Over the past few years, it has felt like a tradition to have a new film starring Emmy winner Jon Hamm debut at the annual Tribeca Film Festival. While not all are home runs, I’m looking at you, Corner Office. As a fan of Hamm’s work, it’s still exciting to see what new projects he’s working on.
2023’s edition of the Tribeca Film Festival doesn’t just welcome a new Hamm starring vehicle but a maddening reunion as Maggie Moore(s) reunites Hamm with Mad Men alum John Slattery, who steps behind the camera to direct the dark comedy. Unfortunately for Hamm, the Tribeca Film Festival slump continues as Maggie Moore(s) is a film with an identity crisis. Is it a mystery? Is it a romantic comedy? No one truly knows, as the film left me wondering if I was supposed to laugh because if so, I must’ve missed the memo.
Maggie Moore(s) follows police chief Jordan Sanders, who is attempting to solve the murder of two women of the same name, Maggie More, in an Arizona desert town. The events send Sanders into a frenzy to decipher the mystery, not just the killer, but their association with Moore.
The film’s tonal issues stem from the screenplay of Paul Bernbaum. Throughout the 90-minute runtime, constant tonal shifts leave audiences more perplexed than entertained. I harken back to Twin Peaks, a murder mystery that works. The actual effectiveness of that masterpiece is Lynch and Mark Frost’s understanding that the mystery itself should be treated as a McGuffin, and where their narrative works best is in the investment of its characters. Bernbaum’s screenplay does neither and ultimately leads to little to no engagement in living in a world of these characters.
Along with its tonal issues, Bernbaum sprinkled in unneeded storylines revolving around employees and expired products that leave you wondering, what’s the point?
While Maggie Moore’s (s) screenplay is a tonal mess, John Hamm and Tina Fey give noteworthy performances in a film that fails in all other aspects. Hamm and Fey offer chemistry that will long cinephiles to want another pairing from the duo in a much better film. While it’s always great to see Nick Mohammed, he is essentially given an unimportant role that wastes his talents.
With its finale, Maggie Moore(s) attempts to rescue itself from the depths of mediocrity with an over-the-top conclusion. However, by that point, my only investment in the film was longing for the credits to roll. Was there potential for this film? I’d say so. If the team behind the movie stuck to one tone and direction, Maggie Moore(s) could have been one of Tribeca 2023’s best, but unfortunately for this film, it’s one of the festival’s worst.
