‘The Motive’ Brings Heartbreak to the Burning Question of ‘Why’

Are all detectives seeking satisfaction? When a crime has just been committed or a body is still on the ground, the most comforting thing that can happen with passersby is the arrival of the person determined to put the pieces together. If we found ourselves in the orbit of a murder investigation, we would find relief in a Poirot, a Miss Marple, or, yes, a Jessica Fletcher. Jorge Molina’s The Motive is a mousetrap all its own: a whodunnit when “the who” isn’t the biggest burning question. In his directorial debut, Molina lays his heart on the table in a film that is as clever as it is lushly devious.

You sometimes see a detective and a suspect share pleasantries in their pursuit of their cat-and-mouse dynamic. In the opening moments of Molina’s film, Brendan Scannell’s The Murderer stabs another man to death before Brandon Shypkowski swiftly arrives, mustache perfectly coiffed and eyeglasses ready to hunt for clues. Our Detective, though, is puzzled by what he witnesses as Scannell is calm and to the point. “Murder’s never a necessity!” The Detective exclaims and The Murderer replies, “Well, sometimes it’s the only way.” We are immediately locked in–rarely do we get a killer who doesn’t try to hide his or her own misdeeds.

As The Detective goes over his notes (I kept wondering how worn his little notepad really is as he obsesses over every clue), The Murderer has a smoke and offers vague replies. Did The Detective miss something as he observed this couple’s relationship hit the skids? Perhaps he isn’t delving deep enough when he tries to stick to the facts of the goings-on in their lives? In a way, it doesn’t matter since The Murderer is ready to wait for the authorities. Time is running out to find explanations. “I am okay with things not making sense…are you?” is a question poised to The Detective, but Molina also brings that to us.

The Motive‘s touches, both emotionally and thematically, are mind-blowing. Every single inch of this film has so much texture: The Murderer’s blue jacket, the carpet on the floor, the tassels on the curtains and drapery, The Detective’s necktie, the gold candlesticks (“A candlestick…what’s this for?”)–I could go on. The wallpaper, my god, the wallpaper. Everything has so much weight. The cinematography, by Brent Bailey, warms the space even if corners are shrouded in darkness. There is one shot from the top of the wooden staircase looking down that reminded me of the people who run to the source of screaming once a crime is committed in mystery stories like this. We are afraid of the the thought of a potential murderer, but we don’t want to take a step back in fear of being discovered. My favorite visual, though, comes towards the end when Scannell delivers a monologue in front of a glass door with a circle at its center, as if reminiscent of a detective’s magnifying glass.

Scannell might be known for his acidic delivery (his “Oh…my…clit” from Heathers was a vocal stim for me before that term even existed), but Molina allows him to stay one step ahead of us an a wholly unique way. There is a moment towards the film’s conclusion that had me gasp so suddenly even though it has nothing to do with a heinous act of violence. There’s something about Scannell’s eyes in how they lay the truth out right in front of us without him having to explain it further with words. Shypkowski brings an intelligence and dependability to a man who we know we can trust. We want him to find answers just as badly as he does.

Molina has always infused his work with passion (hunt down Muy Gay Too Mexicano and revel in his podcast, “Just to Be Nominated”), but The Motive feels like when a filmmaker is allowed to fire on all cylinders. Every acting beat and every shot is crafted with the precision of someone who has been wanting to tell this kind of story for years. We feel it.

It doesn’t matter how you like your mysteries. Maybe you opt for newer stories like those by Rian Johnson or the classics by Agatha Christie. The Motive pays homage to the mysteries that paved the way for it, but is also so entirely emotionally resonant that it feels excitedly original.

The Motive will play Outfest on July 26.