Writer & Director: Lilwen Faulkner
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Charismatic Criminal”
3 / 5
The Murders with Morris podcast has 10k followers and counting, its host hoping that his latest no holds barred interview with another notorious serial killer will turn him into a household name. What Morris doesn’t count on, is how quickly events can spiral out of control.
The infamous killer (Zak Rosen) is known for murdering five of his ex-partners, before handing himself into the police, tired of the monotony that comes with falling in love and subsequently, into his murderous tendencies. Morris (Filippo Brozzo) is fascinated by the charismatic criminal, the insight into his means and motives an angle that he hasn’t yet been successful in covering on the podcast. The pair get closer, with Morris falling under his spell and revealing more about himself than he had originally planned. Does he still hold the power or has his true crime obsession got the better of him?
Lilwen Faulkner’s tense two-hander is an intriguing exploration into our appetite for true crime, and the infamy that cold-blooded convicts gain with such a public spotlight on their crimes. The beginning half is a realistic (aside from the casual removal of his straitjacket) cat and mouse game between the pair, Morris is no Theroux, his bumbling interviewing skills immediately showing his weakness and desperation to succeed, which the unnamed killer feeds off from the get go. Despite being locked up, he holds all the power, toying with Morris as he dangles future episodes and more exclusives. It’s an enjoyable dynamic, portrayed well by Brozzo and Rosen, each playing their part well and convincing the audience of their characters personalities.
The latter half of the show, while still enjoyable, becomes slightly too unrealistic, which dilutes some of its original messaging. Morris’s rapid unravelling feels abrupt and inconsistent with the persona that has previously been established for him, and although the two characters have shared several breakthrough sessions, their chemistry never feels strong enough to justify the culminating scenes or the direction the narrative ultimately takes. Some more gradual psychological manipulation and a clearer depiction of Morris’s growing dependence would help to make his eventual actions far more believable. It is a fun twist though, that takes the show down a more dark comedy path, as opposed to the thriller drama that it starts out as.
Rosen is outstanding as the Killer, his charming, yet conniving manner is brilliantly fitting. The humorous quips and quick mood changes are fantastically entertaining, and make him wholeheartedly believable as the sociopathic serial killer. This is complemented well with Brozzo’s well depicted innocent excitement, as he desperately attempts to further his career. As a shameless true crime consumer, it works on multiple levels and keeps the audience engaged during the 50 minute runtime.
Runs until 16th May 2026
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