Like any good whodunit film, the excitement lies not only in the peculiar nature of the crime but also in the equally kooky cast of characters who toss around suspicions like hot potatoes.
A sassy and stylish homage to its murder-mystery predecessors, Knives Out is 130 minutes of pure thrills, adrenaline highs, and avant-garde home decor. Rian Johnson – who’s been tapped to direct the recently announced Untitled Star Wars Trilogy: Episode I – creates a compelling atmosphere of suspense that will have audiences on edge until the very last frame.
Christopher Plummer plays the patriarchal Harlan Thrombey, an accomplished mystery writer and collector of gaudy art and self-portraits. In celebration of his 85th birthday, his fractured family congregates in his mansion estate to reconnect, eat cake, and unavoidably stir up drama. When Harlan is found with his throat slit the following morning, the local detectives assigned to the incident (LaKeith Stanfield, Noah Segan) initially believe this is an open and shut case of suicide. However, private investigator Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) senses otherwise. With his bourbon-glazed Southern drawl and sharp line of questioning, he enlists the assistance of Harlan’s caregiver, Marta (Ana de Armas), to help him catch the killer. Or killers. In the Thrombey mansion, everyone is a suspect.
The main draw here is the stellar ensemble cast. Combined, they create an undeniable force of talent that is pure hilarity to watch on screen. Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Katherine Langford, and Jaeden Martell all play exaggerated versions of entitled teens and adults with flamboyant attitudes and self-righteous prerogatives. Because no one trusts the intentions of another, these complicated family dynamics are expressed in both a war of words and physical altercations which blend to create comedy gold.
Knives Out offers a wildly entertaining escape from reality as an Agatha Christie murder-mystery come to life. It does a wonderful job of introducing new twists, and subsequently increasing the stakes, with every new scene. Knives Out doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it feels fresh in its execution, which is mostly due to the hilarious script. The humor is the film’s selling point; it’s fast-paced and specific with every single joke landing hard. Despite the warning of “mature content,” Knives Out is the perfect film to watch over the holidays for a good laugh.
KNIVES OUT (2019)
Starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas
Directed by Rian Johnson
Written by Rian Johnson
Distributed by Lionsgate. 130 minutes.
In theaters everywhere Wednesday, November 27, 2019.
