User Reviews

The premise of the movie is interesting enough- a couple decide to murder people who wronged a woman's ex-husband. The start of the film is pretty lackluster- the acting, particularly that of the main character, is very mediocre and makes it difficult to focus on the scenes. The camera-work and overall quality is also very indicative of the low budget. However, the film picks up and gets more interesting as it goes on. The second guest, Cricket, is especially a delight. As the plot unravels, you're kept wondering what's going to happen. It's also not as predictable as one might think. Ultimately, it's far from the best murder movie out there, but the combination of suspense and humor will keep you going.

This reminded me of an episode of Tales of the unexpected from the '80s. The dialogue and acting were pretty good and although it was obviously done on a shoestring, it kept my attention and had originality, intelligence and dark humour.

My enjoyment was at a 7 level. This is fun! "Grief is a very powerful emotion." If you've been to a semi pro stage production of a generic who dun it or trapped by a predator premise, this film felt like that. Plot, character twists are surprising and delightful. I think many jaded mystery/thriller fans will enjoy it like I did. Allowances must be made for limited budget and experienced actors.

Nothig new to the murder mystery genre. Subpar overall acting of obnoxious characters. Tired plotting. While production may have added to this from a technical sense (i.e. long takes), that doesn't justify a movie. Yawn.

I absolutely loved the twists and turns in this film. The acting and characters the actors created were top notch. I liked trying to figure out what was going on and was completely engaged in the 'whodunit' aspect. This is smart storytelling and movie making!

God. Where to start. If you're expecting anything even remotely edging towards Agatha Christie you will be severely disappointed. It's cheap and nasty, no depth of character, no intrigue, no grand dining room filled with glamorous characters, just a grotty little house with badly styled main characters.

The writing is terrible, the acting is terrible, the direction is terrible. Lots of annoying wobbly camera work. It's genuinely gruesome at points but mostly just embarrassingly cheesy. And one of the characters has the most annoying voice you've ever heard.

Sometimes, the simplest plot ideas make the most effective movies. A plot that can be explained in a few lines finds its strength in being a straightforward story, and with tight editing and a reliable pace it can work in its favour to be so succinctly explained.

Murder Made Easy for example can be summarised in one line - widowed Joan and her friend Michael invite friends to dinner where murder is on the menu. To its benefit, it barely deviates from this summary.

Starting with plinky soft jazz playing over some cheesy '80s credits as the camera hovers over the framed moments of friends, its obvious that this is going to feature the more extravagant caricature types rather than genuine characters (there is actually a picture of the vegan character hugging a tree for cripes sakes!). At least this opening sets you up to not expect a deep discourse set in reality.

We finally settle and are treated to a close up of the group of friends posing before a theatre, hence allowing the audience an insight into their past connections.

Joan (Jessica Graham) and Michael (Christopher Soren Kelly) are preparing a dinner together for friends, wondering if people will gossip about them as it is a year since Joan's husband Neil has passed on, and maybe people will think Joan and Michael are spending a little too much time together.

First to arrive is ex-alcoholic Marcus (Edmund Lupinski), who exclaims over the 'theatre' picture as it's from a play that Michael had directed in his past before Joan; this is news to her and she's intrigued, but has more pressing murderous things to do, and so moves on with the first course of the evening - Marcus.

This leads to my favourite thing about this film - each guest that attends is introduced as a menu course, a creative and fun decision. After some trips down memory lane and Michael's tenuous grip on his job is revealed, Marcus is promptly dispatched, and it's on to course two.

Next up is friend Cricket (Emilia Richeson), masseuse/hippie who dresses as you would if you were playing a vegan hippie spiritualist at a fancy dress party. Her dinner is just organic salad (cause that's all us vegans eat, dontcha know? - lol).

There's a séance-type scene that Richeson overacts (it goes on for so long it's like being hammered in the forehead by a rubber chicken) before she is also dispatched.

Pretentious, arrogant filmmaker Damian (Daniel Ahearn) comes over to lech all over Joan and offer to "get her back on the horse" - blergh!

He is seeking funding for his new documentary subject - 'Homeless fashion and dance culture'. Unfortunately it seems we won't see this exercise in hilarity as yep, Damien is next to go.

Course four is insufferable author Angela (Sheila Cutchlow) who, it seems, plagiarised from Neil - she's barely finished her pasta before it's time to die.

