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt13640696/)
4. [See How They Run: a campy cat-and-mouse caper, Sight and Sound (BFI)](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/see-how-they-run-campy-cat-mouse-caper)
5. [See How They Run, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/see_how_they_run)
6. [See How They Run movie review, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/see-how-they-run-movie-review-2022)
7. [An analysis of See How They Run (2022), Audrey Armstrong](https://audreyarmstrongwriter.com/2022/11/17/if-youve-seen-one-youve-seen-them-all-an-analysis-of-see-how-they-run-2022/)
8. [Watch See How They Run (2022), Spectrum On Demand](https://ondemand.spectrum.net/movies/MV017392750000/see-how-they-run/)
9. [See How They Run, Detroit Cineaste](https://detroitcineaste.net/2022/10/10/see-how-they-run/)
10. [See How They Run, The Banner](https://www.thebanner.org/mixed-media/2022/10/see-how-they-run)
11. [WORLD, October 8, 2022 issue](https://www4.wng.org/WORLD_10.8.2022.pdf)
12. [Tom George on See How They Run, Sight and Sound (BFI)](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/interviews/saoirse-ronan-was-brilliant-improv-running-with-moment-tom-george-see-how-they-run)
13. [Saoirse Ronan and David Oyelowo on how the whodunnit rose from the dead, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/aug/26/its-almost-like-a-soap-saoirse-ronan-and-david-oyelowo-on-how-the-whodunnit-rose-from-the-dead)
14. [Searchlight Pictures production notes](https://5657b7b3-8e47-4c55-ae4c-00d9c807d55c.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae0be75a-6e4a-4123-ac90-f1c443d0df7f/storage/tmp/binary6a36040804cb56.78404906?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=ASIA33DHLJ7EUIY2V4OA%2F20260620%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260620T030752Z&X-Amz-Expires=1200&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEAMaCXVzLXdlc3QtMiJHMEUCIQDadKaBZgIDpqH0CazfRpBZQxKZ7Xu%2BnGWE4URDVu%2F2SwIga%2BQhnG59D04x2T%2Bcx49w3Bi68rNNTsoMa5zWTS30SYIqvQQIzP%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARABGgw4MTQxMTMwNTA1NjkiDCmZKFeQVXDfZCLoBiqRBG8hnxqF%2Bcv5Qn4h6wVzl80ubQA9tMYkasBYI2ZSxEPMNB34vutroJTlwHQY8Xj9Kv1S%2BEI448aK3kA0tvznD25TdLWdqNxjEZXtrvwEynd9u%2Fj34wyVyMj2zyz79Tg7OTwWFx41m5UzcraBP8ZZ%2BTHgDJHqNtnrFp%2BBA7p2MKZS9Q2shAxy4KVf8uSf5ZsWHPM6Y%2Bfu5hX%2FE9y27c23JBGrrdVd4Zo6YlS%2BD6aKyVGtvFHBWu1HsDVB%2BTnVw4bCOl9nqam9kkbYl46bakjl0mGPQNBC%2FEQFId5qvYLxf94GpKVm712%2Br00yfkzBW%2FMBUlEKbsdT0ciAM6NTGkhmxMYjGAWmXn8OoguoU9T0dZRBBlkUw98Ri5yu%2FV1bxKmspZr1fH3BsYEkEaG5sQuIsqsb2rCfr%2BGtjDY5qZ7QgEQFwUaHTWB3nEVd%2FIqcb3GbOaVafFHLwkteafqi8u36uAjaQn4EWO9CMklteBrq2RZtmlVoBEl4Nb4AZ9FcJ0H8c6oVsb26rN7b0BodKN%2BMttozwvVrDdFybtgLGgEApA%2FRpjeG%2Flrjazs96eatYk1Xij8%2B1KJJHrEDCKdeDXt43tMZqTYd9N4T7cb1v3nTVc%2FxG0jN1aAoc0leZeGEoJ%2FYUr135%2Fj%2BY0UOyhLMM1qTVH5R63XKAXQAuziwHkxMQtbfMIFTikVyo18CtGL3JGjvV%2BswuoPY0QY6ogEbhfkhzm1fY6RjSAyv572kRzQ5GW2BdFzsAmyWlyaZHZtpkatDH9h3xCgHCG8jvrz3y%2FBYZ%2FTFlijKPYmrWhwWZlOxEYUsxNJf1RaaWKl6QDlOChC2sxnGTzxA9KLmNbUQtjlKjH7ziyS7RG0RZ3AVtNSoAF7vtb%2FDopEV9UuQxE4sjCnFRyGEGBTEgxm4ejYp71AJEuHjOJY2VUnNWUXEOzE%3D&X-Amz-Signature=d8ed6aa156163270093895334b4cda3e033603e2fdd1b0f27fd37dd0c0e7dd17&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=attachment%3B+filename%3D%22IS-THIS-THING-ON-Production-Notes_FINAL.pdf%22)
15. [See How They Run (2022), The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/See-How-They-Run-%282022%29)
16. [See How They Run, Reelviews](https://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/see-how-they-run)
17. [See How They Run (2022) Metacritic reviews, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13640696/criticreviews/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works) › 2020–2022 films › Released in 2022*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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