Tolga Karaçelik’s “The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write about a Serial Killer” is more than just a film with an unusually long title. It blends comedy of errors with dark humor to follow a miserable writer failing in his personal & professional life. We meet Keane (John Magaro), who has been working on his new book for four years. For his first book, he earned a minor award years ago. However, he never seemed to have moved on from its moderate success. In the present, he starts writing about an unusual topic.
Keane’s book is about a 40000 B.C. romance between a male Neanderthal and a female Homo sapien. Generally, people say that writers should write about what they know well. Keane does just that. As a wide source of practically useless trivia, Keane knows a thing or two about the history of evolution. However, he doesn’t understand the crux of human relationships that will ultimately shape his work and let people be interested in it. Instead, he remains fixated on trivial, factual accuracies.
In his marriage with Susie (Britt Lower), Keane is just a passive participant, making her take the initiative in all their decisions. Since their first encounter, she kept tolerating him and letting him take her for granted. Finally, she has decided to divorce him. As if that’s not enough, his agent seems done with representing a failure. He expects Keane to write about something that people will want to read, i.e. will be an easy sell.
While sulking in the sorry state of his life, Keane comes across Kollmick (Steve Buscemi), a ‘retired’ serial killer. He wants Keane to pen down his story. Kollmick guides Keane in understanding a killer inside-out. He expects Keane to have a first-hand experience of being in a killer’s shoes to understand how their mind works. While taking Keane on some ludicrous adventures, Kollmick accidentally becomes a marriage counselor for Keane & Susie’s crumbling marriage. Meanwhile, she keeps finding things that convince her that Keane is trying to murder her. Thereafter, they all fall into a web of misunderstandings where Kollmick inadvertently becomes a catalyst for improving the couple’s relationship.
Throughout its duration, “The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write about a Serial Killer” remains committed to its comedy of errors where mistaken identities lead to a series of amusing narrative twists. It builds hysterical parallels between serial killing and marriage counseling that feel utterly believable despite its evident absurdity. After Kollmick becomes Keane’s muse, the film shows the lines between reality and fiction gradually blurring for these characters.
Simultaneously, the film plays around with the notion of death so much that it feels like an “Anatomy of a Fall” in progress! The dark humor is plentiful and is often backed by some casual mentions of death or killing. To give you an idea, here are a couple of examples. When Susie is about to discuss the topic of divorce, Kollmick plays Lauryn Hill’s ‘Killing Me Softly.’ After their first meeting, Kollman tells Keane that ‘he could kill to read what Keane’s writing next.’ The script repeatedly brings the notion of killing & death through casual interactions or references to make this ghastly topic a plausible reality in this seemingly modest couple’s life.
Despite its humorous treatment, the film remains focused on its central idea: a couple desperately trying to save their marriage. It presents Susie as a straight-faced professional whose cold stares stem from her years of emotional repression. On the other hand, Keane remains a self-engrossed and emotionally inept idiot who refuses to grow up and take any responsibility. While Susie earns a living, he depends on her while wallowing in self-pity. Yet, the wild adventure initiated by Kollmick makes them reminisce about their past and reevaluate their present to realize their future.
Britt Lower channels a creepy deadpan that encapsulates a mix of her weariness and seething anger. It perfectly complements John Magaro’s portrayal of Keane as an adult living in a bewildered kid’s body. Steve Buscemi portrays his serial killer character as a placid stoic who is looking for someone to channel his impulses for him. Through their collective efforts, the film becomes an absurd ride that explores themes of love, fame, and recognition.
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