Things seem simple enough before they get a little messy, and then they get a little bloody, and then a twist happens, which leads to a more hard-edged ending than I had expected.

It's nicely directed by David Palamaro, with some interesting creative choices such as when a policeman arrives (a natural Paul A Rose); it is shot from his perspective and we never even see his face for the entire door step exchange, only once he enters the residence.

The long takes are also effectively used here.

A short runtime works in this film's favour; it does not outstay it welcome, moves along briskly and doesn't telegraph its surprises.

The script by Tim Davis is snappy and aside from a few saggy dialogue-heavy moments it is successful in staying light, humorous and compelling, with even a small dollop of tension thrown in.

The main drawback for me would be the singular setting of the house; it may have benefitted from some sort of flashback scene just to get you out of that lounge room for a few minutes.

Graham, angular and cold, pulls off this role with aplomb, but the real star is Soren Kelly, who has charisma in swathes. It's a pleasure to watch him all but twirl a moustache over his wicked plans but also add in a measure of cynical cool. Michael's character is quick witted and engaging and Soren Kelly is more than up to the task of bringing him to life.

More murder-mystery than outright horror, this is still successful in its darker moments, but even more so in its comedic ones.

A fluffy and sharp lemon soufflé, this dish is best enjoyed cold.

A waste of a good twist & turn plot. Oozes violence, while eagerly trying (and failing) to be funny. Many better films to watch...

This was one of the best low budget movies I've seen recently! Absolutely twisted and funny! Great work!

🎥🌟🌟🌟Very entertaining I had not seen this remake before I do have a copy with Miss Mackenzie and it's very good this one is okay🤗💐🌺

A theater troupe of celebrity impersonators are cast in a murder mystery that someone thought should be a movie. sort of. at 76 minutes, watching the entire show without throwing anything at the screen is an attainable goal. also, its only mildly irritating as background noise

Joan (Jessica Graham) and Michael (Chris Kelly) throw a party for their friends. But.. they are having it on the very anniversary of the death of Joan's husband. And that is sure to make the guests a little suspicious. Although this is a different kind of dinner party.... you'll have to watch to see it. The whole night takes place in the apartment. And there are major twists and turns, so look out! Really good. Written and directed by David Palamaro. Has only directed four films so far. I liked it.... keeps you guessing all the way right up to the end.

I would never in a million years have guessed how this movie would end. The acting was stellar, direction impeccable, and the story - well..you'll have to watch it and see. This film has been making the film festival rounds and if you get a chance to see it, don't miss it!

A very pleasant surprise found among the chaff that makes up most of what you'll find streaming in the horror section of tubitv - a genuinely fun murder/comedy. no idea who these people are or whether they've made anything else, but this is a tight, funny, & genuinely pleasing time. you could easily imagine this working as a cheerily morbid play, & if there's any justice in the world this will be discovered & seen by more people. i think it's very deserving of a cult audience.

From its onset, David Palamaro's terrific "Murder Made Easy" somehow evokes a delightfully intimate slab of dinner theater, as we're placed like a table centerpiece in the close quarters confines of a joyously sharp-witted murder plot hatching before us in real-time.

Joan -- played with a darkly sexy and refined edge by Jessica Graham -- has been widowed exactly one year to the day. Her beloved late husband Neil looms over the proceedings, still recounted with reverent fondness by his adoring colleagues, including the suavely philosophical Michael, played with terrific aplomb here by Christopher Soren Kelly. As a joint expression of their mutually shared grief, Joan and Michael have shacked up, unbeknownst to the friends they shared with Neil, each of whom arrive one by one before exiting this darkly humorous dinner party processional in very much that same manner.

When shrewd and fresh writing is put in the minds and mouths of great actors, great entertainment is bound to ensue, and "Murder Made Easy" embodies that timeless truth. This is very much a Knowingly Los Angeles parade of gleeful SoCal character cliches brought into their stylized existences by the writer/director and his outstanding cast. Each successive dinner party guest presents a tonal shift: From the aging thespian colleague (Edmund Lupinski) to the hippy dippy masseuse (Emilia Richeson) to the always-in-preproduction filmmaker (Daniel Ahearn) to the overly-prolific author (Sheila Cutchlow), it's a dynamically-changing roster seemingly lifted right out of an Altman film. In the final balance, "Murder Made Easy" is a tack-sharp, engrossing, and elevated piece of filmmaking. Highly, highly recommended.

