Murder Mystery (2019) - Preview & Review | MovieBuzz

Hold on. Before you scroll past, let me make sure you caught that runtime. Two minutes. Not two hours, not two seasons, not a two-part epic. Two minutes. That’s the kind of movie that fits neatly between a bathroom break and the next YouTube rabbit hole. And yet, it’s got a murder. A friend killed. Three people looking for answers. That’s a whole lot of dramatic weight crammed into the length of a pop song. Welcome to La félonie, the most intriguing mystery of the year that you’ll blink and miss.

I’m not going to pretend I have all the answers here - because, frankly, the movie’s own metadata is about as revealing as a mime in a trench coat. But that’s part of the fun. We know the bones: Gus, Jo, and Ferdi are on a mission. Their friend is dead. Murdered. And they’re not about to let the killer get away with it. That’s it. That’s the pitch. And honestly? That’s enough. In an era where blockbusters get a 150-minute runtime just to explain their own mythology, there’s something almost punk rock about a whodunit that clocks in at 120 seconds.

Release Date & Where to Watch

Here’s the thing about La félonie - the release date is as mysterious as the plot. No date. No platform. No distributor waving a banner. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a handshake deal in a back alley. This could mean a few things: it’s a festival short that’s still making the rounds, a student project waiting for its moment, or a stealth drop that’s about to catch everyone off guard. My money’s on the festival circuit - these tiny thrillers live for that. You’ll probably catch it at a niche film fest before it hits Vimeo or a curated streaming channel like ShortsTV or even a random YouTube drop. Keep your eyes peeled on indie showcases and the “New Arrivals” sections of the less mainstream apps. When it lands, it’ll land fast. And you’ll want to be ready because, again, it’s two minutes. You can watch it during a commercial break of literally anything else.

Cast & Crew

No names. No faces. No Wikipedia page. That’s a clean slate if I’ve ever seen one. But don’t mistake the lack of information for a lack of talent. Some of the most electric short-form work comes from filmmakers who are one breakout away from being a household name. Think of the Duffer Brothers before Stranger Things or Damien Chazelle before Whiplash - both started with tight, hungry shorts that nobody saw until the big projects made everyone dig into the archives. La félonie feels like that kind of calling card.

We don’t know if Gus, Jo, and Ferdi are played by pros or first-timers, but that matters less in a two-minute movie. In that time, you don't need a star. You need presence. You need chemistry that reads in a single glance and dialogue that doesn’t waste a syllable. Whoever these actors are, they’re being asked to sell a friendship, a loss, and a quest in less time than it takes to microwave a burrito. That’s a serious ask. If it works, it’ll be the kind of performance that sticks with you way longer than the runtime suggests.

Story & What to Expect

Let’s get into the meat (or tofu, depending on your diet) of the plot. Three friends - the aforementioned Gus, Jo, and Ferdi - are on the hunt. Their friend is dead, and they’re not just grieving; they’re investigating. That’s your classic revenge-and-justice setup, but compressed to the size of a TikTok. You’re probably thinking, “How much can you even do in that time?” And the answer, if this is done well, is: everything that matters.

Expect a cold open. Expect a quick flash of the body or a frantic call. Expect a montage of determination - maybe a map with X marks, maybe a tense hallway conversation, maybe a door kicked in. The title, La félonie, translates roughly to “the felony” or “the betrayal,” which adds a spice of treachery to the mix. This might not just be about finding a stranger’s murder. This could be about a friend who turned on a friend. Ooh, that’s the good stuff. The knife that twists isn’t just in the victim - it’s in the group dynamic.

Because it’s a short, you also have to expect a twist. There’s no room for a slow burn. The movie will have to play a trick on you - maybe the killer is one of the trio, maybe the victim isn’t quite dead, maybe the whole thing is a setup. The genre says mystery, but the runtime screams popcorn-twist lightning round. You’ll watch it twice. The first time to get the story, the second time to catch the details you missed because you were blinking.

Why It's Worth Watching

Look, I’m not going to tell you that a 2-minute movie is going to change your life. It won’t. But it might change your afternoon. And sometimes that’s enough. In a world where we’re all drowning in 10-hour documentary series and 3-hour superhero epics, there’s a genuine delight in a micro-dose of genre. La félonie is the cinematic equivalent of a really good short story - something that respects your time while still giving you a complete arc.

It’s also a fascinating test of craft. Can you build tension, establish character, deliver a shocking revelation, and stick the landing in 120 seconds? The best shorts do. Think of the 2016 film Stutterer, an Oscar winner that told a full love story in under 13 minutes. Or the legendary La Jetée, a feature that was basically a moving photo album and inspired 12 Monkeys. Short movies are where the gutsy ideas live, and La félonie has a gutsy premise. Three people. One killer. Zero time to spare.

And don’t sleep on the mystery label. In short form, that means every line of dialogue has a double meaning, every prop is a clue, and every second feels like a ticking clock. You’ll be told just enough to piece it together - or to argue about it in the comments afterward. That’s the beauty of a film this brief: you can watch it, rewatch it, screenshot the evidence, and still have time to make dinner.

So, when La félonie finally drops, you know what to do. Block out two minutes. Make some popcorn (or don’t; you’ll barely have time to grab a handful). Gather the crew, or just your cat. Hit play, hold your breath, and watch three friends chase a truth that might just bite them back. And after it’s done? Watch it again. Because with a runtime like that, there’s no excuse to miss the subtle stuff. Suspicion, betrayal, a quick sting of karma - all in the length of a parking meter. That’s the magic of the short film. That’s La félonie. Don’t blink.