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Knives Out
(Lionsgate Films)
By Lucas Allen
While he did get some undeserved toxic-level backlash on the internet for his work on “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” writer/director Rian Johnson still gets top marks for bringing some of his own vision and talent to a beloved franchise. With that said, he now follows up his sci-fi epic by going back to his filmmaking roots by creating a murder mystery comedy that pays homage to the literary works of Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie for the modern era. “Knives Out” is the perfect alternative for anyone looking for something different than the blockbuster and award-worthy titles filling up theaters this season.
The morning after his 85th birthday party, renowned author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead with throat slit by his own hand. But while Lt. Elliot (LaKeith Stanfield) is interviewing the rest of the Thrombey clan, detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) suspects that one of the family members might be responsible for murdering him. It could be Harlan’s son-in-law Richard (Don Johnson), who Harlan caught cheating on his wife, Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis); or their deadbeat son Ransom (Chris Evans), who was cut off from his grandfather’s will. Then there’s Harlan’s son/publisher Walt (Michael Shannon), with whom he had a business dispute, and his wife Joni (Toni Collette), trying to get more money for her daughter Meg (Katherine Langford) to get to college.
But at the center of the mystery is Harlan’s young nurse Marta (Ana de Armas), who happened to be the last known person to see the old man alive. Worse for her, her involvement could mean jail time and her mother and sister being deported. But after the reading of the will by Harlan’s lawyer Alan Stevens (Frank Oz AKA Yoda), the case takes a different turn for Blanc. The other mystery for him to solve is who mysteriously hired him for the case.
Whereas the more recent version of “Murder on the Orient Express” was just the same story retold with different painted colors, this film which is built on an original story with its own style, creating a fresher take on the mystery genre. There’s a certain level of creativity in developing the look of the film with the set design and cinematography that help give the story both a modern and classic feel. The Thrombey mansion is a great achievement itself bringing a gothic tone within a comedy making the film stand out on its own.
Though this movie is touted as a twist on the mystery genre, the film’s mystery comes off as very simple in setup and execution. It’s like something Christie would’ve written in her day that would work really well as both a novel and a movie with her Hercule Poirot character and an all-star cast. And the characters make it interesting enough to keep your attention throughout the two-hour runtime, especially when you’re paying attention to the clues. Once the third act comes in and the entire case is revealed, it’s both hugely satisfying and worthwhile containing the biggest laugh in the film.
Other than being an action star, Craig proves to be versatile in comedy by delivering his lines in a Southern drawl with great timing and energy. After quitting Bond, it might be very likely that his Benoit Blanc will be a new franchise character worth repeating. Other highlights in the cast are Armas who adds heart and vulnerability to the story, while Evans completely sheds his superhero persona to portray a hilariously neurotic and jerky character. The likes of Curtis, Shannon, Johnson, Collette and Plummer also add to the likability and appeal of the cast.
There’s a lot to like about “Knives Out” as a darkly funny mystery with a dash of class and style. As simple it is in its setup, it works altogether thanks to the talented work of a director and a well-assembled cast. For a thriller, it’s the most fun to watch on the big screen this holiday season.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: PG-13 (for thematic elements including brief violence, some strong language, sexual references, and drug material)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.5 Stars (Out of Four)
