When someone tells you that there’s a movie about a ventriloquist private detective, wouldn’t that pique your curiosity? It did for me and I’m glad that I had the experience of watching The Dummy Detective. It was everything I didn’t expect it to be and more. t was great. Starring famed ventriloquist Jonathan Geffner… this film is a satire of old detective noir films from the ’30s and ’40s, but with a twist… the detective is a ventriloquist and has a partner…I’m sure you can guess who it is. It’s a brilliant concept that will make you laugh and easily root for the heroes. The film itself plays like an old noir film, but also has a wonderful cast. The magnetic Sean Young from Blade Runner and Dune plays the English innkeeper who’s a little two saucy, but takes note of everything that happens, helping to tell a story within a story. This is such a unique film that when I watched it, I had to watch it again knowing that I probably missed things the first time around and it was even better the second time I viewed it. As a critic, the best movies are the ones that completely catch us off card and we end up loving. That is The Dummy Detective for me.
The plot is fairly simple, a gorgeous woman approaches the ventriloquist detective and invites him to help solve a murder just like out of Chinatown or The Maltese Falcon. And when all of our characters ascend on the countryside inn, it immediately plays like it’s a different version of the movie Clue which is fantastic. Now I admit I’m not a huge fan ventriloquists. It’s never been my thing, but I appreciate the art form and to have one as a private detective really made me take notice. The cast is wonderful, the mystery absolutely works. There’s so many great one-liners that will keep you on the edge of your seat And for us nerds, Sean Young is at her best. In this film. The satire in the film is spot on and plays beautifully against this great jazzy detective music that you would hear in an old ’30s or ’40s noir film. And having the chance to interview Jonathan and Sean, one of the things we talked about is how the music really made this movie work. In fact, the music was changed at the last minute which definitely enhances this movie.
Of course I’m supposed to have complaints, I’m a critic, but I honestly couldn’t find any. I’d love to the humor, I loved the concept, and I certainly wanted more from these characters. If I had to offer one complaint, this was a great movie but it also feels like a pilot to a fantastic show on a streaming service. It’s a great way to introduce these characters. I guess my biggest complaint is 90 minutes isn’t enough time and I want more. Overall, it’s a great film with a simple and brilliant concept. Having the bulk of the film shot inside an old house that serves as the countryside inn made the movie feel more personal and puts the audience right in the middle of the action. It’s a great little indie film that every Cinephile should check out. If you’re a fan of comedy and noir films, then this is the perfect satire for you and even if you’re not a fan of ventriloquist, you’ll still enjoy this movie. The Dummy Detective is worth your time.
