“Most Likely to Murder” is a 2018 feature film that premiered on March 12 at the SXSW Film Festival. Written by Doug Mand and Dan Gregor, and directed by Gregor, the film is a rarity in that it is a murder-mystery comedy. High school big shot Billy (Adam Pally) returns to his hometown during Thanksgiving break to woo his ex-girlfriend Kara (Rachel Bloom). After Billy finds out Kara is dating the high school outcast Lowell (Vincent Kartheiser), he becomes obsessed with the idea that Lowell is a murderer and sets out to prove it with the help of his best friend Duane (Mand).
Though there is a murder-mystery aspect to the film, “Most Likely to Murder” is primarily a comedic movie. In addition to featuring cameos from popular comedians such as Billy Eichner and Hasan Minaj, some of the main cast and crew are known for their work on the CW dramedy “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.”
The film contains stoner comedy and gross-out humor, so it’s not for everyone, but anyone who has enjoyed any part of a Seth MacFarlane or Judd Apatow project will also have fun with “Most Likely to Murder.” The main cast is so great that they even were able to improvise in a number of scenes. The SXSW audience was laughing out loud throughout the movie. That isn’t to say there isn’t tension; this movie is at its best when juggling comedy and suspense, as in a scene where Billy is hiding out from Lowell while investigating his property.
Not only is each actor perfectly cast in their role, but they also have perfect timing to deliver the maximum comedic potential of each line. No one is better at being suspiciously weird than Kartheiser, and both Pally and Mand deliver on their stoner has-been character performances. In addition, the mystery isn’t shallow. As a viewer, you’ll find yourself wondering which side you buy into and what might really be going on.
If you want to catch a movie that seamlessly blends mystery with comedy, make sure to check out “Most Likely to Murder” when it hits VOD on May 1, 2018.
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Jackie has called Austin home since choosing to attend the University of Texas, where she graduated with a degree in multimedia journalism. She loves spending time with her dogs, writing about pop culture in all its forms and spending time with friends – eating, drinking and doing trivia.