Drama
Crime
Thriller
The end is where the plotting begins.
A Talent for Murder (2026)
Runtime
106 min
Release date
23/10/2026
Country
Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, United States of America
Production
Lunar Pictures
Lucky Red
Zurich Avenue
LD Entertainment
Magnolia Mae Films
Head Gear Films
Metrol Technology
Brouhaha Entertainment
Vacancy Films
FilmNation Entertainment
Switzerland the Film
Overview
A young man travels from New York to Switzerland to try to persuade acclaimed thriller writer Patricia Highsmith to write one final installment of her Tom Ripley series, with his efforts gradually turning more sinister.
Directors & Screenwriters
Anton Corbijn
Director
Joanna Murray-Smith
Screenwriter
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Cast
Helen Mirren
as
Patricia Highsmith
Alden Ehrenreich
as
Edward Ridgeway
Olivia Cooke
as
Clementine Balfour
Juliet Stevenson
as
Peggy
James Faulkner
as
Douglas Balfour
Brid Brennan
as
Kathryn Grierson
Maddalena Vallecchi Williams
as
Eleanor
Nikolai Selikovsky
as
Doctor
Luca Ferrini
as
Priest
Norbert Ortner
as
Taxi Driver
Alma Leiberg
as
Housekeeper
Enrico Mutti
as
Elegant italian man
Eduardo Xavier De Silva
as
Bradley Appleby
Giulia Lin
as
Tilly
Orlando Anselmetti
as
Waiter (Roman Bar)
Carlo Giuseppe Insam
as
Elderly Man
Adam Kay Nixon
as
Harry Apperton-Roy
Lorenzo Mellini
as
Waiter (Baur Au Lac Hotel)
Nicola Garofalo
as
Maître D'
Mark Appleby
as
Voice of Bradley Appleby
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All trailers
Drama
Crime
Thriller
A Talent for Murder
Official Trailer
Video: YouTube
Duration: 02:43
Duration: 02:43
Did You Know?
Helen Mirren steals the spotlight as a mischievous Patricia Highsmith in Anton Corbijn’s twisted thriller
Helen Mirren revels in the role of literary legend Patricia Highsmith, trading her usual glamour for baggy menswear, a gray bob and a cigarette that seems to bite back. In Anton Corbijn’s "A Talent for Murder," the Oscar‑winner inhabits the reclusive author with a swagger that makes every scene feel like a private party, even as she sips and smokes her way through a Swiss winter.
The film, adapted from Joanna Murray‑Smith’s play "Switzerland," imagines a 1995 Highsmith living alone in rural Switzerland, her health failing but her mind still razor‑sharp. A young editor, Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich), arrives by train to coax her into penning one last Tom Ripley novel. Their uneasy partnership spirals into a double‑layered narrative that mirrors the writer’s own plot‑weaving, while Olivia Cooke pops up in both storylines, adding a fresh counterpoint to the seasoned stars.
Corbijn’s direction is a study in visual quirks—extreme low‑angle close‑ups that feel deliberately stylized, and a gleaming knife that becomes a recurring visual motif. Yet he mostly steps back, allowing Mirren’s Highsmith to dominate the present‑day scenes, even as her screen time is brief. In a memorable moment, the in‑character author, half‑drunk, orders Ridgeway to kill off a character, insisting, "If it’s a Highsmith, we want something elegant, beautiful, unexpected."
The result is a delicious blend of psychological thriller and meta‑commentary on writer’s block, where the line between Highsmith’s fiction and her real‑life creativity blurs. While Ehrenreich and Cooke carry the dual narratives, Mirren’s electrifying performance makes "A Talent for Murder" an irresistible, if slightly uneven, cinematic puzzle.
Alden Ehrenreich pulls double duty opposite Helen Mirren in the darkly clever A Talent for Murder
Tony‑winning Alden Ehrenreich was drawn to A Talent for Murder not just for the chance to share screen time with Helen Mirren, but for the rare opportunity to inhabit two wildly different personas in the same story. He plays Edward Ridgeway, a New York editor sent to coax the reclusive novelist Patricia Highsmith—portrayed by Mirren—into penning a final Tom Ripley novel, while simultaneously imagining himself as a Ripley‑type con artist within the story they craft together.
To slip into Ridgeway’s headspace, Ehrenreich dove deep into the world of publishing: he visited a house‑bound literary office, hung out at the post‑work bar, and even attended a book signing. The actor says those real‑world insights helped him understand the pressures and creative limits that shape an editor’s life, a perspective he believes adds a layer of ingenuity to the film’s constrained, psychological setting.
The production, directed by Anton Corbijn, also nods to Highsmith’s own legacy, weaving in references to the infamous Strangers on a Train. Alongside Olivia Cooke and Juliet Stevenson, Ehrenreich and Mirren bring a “deliciously dark” tone to the screen, and their off‑camera chemistry quickly turned into friendship, with Ehrenreich calling Mirren “down‑to‑earth” and “an enormous talent.” The film opens this Friday, promising a literary thriller that’s as much about the art of storytelling as it is about the shadows lurking within its creators.
