On paper, Above Suspicion boasts all the shocking true-crime details fans of the genre look for in a story. The movie tells the tangled tale of real-life FBI informant Susan Smith (Emilia Clarke), a down-trodden drug addict who believes she can find a better life through her involvement with Mark Putnam (Fargo's Jack Huston), the first agent in FBI history to be convicted of murder. With its hardscrabble setting and a story that includes sex, drugs and crime, Above Suspicion, an adaptation of the book of the same name by Joe Sharkey, seems primed to hit true-crime buffs' sweet spot. Despite all those promising elements, however, the movie feels oddly lifeless, never revealing enough about its characters or their situations to really grab and maintain viewers' interest.
Above Suspicion is narrated by Susan from beyond the grave, giving her both omniscience and a perspective in death she didn't have in life. When the story starts, she sees no way out of a challenging existence in Pikesville, Kentucky that includes two young children and an abusive, drug-dealing ex-husband (Johnny Knoxville) she still shares a home with. So when Putnam walks into her life, it's no surprise that Susan sees an opportunity to improve her prospects. She seems taken with Putnam's kindness toward her, and soon she's sleeping with him even though he has a wife and baby waiting for him at home. But when the case on which she's serving as an informant ends and she no longer has a reason for regular contact with Putnam, Susan takes drastic action that leads to tragic consequences for them both.
The film was shot in Kentucky in 2017, and while the authentic setting adds to its texture, the story as a whole feels surprisingly bland. Above Suspicion started rolling out worldwide in 2019 and is only now being released in North America, which seems to indicate its distributors aren't especially optimistic about its prospects -- and it's easy to understand why. For all its depictions of drug use, infidelity and criminal activity, the movie is never especially gripping. Furthermore, the story doesn't provide much more than superficial insight into the inner lives of either Susan or Putnam, and as a result, the characters feel too remote to invest in.
Director Phillip Noyce has helmed some stand-out films, including Patriot Games, Rabbit-Proof Fence and Salt, but Above Suspicion doesn't pack the same excitement or visceral punch of those stories. It also fails to set itself apart from the numerous other films that explore the seedy lives of the people born, raised and seemingly stuck in Appalachia. While costume designer Nancy Collini and the hair and makeup departments do a fantastic job making the characters look straight out of the '80s period the story is set in, the film, in general, isn't a memorable experience.
What Above Suspicion does have going for it is Clarke, who gives a transformative performance as Susan. Trading her English accent for a Southern twang, Clarke shows off her versatility as a character that bears some resemblance to Game of Thrones' Daenerys Targaryen. Although Susan isn't especially likable, Clarke is impressive in her ability to make her sympathetic and even understandable despite a script by Chris Gerolmo that doesn't always give her that much to work with. Still, while Clarke gives it her all, the rest of the film never lives up to her efforts. Despite its lurid details, Above Suspicion is ultimately a ho-hum misfire.
Above Suspicion, directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Emilia Clarke, Jack Huston, Sophie Lowe, Austin Hébert, Karl Glusman, Chris Mulkey, Omar Miller, Kevin Dunn, Thora Birch and Johnny Knoxville, is available on digital, on demand and in select theaters on Friday, May 7.