The Dummy Detective

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The Dummy Detective

2025

1h 29m

Comedy

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

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Popcornmeter

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7 Reviews

96%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

In the spirit of Clue and Knives Out, THE DUMMY DETECTIVE follows Detective Van Trillo, a real-life ventriloquist, and his wooden partner as they investigate a string of bizarre murders inside a secluded inn filled with eccentric guests.

Jonita Davis

The Black Cape (Medium)

Jan 13

The film plays with the genre in a style reminiscent of the Naked Gun films, but with an underlying darkness akin to that of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Oh, and there are actual dummies — the kind that ventriloquists use.

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Ethan Padgett

Film Threat

Jan 6

8.5/10

Anyone who loves a good mystery and the crime genre will be thoroughly entertained by The Dummy Detective.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Dec 21

3.0/4.0

Don't be a dummy. Check out The Dummy Detective.

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Tim Brennan

About Boulder

Dec 15

If you’re making a movie about a ventriloquist detective, you need to be prepared to go to some strange places. What we’re left with is a screenplay that promises something much weirder than it actually delivers.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Dec 12

4/5

…with Sean Young leading a committed ensemble cast and a traditional whodunnit structure, The Dummy Detective is easy to watch and fun to try and guess where the story is going; the ventriloquism angle is fresh and adds novelty to ancient conceits…

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Amanda Mazzillo

Film Joy

Dec 4

The Dummy Detective is filled to the brim with jokes, delightful absurdity, and surprising twists. If a detective comedy starring a ventriloquist with his dummy as partner sounds like a fun time, you definitely should check out The Dummy Detective.

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Stuart M

@StuartM82 5d

The Dummy Detective is an amazing "Who done it" that is well written and produced. The movie has you guessing all the way through as any movie of this style should. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good murder mystery. And if you didn't love puppets before, you will after this!

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L F

@RT83043843 6d

I really love the puppetry setup.

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Carey C.

@RT74713526 Apr 9

This movie was so refreshing!! The mystery aspect kept me guessing. When I was suspecting one character, it was something else. You know you're watching a great mystery film when it keeps you guessing until the very end!! A fantastic puzzle piece story that unfolds as it nears the climax. I highly recommend if you like Clue or Who framed Roger Rabbit!!

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Madelle C

@RT81470531 Apr 3

Great fun! Really entertaining and worth watching.

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Jason S

@RT07541901 Apr 2

A really fun & campy "who done it?" movie. In the vein of an Agatha Christie movie. Sean Young is wonderfully funny and reminds me of a young Elsa Lancaster!

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Taylor B

@RT37998354 Apr 2

I recommend the movie to anyone who can appreciate the humor of blending ventriloquism with a detective movie. It's a good combo and I hope we get a sequel in the future.

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Rob Margolies

Director

Sean Young

Actor

Jonathan Geffner

Actor

Deborah Twiss

Actor

Ed Altman

Actor

Kristin Samuelson

Actor

The Dummy Detective: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In the spirit of Clue and Knives Out, THE DUMMY DETECTIVE follows Detective Van Trillo, a real-life ventriloquist, and his wooden partner as they investigate a string of bizarre murders inside a secluded inn filled with eccentric guests.

Director: Rob Margolies
Producer: Rob Margolies
Screenwriter: Jonathan Geffner
Distributor: Filmhub
Production Co: Different Duck Films
Genre: Comedy, Mystery & Thriller, Crime
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2025
Runtime: 1h 29m

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