Dead Man's Wire

From his radio microphone, Fred Temple welcomes his listeners with his carefully selected music, his smooth voice, and his usual relaxed manner, hosting his show with gentleness and passion on this morning of February 8, 1977. As he likes to say, it's shaping up to be a beautiful day in his city of Indianapolis. Outside, traffic is heavy, with horns blaring from all directions. The camera gradually zooms out from his face to transport us into the middle of the traffic, with a close-up of a driver who seems impatient. Who is he?

We follow him as he leaves his car, carrying a large cardboard box in his hand, and walks quickly and without hesitation toward a building, the Meridian Mortgage Company. The intrigued viewer senses that something important is about to happen. Indeed, this man, out of breath and out of strength, seems to be walking towards his destiny.

Unable to get an appointment with the company's director as planned, he resigns himself to meeting and then holding the director's own son, Richard Hall, hostage in his office. This desperate man is Tony Kiritsis. He seems to have been planning his actions for a long time, and nothing seems to be able to stop him. He wants justice.

The meticulous staging allows us to follow this closed-door encounter between the two protagonists, the hunter and his prey, step by step. The tension continues to rise, and the viewer follows this duel with anguish, wondering how far Tony Kiritsis will go. To lighten the stifling atmosphere, and when the action moves to other locations, jazz music accompanies us, along with the powerful voice of Diana Ross, allowing us to take a short break and forget the tragedy that is unfolding.

The suspense continues and intensifies throughout this story based on real events, and the staging is such that the viewer is captivated and gripped from beginning to end. The atmosphere of the era and the sets are impeccably rendered. We follow “The Rope Around the Neck” as if it were live news, and the broadcast of real news footage helps us to experience this hostage-taking in an authentic way. Will the police intervention put an end to this conflict? It's difficult to predict. The film is fascinating and gripping; a misinterpreted gesture could erupt at any moment and dramatically change the situation.

Special mention goes to actor Bill Skarsgard, who plays Tony Kiritsis with strength, naturalness, and emotion. Opposite him, Dacre Montgomery is perfect in the role of hostage Richard Hall, moving inexorably from confidence to incomprehension and then to fear. Colman Domingo also gives a sincere performance as the friendly DJ Fred Temple, who tries to help Tony, a fervent and loyal listener to his radio show, to extricate himself from this nightmarish situation. Al Pacino is unrecognizable in his portrayal of the Director, who is indifferent to his son's kidnapping.

Whether we see Tony as a vulgar kidnapper or, on the contrary, as a victim of society, we cannot remain indifferent or insensitive to this drama. This film, directed by Gus Van Stant, is thrilling, full of suspense, realism, emotion, anxiety, and determination. The length is just right, with no lulls despite the closed setting, as many lively scenes take place outside. An excellent film to watch, if only to learn about, follow, and understand this incredible case that marked, fascinated, and shocked America.

Dead Man's Wire
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Written by Austin Kolodney
Produced by Cassian Elwes, Joel David Moore, Tom Culliver, Veronica Radaelli, Sam Pressman, Mark Amin, Remi Alfallah, Noor Alfallah, Siena Oberman, Andrea Bucko, Matt Murphie, Paula Paizes, Justin Hurley
Starring Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha'la, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino
Cinematography: Arnaud Potier
Edited by Saar Klein
Music by Danny Elfman
Production companies: Elevated Films, Pressman Film, District 9 Productions, Sobini Films, RNA Pictures, Pinstripes
Distributed by Row K Entertainment (United States), ARP Selection (France)
Release dates: September 2, 2025 (Venice), January 9, 2026 (United States), April 15, 2026 (France)
Running time: 105 minutes

Seen on March 3, 2026 at ARP Selection headquarters

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