Perpetually overlooked female journalist Loretta McLaughlin (Kiera Knightly) has a story on her hands. Usually given lifestyle pieces and appliance reviews, she can’t seem to get any traction. But when women start turning up strangled, Loretta and her fellow reporter, Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), are given the opportunity to create coverage, and Loretta soon finds herself more involved in the story than anyone around her wants her to be.
Based on the real people behind the news coverage, the Boston Strangler is a compelling look at history and does well to honor the victims by staying true to the facts and focusing on those who helped to find justice as opposed to the killer himself.
Knightley is a great lead; she played McLaughlin with ease and nuance. The work/life balance of a 1960s housewife with a career is not easy, yet even when told to stop, McLaughlin pressed on, ultimately being the keystone in taking down the killer. Any fans of true crime will find this fictionalized reality riveting. (112-min.)
—Anna Starkey
This article appears in Mar 23-30, 2023.