New Amber Sealey movie No Man Of God is making headlines for its clear parallels with the hit Netflix show Mindhunter. The film, which chronicles a series of intense interviews and exchanges between FBI agent Bill Hagmaier and notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, appears to closely mirror the show's signature and pioneering format. However, beyond its chilling portrayal of a real-life criminal, the film also shares some more subtle characteristics with David Fincher's hit series.
The movie, which stars Elijah Wood as Agent Hagmaier and Luke Kirby as Bundy, focuses on Bundy's time as an inmate at Florida State Prison in Raiford. Over the course of the runtime, Wood's Hagmaier sets out to establish the motives behind Bundy's horrific crimes before he is executed. In addition to providing a new perspective on Bundy's infamous spree, the film also takes the audience inside the mind of one of America's most notorious criminals. Despite the bleak subject matter, No Man Of God is a critical hit, scoring an impressive 80% on Rotten Tomatoes after 59 reviews.
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Considering that much of the drama revolves around interviews with a deranged killer, it's unsurprising that many have compared it to Netflix's psycho-drama Mindhunter. Both the film and the TV show incorporate seriously disturbing exchanges between the protagonists and dangerous killers, and highlight the effect that interviewing someone like Ted Bundy can have. However, the uncanny similarities between No Man Of God and Mindhunter don't stop with the emphasis on the interviews themselves.
One of the less obvious links between the two productions is in the specific relationships that the interviewers end up having with their subjects. A key theme throughout both dramas is the idea of manipulation. The fictional Agents Tench and Ford in Mindhunter and the real Hagmaier in No Man Of God are constantly warned against the charms of the subjects they interrogate. In the movie, Hagmaier develops a form of bond with Bundy, who goes so far as to call the FBI Agent his "best friend". This mirrors Mindhunter's tense relationship between Holden Ford and real serial killer Ed Kemper, who embraces Ford during the season 1 finale. The fact that both show and movie examine the complex psychology at play when spending so much time with dangerous yet slightly seductive individuals is a key similarity.
A second subtle link between No Man Of God and Mindhunter is the FBI itself. In the Netflix series, Ford and Tench are depicted as pioneering the Bureau's behavioral sciences division. Although the show takes some liberties with the team's founding, it is a relatively accurate representation. Interestingly, No Man Of God's Hagmaier was actually a key founding member of the behavioral sciences unit in real life. Given this very real connection, it's hardly surprising that both productions can seem incredibly similar in places.
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