THE ALPHABET KILLER (2008) is a film that got lousy reviews, even here.  But I have a minority opinion .... although the film is unsatisfying as a murder mystery it is very engrossing as a psychological study.

The story is inspired by a real string of murders of three 11 year old girls that took place in Rochester, NY over a two year period, from November 1971 to November 1973.  The remarkable thing was that each girl had a first and last name that began with the same letter and her body was dumped in (or near) a place that (sometimes with a little geographic fudging) had a name that also began with that letter.  The police have never solved these murders although they did follow several leads.

Back around 2001, the Discovery Channel worked up a documentary on the "Double Initial Murders", as they were called, and an FBI profiler took an interest in one suspect who had committed suicide in 1991.  Unfortunately that suspect had the same name as some innocuous citizen who was still alive and, by some screw-up, the Discovery program showed the photo and some personal data about this innocent person, who promptly sued everyone responsible.  I mention this to show that the murders damaged even strangers to the victims.

And that is pretty much the point of this movie.   Considering that so many people have told you not to bother with this movie, I offer this brief SPOILER:  The movie does not solve the murders, instead it shows us how an overworked policewoman loses her sanity trying to break the case.
End of Spoiler.

In Rochester, NY, a young girl named Carla Castillo is found dead in a village called Churchville.  Policewoman Megan Paige (Eliza Dushku) is put on the case by her boss (Tommy Noonan, who usually plays villains).  Megan becomes obsessed with finding the killer; she starts seeing the initials CCC everywhere, she even thinks she sees the ghost of the dead girl.  She starts to have experiences like THE SIXTH SENSE.  But her increasingly stressed-out behavior becomes obvious and when the case grows cold, her boss orders her to drop it.  Literally haunted by the case, Megan attempts suicide.

When she recovers and leaves the hospital she is posted to the "bow-and-arrow squad", those cops no longer permitted to carry a gun, in the file rooms.  She has regular sessions with the hospital psychiatrist (Carl Lumbly, late of Cagney & Lacey), frequent group therapy led by a wheelchaired mathematician (Timothy Hutton),  a heavy medication schedule, and strict instructions not to trouble trouble.  Two years pass.

Then the body of Wendy Walsh is found in Webster, and shortly thereafter Melissa Maestro's body is found near a park whose name begins with M.  Megan begs her new boss, her ex-fiance (Cary Elwes), to reactivate her.  Against his better judgment, he lets her do ride-alongs with a detective, but she is not allowed to touch evidence, do anything but follow the detective, and positively not to handle a weapon. 

She can't leave well enough alone.  The police department tries to close the case by blaming the murders on someone killed in an unrelated case, but Megan knows better and she enrages the police chief (Michael Ironside, who has played plenty of villains) by debunking this sham.  Absolutely forbidden to even think about the murders, she strikes off on her own, with a loaded gun, surrounded by ghosts, determined to find the killer herself.

This movie was low budget but you'd hardly notice.  The acting and other production values are very good.  However, I  must admit it is not a conventional mystery and, therefore, it did not do well in previews.  It was allowed to open in only two US theatres before being sent to the DVD stores.
As a psychological study (in the style of Turn of the Screw) it is, however, very good.  That seems to be a very small cinematic niche but if you like that, this is a good example

It runs 98 minutes and is rated R (violence, rough language, and two seconds of Eliza Dusku's peerless globes).  If you like this, maybe THE OTHERS (2001) with Nicole Kidman would interest you.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age