Talking Heads 'Psycho Killer' by Mike Mills

David Knight - 6th June 2025
For a Talking Heads classic - their greatest early song - arrives a new video, delivered by director Mike Mills and actor Saoirse Ronan. And its a remarkable and brilliant thing to behold, addressing one of the most important subjects of all: what goes on between our ears.
Saoirse Ronan plays a woman who's mental state is in a constant state of flux. We find this out by following her repeatedly through her daily routine, that often-employed device that's given its own twist here: while the surroundings repeat, her character is never the same twice. We are observing a woman in the hold of her bi-polarity - or multi-polarity.Â
It's an outstanding performance, as one might expect from a screen actor of her quality, but although it arguably looks like it could come from an independent movie that Mills might direct and Ronan star in, here she's delivering a new version of herself in each accelerated day, within a few brief moments.
The impact is to take the viewer on their own journey, from observation to understanding to ultimately, relating to the character - all while listening to one of the great punk/post-punk tracks of all. She's out there, but actually, as she navigates her way through the quotidian grind, how different is she from the rest of us?Â
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Credits
Production/Creative
- Director
- Mike Mills
- Head Of Production
- Marthinus Lamprecht
- Producer
- Youree Henley
- Producer
- Steven Gottlieb
- Production Company
- M
- Executive Producer
- David Zander
- Executive Producer
- Eriks Krumins
- 1st AD
- John Nasraway
- Production Supervisor
- Noelle Hubbell
Camera
- Director of Photography
- Arseni Khachaturan
- 1st AC
- Riley Keeton
Lighting/Grip
- Gaffer
- Eddie Reid
- Key Grip
- Steven Beuhler
Art
- Production designer
- Mary Florence Brown
Wardrobe
- Stylist
- Katina Danabassis
- Hair & Make-up
- Vanessa Price
Casting
- Lead actor
- Saoirse Ronan
Editorial
- Editor
- Joe Nankin
Grading
- Colourist
- Mark Gethin
Agent
- Director's Representation
- Lark Creative
Commission
- Commissioner
- Steven Gottlieb
David Knight - 6th June 2025