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Timeline

A Kind of Murder (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 95 min · English
JustWatch #10,900 2
Directed by
Andy Goddard
Starring
Patrick Wilson, Vincent Kartheiser, Haley Bennett, Jessica Biel

Walter Stackhouse, a wealthy man trapped in a stifling marriage to Clara, becomes obsessed with Kimmel, a suspect in a disturbing murder. Walter's fascination intertwines their lives, drawing him deeper into a complex and dangerous situation. A determined detective investigates the case, convinced he's uncovered the truth. As the investigation intensifies and secrets are revealed, a web of deceit emerges, leaving everyone questioning who is truly innocent and what lengths they'll go to protect themselves.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like A Kind of Murder
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch A Kind of Murder (2016)

Where can you watch A Kind of Murder? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Hulu, Philo and Hoopla: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

A Kind of Murder Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of A Kind of Murder (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Walter Stackhouse's Dual Life

    Walter Stackhouse is introduced as an architect with aspirations of becoming a crime novelist. His life is marked by a struggle to balance these conflicting identities while also dealing with personal tensions in his marriage.

  2. Murder Investigation Begins

    The mysterious murder of a local woman sets off a series of events that captivates Stackhouse's curiosity. His visit to the used bookstore owned by the victim's husband, Kimmel, symbolizes a descent into a web of deceit.

    Where
    Kimmel's bookstore
  3. Clara's Shocking Discovery

    In a tragic twist, Stackhouse discovers the body of his wife, Clara, eerily mirroring the fate of Kimmel's spouse. This revelation stirs a mix of grief and suspicion, worsening the already strained dynamics.

  4. Detective Corby's Investigation

    Detective Corby becomes embroiled in the case, drawing parallels between the two husbands. His instincts suggest that Stackhouse and Kimmel may share a sinister connection linked to their wives' deaths.

  5. Affair with Ellie Briess

    The narrative unfolds to reveal Stackhouse's affair with nightclub singer Ellie Briess, complicating his marital issues further. This emotional turmoil adds to the tension as Stackhouse grapples with guilt and desire.

    Where
    Ellie's nightclub
  6. Corby's Strategy to Divide

    Corby employs a strategy to create a rift between Kimmel and Stackhouse. He suggests to Kimmel that Stackhouse is emulating a killer, fueling suspicion and betrayal that pushes them further apart.

  7. Kimmel's Alliance with Corby

    In a dramatic turn, Kimmel decides to ally with Detective Corby against Stackhouse. This partnership sets the stage for increasing confrontations, heightening the suspense surrounding Stackhouse's fate.

  8. Chase Through the Nightclub

    The tension culminates in a frantic chase through the dark passages of Ellie's nightclub. Kimmel, driven by suspicion and anger, pursues Stackhouse amidst the chaos of hidden truths.

    Where
    Ellie's nightclub
  9. Accidental Death of an Officer

    During the escalating conflict, Kimmel accidentally kills a police officer, triggering a cascade of horrifying consequences. This moment marks a turning point as Kimmel is struck by the gravity of his actions.

  10. Confrontation Between Kimmel and Stackhouse

    Kimmel corners Stackhouse with a knife in a desperate bid to confront the truth. The confrontation is fraught with tension, as the emotions and fears of both men collide amidst the chaos of their lives.

  11. Police Response and Kimmel's Downfall

    As police respond urgently to the violent confrontation, they are forced to act decisively. Kimmel's tragic downfall becomes apparent as the repercussions of his actions seal his fate.

  12. Stackhouse's Injured Revelation

    In the aftermath of the chaos, Stackhouse is left injured and reflective. A twisted smile emerges on his face as he contemplates the blurred lines between fiction and the stark realities of his life.

  13. The Final Climax

    The climax of the film is encapsulated in Stackhouse's realization of the thin boundaries separating his fictional world from his painful reality. The narrative crescendos as the typewriter echoes the final message, marking the end of his tumultuous journey.