Olivia Cooke dazzles in a literary‑thriller that’s as stylish as it is polarizing
Anton Corbijn’s latest, A Talent for Murder, lands Olivia Cooke in the role of Clementine Balfour, an ambitious American heiress whose path collides with literary editor Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich) on a Swiss quest to coax legendary author Patricia Highsmith (Helen Mirren) into penning one final Tom Ripley novel. The film weaves a cat‑and‑mouse chase through a richly textured literary world, with Mirren’s subtle depth and Ehrenreich’s angsty turn earning particular praise.
Critics have been quick to applaud the ensemble’s performances and the film’s suspenseful, sharply plotted atmosphere, noting its two‑dimensional character work and homage to the Ripley saga. Yet the opening sequence’s sluggish pace and a murky mid‑film apex have drawn criticism, leaving some viewers feeling the momentum wanes before the gripping finale ties Highsmith’s personal and fictional obsessions together. The movie holds a solid 79% on Rotten Tomatoes and a Certified Fresh 78%, while ScreenRant’s George Bate gave it a modest six‑out‑of‑ten, calling it “well‑crafted and contemplative, if not a full‑throttle thriller.”
Beyond the big screen, Cooke’s 2026 has been a tour de force on television. She returns as Alicent Hightower in the third season of House of the Dragon and steps back into the shadows of espionage as a Major in the MI5 unit of Slough House’s sixth season. Balancing a high‑profile film debut with two major TV roles, Cooke continues to prove her versatility and stamina, cementing her status as one of the year’s most compelling performers.
Helen Mirren steals the spotlight as a mischievous Patricia Highsmith in Anton Corbijn’s off‑beat thriller
Anton Corbijn’s “A Talent for Murder” lets the legendary Helen Mirren revel in the role of crime‑fiction legend Patricia Highsmith, trading her usual glamour for baggy menswear, a gray bob and a perpetual cigarette. Set in 1995 rural Switzerland, the film follows a frail, reclusive Highsmith as she’s visited by a young American editor, Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich), who hopes to coax her into penning one last Tom Ripley novel. The premise—two parallel stories of ambitious young men—provides a deliciously meta backdrop for the writer’s block that fuels the plot.
The movie, adapted from Joanna Murray‑Smith’s play “Switzerland,” leans heavily on Mirren’s magnetic presence, even though her screen time is limited to the present‑day storyline. Corbijn’s direction is occasionally self‑conscious, favoring extreme low‑angle close‑ups, but he mostly steps back to let Mirren and Ehrenreich spar verbally, even brandishing a gleaming knife as a visual motif.
When the two characters finally clash, the film morphs into a psychological thriller that feels like a study of the creative process itself. Mirren’s Highsmith, drunk and defiant, orders Ridgeway to “off a character himself,” insisting, “If it’s a Highsmith, we want something elegant, beautiful, unexpected.” That line captures the film’s ambition: to deliver a story that is as stylish and surprising as the author it portrays.
With a 3‑out‑of‑4 star rating from The Seattle Times, an R rating for sexual content, some violence and language, and a runtime of 1 hour 46 minutes, “A Talent for Murder” is now playing in theaters, offering fans a quirky, layered look at a literary icon who, despite her misanthropy, can’t resist the spotlight.
Olivia Cooke’s latest thriller lands a ‘Fresh’ score, but does it out‑shine its literary legends?
Olivia Cooke steps out of the spy‑filled halls of Slow Horses and into the snow‑capped Alps with Anton Corbijn’s new thriller A Talent for Murder. The film, penned by Joanne Murray‑Smith, has earned a “Fresh” 79% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes – virtually mirroring its Certified Fresh 78% critic score – and is now playing in theaters after its October 23, 2026 release.
The story follows literary editor Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich) as he journeys to Switzerland to coax famed novelist Patricia Highsmith (Helen Mirren) into penning another Tom Ripley novel. Tension mounts when Ridgeway’s mission collides with his own dangerous ambitions, while Cooke’s Clementine Balfour, an American heiress and his love interest, adds a volatile emotional layer to the chase.
Critics and audiences alike have lauded Mirren’s smoky, steely portrayal of Highsmith and Ehrenreich’s chameleon‑like shift between the earnest editor and the shadowy Ripley. Reviewers praise the film’s suspenseful twists and its appeal to fans of the iconic anti‑hero, though some note a sluggish opening and a plot that can feel tangled. ScreenRant’s George Bate gave it six out of ten, calling it more a meditation on intrigue than a masterclass in tension, with the final act finally delivering a compelling look at Highsmith’s relationship with her most famous creation.
For Cooke, A Talent for Murder joins a whirlwind 2026 that also sees her back in Apple TV’s Slow Horses and stepping into the penultimate season of House of the Dragon. Mirren, meanwhile, returns as Maeve Harrigan in Paramount+’s MobLand. With strong performances and a story that teeters between literary homage and thriller, the film offers a thoughtful, if occasionally meandering, ride for cinephiles hungry for a fresh take on the Ripley mythos.