Keira Knightley stars in Boston Strangler, a true-crime movie set in the 1960s about the Boston Strangler murders. The movie follows two female reporters, Loretta McLaughlin (Knightley) and Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), as they investigate the string of murders for the Boston Record-American and face opposition from their editor (Chris Cooper) and Boston police.
The movie is directed by Boston native Matt Ruskin, who says he was inspired to make the movie after hearing an interview with Loretta McLaughlin. “The more I learned about these women, the more I grew to admire the work they did and the lives they led,” he said in a statement.
“At its core, this is a true crime thriller, but it’s also a story about how these reporters were willing to challenge the norms of the era to do the work that was so important to them,” Ruskin told PEOPLE.
Boston Strangler is based on the real-life series of murders that began in the late 1950s and continued until 1964. The murderer was never officially identified, though convicted criminal Albert DeSalvo confessed in 1964 to being the Boston Strangler. Forensic evidence in 2013 was able to link DeSalvo, who died in 1973, to the crimes.
The movie follows Loretta and Jean as they battle the rampant sexism of the era and attempt to uncover the murderer’s identity. Along the way, they face stonewalling and opposition from their editor and the police department.
In the trailer, Loretta and Jean are seen interviewing suspects and attempting to piece together the clues. The trailer also reveals a bit of the tension between the two reporters and their editor, as well as a few scenes showing the frustration of the Boston police at the lack of progress in the investigation.
Boston Strangler begins streaming on Hulu on March 17. The movie is sure to be a gripping look at the true-crime story and a testament to the courage and determination of the two female reporters.
