A Murder in Oakland: Beauty Is Deadly

A Murder in Oakland follows the reopening of a serial murder case that rocked the city a couple years back. Two police detectives who are working together for the first time must set aside their differences to follow old trails around the murders. In the meantime, lead detective Williams (Marcus D. Spencer) also grapples with his personal struggle.

Spencer - pulling triple duty as actor, director and co-writer on the film - strings together a compelling crime thriller with strong emphasis on its characters.

The murder mystery is zippy and gives you enough to keep guessing. Running through the background of the investigation is a collection of real people with their own struggles. Sometimes, the shifts aren't the smoothest, in particular the bit with the police therapist and her marital issue. On its own, this B-plot has a compelling conflict. It's just when put together with the rest of the film, it sticks out and disrupts the flow of the plot. Something else interesting is when Spencer includes scenes with actors flubbing their lines or laughing mid delivery. I'm not sure if it's a creative decision, but it's certainly an amusing one.

At its heart, the film really is about Detective Williams' emotional journey. The plot is the plot, but the script emphasizes Williams' psyche, from a lone wolf, chronically stressed detective with a chip on his shoulder, to someone more receptive by the end. It gives the film a different edge from other stories in the same genre.

Equal parts gritty and humane, A Murder in Oakland stands on its own as a crime thriller.