  14. Conclusion: 'THE END'

    In the closing moments, the phrase 'THE END' rattles through, symbolizing the conclusion of both Stackhouse's story and the conflict that has engulfed his life. This poignant ending leaves the audience contemplating the complexities of truth and storytelling.

Last updated: November 22, 2024 at 10:45

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Timeline questions answered

A Kind of Murder Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of A Kind of Murder (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Walter Stackhouse become obsessed with Kimmel?

Walter Stackhouse, an aspiring crime novelist, becomes fixated on the murder case because it fuels both his professional and personal fantasies. His visit to Kimmel's bookstore is driven by morbid curiosity about the killing, which he sees as potential material for his writing. This obsession deepens as he inserts himself into the investigation, blurring the lines between his fictional crime ideas and real-world events.

  • Walter Stackhouse
  • Kimmel
  • murder case
  • obsession
  • crime novelist
Q2

How does Clara Stackhouse die?

Clara Stackhouse is found dead in her home, with her death mirroring the exact manner of Kimmel's wife's murder. While the investigation suggests she was murdered, the exact circumstances remain ambiguous. The parallel between the two deaths becomes central to Detective Corby's suspicion that Stackhouse may have orchestrated his wife's death using knowledge from the Kimmel case.

  • Clara Stackhouse
  • death
  • murder
  • similar to Kimmel's wife
Q3

What is Detective Corby's theory about the murders?

Detective Corby suspects that both wives were killed by their husbands in similar fashion, suggesting a connection between Stackhouse and Kimmel. He believes Stackhouse may have been inspired by Kimmel's crime and used the murder as a template, either literally or through unconscious suggestion. Corby deliberately sows discord between the two men by telling Kimmel that Stackhouse is mimicking a killer, hoping to force a confession or reveal the truth.

  • Detective Corby
  • investigation
  • theory
  • husbands
  • killers
Q4

What is the connection between Kimmel's wife and Clara's deaths?

Both women are murdered in nearly identical ways, creating a disturbing parallel that Detective Corby uses to build his case. Kimmel's wife was killed first, and Clara's death follows the same pattern. This similarity leads to the theory that either Stackhouse copied Kimmel or that the two men are somehow collaborating. The connection becomes the driving force of the investigation and the source of Stackhouse's increasing danger.

  • Kimmel's wife
  • Clara
  • identical murders
  • pattern
Q5

What is Walter Stackhouse's relationship with Ellie Briess?

Stackhouse has a secret affair with Ellie Briess, a nightclub singer. This extramarital relationship adds another layer of complexity to his marriage troubles with Clara. The affair provides Stackhouse with both emotional escape and guilt, complicating his already troubled domestic life. Ellie becomes relevant again during the climax when the chase unfolds through the passages beneath her nightclub.

  • Ellie Briess
  • affair
  • nightclub singer
  • Stackhouse relationship
Q6

Why does Kimmel turn against Stackhouse?

Kimmel turns against Stackhouse after Detective Corby convinces him that Stackhouse is mimicking his crime. Corby's manipulation suggests Stackhouse knew about the Kimmel murder and potentially used it as inspiration for killing his own wife. This accusation enrages Kimmel, leading him to team up with Corby against Stackhouse and pursue his own form of justice.

Foreshadowing: Corby's earlier strategy to divide the two men by suggesting Stackhouse was copying Kimmel sets up this betrayal.

  • Kimmel
  • turns against Stackhouse
  • Corby manipulation
  • accusation
Q7

What happens during the chase at Ellie's nightclub?

The climax features a frantic chase through the hidden passages beneath Ellie's nightclub. Kimmel, now hostile toward Stackhouse, pursues him through the dark maze-like tunnels. During the chaos, Kimmel accidentally kills a police officer who intervenes. The situation escalates until police are forced to act, resulting in Kimmel's death when he corners Stackhouse with a knife.

Foreshadowing: The revelation of Stackhouse's affair with Ellie earlier in the film explains why her nightclub becomes the setting for the final confrontation.