Murder Made Easy is a fun throwback murder mystery, with a solid wink to Agatha Christie. It's a low-budget indie flick with solid acting and a lot of twists. Definitely an enjoyable ride!

A fantastic and fun Agatha Christie style murder mystery. Very enjoyable and well worth the watch.

A well written murder mystery genre film. It is not a big budget production which actually adds to its value. The creators used their lower budget to their advantage when filming. Stick through to the very end.

Tightly written and wonderfully acted. An unexpected little gem with a great twist.

Murder Made Easy is a clever new release indie murder mystery directed by David Palamaro. I became aware of this film due to some buzz at the Dances With Films festival at the Chinese Theatres in Hollywood and I'm very happy to see that it has now been released for all of us to watch at home. Murder Made Easy is a murder mystery about a widow named Joan who wants to get a measure of revenge on some people who she believes wronged her husband. Her friend Michael is her accomplice as they lure them into a dinner party.

This film is very well acted, with a standout performance from Jessica Graham in the lead role. The various dinner guests are also quite good at being eccentric or annoying, which is exactly what they needed to be. MME is also well written and it might remind some of Clue or an Agatha Christie story. The film is low budget, as many indies are, but the movie smartly takes place all in one home and they go all-in on making this a successful chamber play.

I highly recommend Murder Made Easy to anyone looking for a good murder mystery.

Old school murder mystery done with modern sensibilities is a grand cinematic ride worthy of the old school masters. The plot, which concerns dinner among friends, is not the sort of thing I'm going into detail about since the fun is seeing how it all plays out. In actuality I've seen the film several times now, once on the festival circuit and more at home on the Blu-ray and when I watch it at home I do so with friends and family simply because I want to see how they react to what is happening on screen. Trust me on this you are going to want to just see this film without anyone saying anything about it because it is going to delight you from start to finish. Recommended

I just loved "Murder Made Easy." It reminded me so much of Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope," with the same (almost) one take type style. It's also a lot like "Clue" or so many Agatha Christie stories. If you love those, you will love this film.

Acting is much better than most indie films, and the story is way better than most Hollywood films out there.

I had the opportunity to get this movie when it came out in a special edition DVD last year. What I like about indie films is the raw energy that it takes to make a film and market it, no Hollywood hype, no flashy CG budget and no faces that are only there to get a paycheck just a crew of people who have a passion to work on a project together then see it through to the end, wrap it up in a bow and present it to the public so others can enjoy their vision. This movie was a joy to watch not only for its homage to films like Clue and 10 Little Indians but because you had an accomplished cast with a smart director leading the way. The film's pace was perfect and with simple sets quick transitions and smart editing, it did not deter you from the story of this masterful who done it. Many of the scenes set themselves and provided fast-paced fun with minimal effort showing how well the writer encapsulated the character design making it easy for you to focus on the story. I had the opportunity to meet the actor Christopher Soren Kelly at one of his indie premieres in Portland Oregon a few years back and since then I have followed his progress in other independent films always enjoying his work including his delightful performance in this feature, his co-star Jessica Graham plays a very convincing character with her burn your eyes out glaze and straight face lines she partners well with Christopher in on-screen chemistry all the other actors in the story were fun to watch and you could feel the director's hands-on approach to storytelling this made me feel his investment in the project and his actors, I look forward to more independent films from the actors and this crew. I highly recommend this movie to everyone, and especially to anyone who has a desire to put themselves behind the camera and bring their vision to light. Support independent film and the people who make them.

A classic murder suspense flick that would make Hitchcock extremely proud. This film reminds me of Rope but with a lot more timely edits. The tightly woven plot revolves around a cadre of dinner guests arriving one after another. True to its murder mystery form, the plot twists and turns all throughout. Acting is solid through out with a good mix of dark and offbeat humor. Camera floats in and out of the scenes with a sense purpose and timing. The framing is one of the widest I have seen in a indie film with characters near the edge of action on certain shots. It's purposeful long take cinematography lends to it's visual style. Overall this well written and directed dark humor tale of murder will leave you quite satisfied. A fast paced feature for modern standards, clocking in less than 1 hour 16 minutes. A highly recommended viewing for fans of dark humor and murder mysteries.