• Release year: 2025
• Director: Rob Margolies.
• Producer: Rob Margolies.
• Screenplay by: Jonathan Geffner.
• Cinematography by: Clifford J. Tasner.
• Music by: Juri Beythien.

Shotgun Commentary: wacky as hell, pretty niche as well.

Review

The Dummy Detective is a murder mystery story that you will either love or hate. As far as ideas go, it is original enough to keep you interested, but only in the event that you like both the genre and low-budget movies. So watch at your own risk.

A new horizon for dummies?

The story begins like most noir tales, with a flamboyant woman in dire need of help from a detective, in this case, a private detective who also happens to be a ventriloquist. Now, here’s the first big test for spectators: ventriloquists, yes or no? Admittedly, it is an acquired taste. One that depends not only on the person but also on the talent of the artist and the characterisation of the dummy itself. Ventriloquism has long been a great plot device, especially for horror films and thrillers. In this particular feature, it is shockingly not a source of distress but rather a fun detail to set the piece apart from all other murder mysteries on the market.

I know what you’re thinking: ventriloquist dummies? A source of…fun? In a movie about murder? And the answer is yes. In fact, the presence of dummies not only spices the narrative up but also plays a primary role in its development. Sadly, this resource is not as well exploited as it could have been. There is a mention of mental health issues in relation to the use of puppets; some of the dummies provide key pieces of evidence to help the detective; others move without the need for a ventriloquist’s arm, etc.

The latter is explained in the most predictable, unremarkable way possible, but the other two are completely left to your imagination. If you are a regular here, you probably already know that stories that encourage their audience to do some of the brainwork are more welcome than those that feed their viewers chewed-up stories like a mother bird.

The good and the bad

However, there is a line between allowing your audience to think for themselves and opening a ton of subplots for your story that you will never develop. This is quite common in murder mysteries, where many details exist for the sole purpose of confusing the audience and end up being irrelevant. Still, the explanation or dismissal of these useless minor details is a great way to determine the quality of a film of the genre. It is one thing to trick your audience with a thought-out distraction and another to simply add random events that come and go out of nowhere.

Despite this mildly relevant annoyance, the feature is eccentric enough to be enjoyable in its madness. This is, in great part, thanks to the cast. None of the characters are particularly original, but the actors that play them are thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Don’t expect mind-blowing performances or anything of the sort, but their passion is definitely contagious. From the very beginning until the very last second, you can feel that the actors are having a ton of fun with this project. This attitude travels out of the screen seamlessly, making anyone who enjoys low-budget movies appreciate the project just as much.

All in all, The Dummy Detective might not be everyone’s flavour of choice, but those who enjoy low-budget murder mysteries (myself included) will have a great time watching it.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Never trust a man who talks to himself.
• Avoid ventriloquist dummies if possible.
• Don’t turn your back on people when there’s a killer on the loose.

What’s your take? Have you watched The Dummy Detective? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