If Aurora Teagarden Mysteries had a Polish TV baby it would In For A Murder. Though slightly less glossy, In For A Murder (W jak morderstwo, in its native Polish) is still a real treat for fans of the light-hearted murder mystery genre.
What Is In For A Murder About?
Magda (Anna Smolowik) has abandoned her career as a vet in favour of being a stay at home mom. Living in Podkowa Lesna, near Warsaw, she has two children and is married to Tomasz (Przemyslaw Stippa). By most standards, Tomasz is a total jerk. He is dismissive, overbearing and a general pain in the ass.
But Magda trudges on until one night when walking the dog, she discovers the body of a young woman in the park. Suddenly Magda's life becomes interesting especially as she is great friends with the local detective in charge, Jacek Sikora (Pawel Domagala).
Since his biggest challenge so far has been bicycle thieves, a dead body showing up in the quaint little town is far beyond him. Magda, an avid reader and fan of Agatha Christie, decides to start her own investigation.
Of course, the woman's murder has sparked real interest but things take a turn when Magda discovers a connection between the dead woman and her long lost friend who went missing fifteen years earlier. It all hinges on a W shaped pendant and as Magda goes on the trail she uncovers the deepest secrets of the small town's residents.
So how exactly was the murdered woman? What was her connection to Magda's friend? Who are the potential suspects? Can Magda solve the case? And will Magda finally tire of her annoying husband especially with the very handsome veterinarian, Doctor Walczak (Jacek Knap) on the horizon??
In For A Murder Trailer
Is In For A Murder Worth Watching?
In For A Murder is not a hard-hitting, gritty film. As I said it's like a Hallmark murder mystery but made in Poland. But it is quirky and if you're looking for a Netflix movie that is simply enjoyable to watch then this is a good shout.
The Cast Of In For A Murder (W jak morderstwo)
Directed by Piotr Mularuk and written by Katarzyna Gacek on whose novel the murder mystery is based, In For A Murder has a straightforward plot but the cast does bring a quirky comedy aspect that lightens the whole feel of the film.
In the lead role of Magda Borowska is Anna Smolowik. Very relatable as a woman searching for more excitement in her life, she can also be seen on Squared Love, which is also available on Netflix.
Pawel Domagala plays the detective who is not only Magda's childhood friend but he also used to be in love with her so finds it difficult to ignore her input as he tries to solve the case of the murdered woman. He also played Krzysztof Malecki in the long-running series O mnie sie nie martw.
Przemyslaw Stippa plays Tomasz Borowski Magda's husband and all-round not-nice guy. And he does it well. In Poland, he is really well known for playing Wladek Cieslak in Barwy szczescia which ran for nearly 10 years.
Szymon Bobrowski plays the character of Jaroslaw Czerwinski a local wealthy businessman in the town who was one of the last people to see the murder victim alive. He recently starred in the Polish crime drama, The Disappearance which ran for four seasons.
Is In For A Murder (W jak morderstwo) Any Good?
The answer to that will depend on whether or not you like the murder mystery genre. As crime stories go, it's fairly tame but the mystery itself is pretty decent as far as film plots go.
Tying in the small town vibe, with a disappearance from the past and a family orientated lead who tries to work out a killing and catch a murderer isn't exactly unique but it is quirky and watchable.
I watched it with subtitles which were good and overall found it enjoyable.
