>>150304813
Her finesse not paying off is actually my gripe after we get a bunch of background about her.
Nothing about Eva's past is why she's involved, a chance client pulled her in by chance. It's not even like she bonded with the grandma early on due to memories of her own to ironically tie things up, the two don't speak until the finale.
I get the impression the scene where Penelope seemed already convinced it was a murder instead of an accident was intended to make it seem she was responsible but using her mousy nature to hide the truth, all to setup a red herring twist that she was clueless, but that just makes why she called a legally clueless shrink to a will reading more contrived. She noted herself Eva's careless, inquisitive nature is stirring more trouble than solving, then asks a second time for her to get involved??
Instead of a disruptive guest of someone so powerless like Penelope; If Eva was a shrink the family paid to write up a good record whenever at risk of being labelled unfit for decent society it could have made more sense why she was invited to confirm the grandma was of sound mind, and why she was disliked but tolerated. It would make her a sellout, but she already shrugged at that when asked why she let herself be a sad rich girl's expensive shoulder to cry on.
But even then, in the end, as fitting as it is for theming, instead of any of her skill and effort resulting in anything: her pressing a lonely old lady does. The second impression I get is some of the quirks and that fumble to victory ending were inspired by Knives Out, but that movie spared itself by the detective admitting he already suspected things but just couldn't prove them, plus he didn't cut an old woman open to prove his innocence.
And whatever the cop lady ignores Penelope can still charge Eva with dissecting a body without a license or request. I can't even imagine the sentence for that.
Well illustrated and entertaining? Yes.
Deranged? Also yes.