  • nightclub chase
  • Kimmel
  • Ellie's nightclub
  • police officer
  • dark passages
Q8

What does Stackhouse's smile at the end mean?

Stackhouse's twisted smile at the film's conclusion reflects his realization of how completely his fiction has become reality. As an aspiring crime writer, he fantasized about murder and now finds himself at the center of a real case with his own wife dead. The enigmatic smile suggests he has accepted the disturbing overlap between his imagined crimes and his actual life, leaving his guilt or innocence deliberately ambiguous.

Foreshadowing: Stackhouse's dual identity as an architect and crime novelist, established early in the film, foreshadows this blurred line between fiction and reality.

  • Stackhouse smile
  • ending
  • ambiguous
  • fiction vs reality
  • acceptance
Q9

Is Walter Stackhouse guilty of his wife's murder?

The film deliberately leaves Stackhouse's guilt ambiguous. While Detective Corby strongly suspects him, the evidence remains circumstantial. Stackhouse had motive through his affair, means through his knowledge of the Kimmel case, and opportunity given his whereabouts. However, the film never confirms his direct involvement, allowing the mystery to remain unresolved as Stackhouse reflects on the thin line between his fictional creations and harsh reality.

  • Stackhouse guilt
  • ambiguous
  • detective suspicion
  • evidence
Q10

How does the novel Stackhouse is writing relate to the real events?

Stackhouse's unfinished crime novel parallels the actual events unfolding around him, creating a meta-narrative about the dangers of creative obsession. His fictional killer's methods echo the real murders, raising questions about whether his subconscious influenced reality or whether he deliberately used his writing as a cover. This theme of fiction bleeding into reality is central to the film's psychological tension.

  • Stackhouse novel
  • crime fiction
  • writing
  • mirrors real events
  • obsession

Movie threads

More Movies Like A Kind of Murder, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes A Kind of Murder tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about obsession and crime like A Kind of Murder

Characters whose morbid curiosity pulls them into a dangerous web. If you liked A Kind of Murder, explore more movies where a character's dangerous obsession with a crime pulls them into a web of deceit. These psychological thrillers and dramas focus on the dark fascination that can lead one to become part of the story they are following.

  • obsessive
  • unsettling
  • psychological
  • dark
  • suspenseful
  • claustrophobic
  • Tone: tense, dark, psychological
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a character, often a writer or similar creative, as their professional interest in a crime evolves into a personal and dangerous obsession. The story structure typically involves the protagonist inserting themselves into the investigation or the criminal's life, leading to a convergence where the hunter becomes the hunted or the observer becomes a participant.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on the psychological theme of obsession, where a character's intellectual curiosity transforms into a destructive force. They share a tense, claustrophobic tone and often feature morally ambiguous protagonists on a collision course with the darkness they seek to understand.

Slow burn psychological thrillers like A Kind of Murder

Stories where tension builds steadily in a confined psychological space. Find more movies with a similar slow burn, claustrophobic feel to A Kind of Murder. These films use steady pacing and high psychological tension to create an anxious, immersive atmosphere, often exploring themes of deceit, marital strife, and moral ambiguity within a confined setting.

  • slow burn
  • claustrophobic
  • tense
  • psychological
  • unsettling
  • anxious
  • Tone: tense, claustrophobic, unsettling
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread unfold with a steady, persistent rhythm, avoiding sudden action in favor of accumulating psychological pressure. The conflict is often internal or interpersonal, set within constrained environments like a troubled marriage or a mounting investigation. The focus is on the gradual erosion of a character's sanity or safety.

Why they belong together: These movies share a specific combination of steady pacing, high psychological intensity, and a tense, often bleak tone. They prioritize mood and internal tension over plot twists, creating a cohesive viewing experience defined by a sense of inescapable dread and claustrophobia.

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Movies Like A Kind of Murder

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Every angle

A Kind of Murder (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about A Kind of Murder in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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