It's been a while since we’ve seen Saoirse Ronan on the big screen, but that will change on September 16 with the release of See How They Run, a whodunnit comedy/mystery set in post-WWII London.  

Saoirse plays a young constable tasked with investigating the murder of an actor set to star in a movie version of the hit play he’s starring in.

Here's the official film synopsis: “In 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered. When a world-weary inspector and an eager rookie constable take on the case, they find themselves thrown into a puzzling whodunit within the glamorously sordid world of underground theater, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril.”

The trailer shows Saoirse as a young cop eager to solve the case. Her co-stars include Sam Rockwell, Adrien Brody, and Ruth Wilson.  At only 98 minutes, it looks like a breezy, easy-to-digest caper.

Saoirse, 28, told The Guardian that the insular world of theater is a perfect setting for a murder mystery.  She’s got some experience, having starred in The Crucible on Broadway for five months in 2016.

“The theater world is very claustrophobic by nature,” she said.  “It’s wonderful, but it can also be stressful. You’re seeing the same people every single day for months and you’re doing exactly the same show every single night. And, yes, there are surprises. But there’s a monotony to it that sends you a bit mad. So, it’s very natural for a murder to take place in a theater.”

Speaking of See How They Run, she said, “To me, it’s less about who done it and more about being introduced to all these colorful characters.  That’s the drama, I suppose, but it’s almost like a soap. The script is basically me and Sam’s character walking around and interviewing people like you’re doing right now. The actors get a few minutes to shine. And we sit in the corner playing the observer, making notes, like eejits. That’s how these films work, so why mess with the formula?”

See How They Run was filmed during Covid, and being on set was a welcome respite from chaos in the real world, Saoirse said.

 “It’s weird because this film has a really dark underbelly,” she told The Guardian. “It’s about alcoholism and tragedy and the losses of postwar Britain. But people go to see a movie like this because they know what they’re going to get. In the end, I think, there’s a comfort in that.”