Bodkin (2025) is a brooding, slow-burn mystery-thriller that sinks its teeth deep into the twisted heart of a small town with a long memory. Directed by David Fincher and written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the film masterfully combines dry wit, atmospheric dread, and razor-sharp commentary on obsession, truth, and the stories we choose to tell.
Set in the fictional Irish village of Bodkin, the film follows American podcaster Gwen Mercer (played by Jodie Comer), who arrives in search of inspiration for her fading true crime series. She’s joined by Irish investigative journalist Fionn Kelleher (Domhnall Gleeson), a local with a dark past of his own. Their target? A cold case involving three people who mysteriously vanished during a local festival in the late '90s — a case no one in Bodkin wants reopened.
But as Gwen digs deeper, the quaint town’s charm begins to unravel. What starts as a hunt for the truth becomes a dangerous game of manipulation, buried trauma, and generational guilt. The locals seem helpful — but their smiles hide secrets, and their stories never quite match. Is the town protecting a killer… or something far more disturbing?
Bodkin excels in its mood. Rain-soaked streets, fog-covered cliffs, and candlelit pubs give the film a gothic, almost folkloric tone. Composer Max Richter’s sparse, aching score heightens the tension, and Fincher’s restrained, meticulous direction keeps you second-guessing every glance, every pause, every word unsaid.
Jodie Comer gives a career-defining performance — intelligent, relentless, and emotionally fraying as Gwen becomes consumed by the mystery and her own past. Gleeson balances her perfectly with understated intensity, portraying a man who may be trying to solve the case… or bury it.
What makes Bodkin stand out from other mystery thrillers is its self-awareness. It critiques the commodification of tragedy through true crime media, while simultaneously being a gripping crime story itself. The script is smart, layered, and filled with subtle irony — managing to be both grim and darkly funny.
The film ends with a stunning twist: the missing people may never have left Bodkin at all. A secret underground chamber is discovered — and inside it, clues that point not to murder, but to ritual, cult-like activity rooted in ancient Celtic myth. The closing shot lingers on a centuries-old symbol carved into stone: the Bodkin Mark.
With its chilling ambiguity and rich mythology, Bodkin (2025) leaves the door wide open for a sequel or even a limited series. Whether it returns to the screen or not, one thing’s clear — this is a story that will haunt you long after the credits roll.
