The Face of an Angel (2014)

The Face of an Angel is special because it treats a sensational murder case not as lurid entertainment, but as a mirror held up to the people who consume and profit from tragedy—journalists, filmmakers, and the rest of us. It moves with the hushy tension of a thriller, yet it’s fundamentally a contemplative, humanist drama, more interested in moral aftershocks and shifting perspectives than in easy answers. The film feels multi-dimensional in the way it layers ambition, guilt, and curiosity, building toward moments that land like quiet revelations rather than plot twists. It won’t satisfy viewers looking for a tidy true-crime procedural, but if you want something intelligent, unsettling, and surprisingly humane—with a standout turn from Cara Delevingne—it’s well worth your time.

The Face of an Angel wants to be a smart, slippery thriller about truth, media exploitation, and how real crimes get turned into stories. The problem is it keeps changing lanes—journalism drama, meta commentary, murder mystery—without ever locking onto one compelling through-line, so it can feel confusing, unfocused, and oddly shallow for such serious material. If you’re hoping for a satisfying procedural, clear answers, or emotional weight that builds to a payoff, this will likely leave you cold. That said, there are moments of atmosphere and strong intentions, so it may work best for viewers who enjoy moody, idea-driven films even when the storytelling is messy.