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Rating: 5 out of 5
Knives Out, written and directed by Rian Johnson, is one of the best movies of 2019. With 2019 solely dominated by Disney this year, Knives Out is a refreshing and extremely entertaining modern age murder mystery, whodunit film of the year. Fans of murder mystery novel great, Agatha Christie, will enjoy this work of cinematic art. If Agatha Christie isn’t your go-to murder mystery source or the classics like Columbo and Murder She Wrote, you’re in luck because this film will bring a smile to your face. Who wouldn’t love a movie that has a death of a famed author, a family that seems to be right out of a reality TV show along with one of the greatest detectives trying to solve the case? Sign me up right now to watch this film.
Harlan Thrombey (Plummer), one of the world’s most successful murder-mystery writers has just celebrated his 85th birthday with his extended family. The next morning, his housekeeper Fran (Patterson) finds him dead as a doorknob with his throat slit and the knife in his hand. From all angles, it looks like an open and shut suicide. Yet, questions begin to arise as to why the successful novelist would take his own life. Two officers (Stanfield and Segan) come to the Thrombey estate to do a minor investigation before wrapping everything up. The two officers question the members of the family one by one. The cast of characters is Harlan’s daughter Linda (Curtis), a successful businesswoman with her interesting husband Richard (Johnson) and extremely spoiled son, Ransom (Evans). Then there is Harlan’s son Walt (Shannon), who runs the publishing side of his father’s business. Daughter-in-law Joni (Collette) is Harlan’s other son widow, who is hugely into self-help with her college daughter, Meg (Langford). Finally, there is Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), Harlan’s most trusted confidante and nurse. She has a unique way of not being able to tell a lie. A VERY UNIQUE WAY!
The case seems to be solved if not for the arrival of famous detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig. Blanc is introduced by sitting at a piano listening to everyone give their take on what happened. He calmly hits a piano key to unnerve each person and let them know he is in the room while having a devilish smile on his face. The only reason Blanc is at the house is that someone delivered an envelope filled with money and news about the suicide. Someone thinks that this isn’t murder and wants the great detective on the case. With a house filled with people and motivates, can the great detective solve this case?
If one loves murder-mysteries, then this is the film for you. Rian Johnson amazingly created a story of whodunit right out of an Agatha Christie book. To be honest, I thought it was an Agatha Christie story because it had all the elements and feel of one of her novels. Rather than the famed Hercule Poirot, Johnson replaced the famed detective with Blanc. Then there is a family that is so self-absorbed in themselves that the only family the wealthy novelist thinks he has is his mother, who is somehow still alive and kickin’ and his nurse. Yet, Johnson expertly throws in the fill of the popular mystery Game of Clue. Whereas the movie progress, you try to figure out what really happened.
What Johnson does so well in this film is that he subtly but efficiently has each person tell their side of the night/story to the famous detective. The effectiveness and way each person explains their side of the story/night pushes the story forward. Each person tries to show their worth and how good of a person they are by shining a positive light on themselves only to be lying through their teeth. Johnson does this by first showing what each character says and then showing what they really did in a comedic fashion.
Each star is given just enough time to flex their muscles, yet the star of the whole show and on who MUST be applauded is Daniel Craig. Craig unleashes his character upon the screen with a southern drawl that would make any southern smile with joy (i.e., myself) and an ego that is the size of the great state of Texas. Craig seemed to be having the best of he has had playing a character in a while.
Ana de Armas is fantastic as Marta, who really comes into her own in the film. She is the odd one out who the family claims they love, but in reality, some of the members are straight-up racists. I’m looking at you, Don Johnson, and your rant on immigration in the film. Armas plays Marta as the shy, immigrant who is trying to help her family but also the one that really and actually cared for the deceased famed novelist.
With Craig commanding the screen, that only leaves enough time for the other cast, who somewhat fall by the wayside, but then you remember it is a murder-mystery. Everyone should have little screen time because who wants to get caught unless they are in a Scooby-Doo episode, and we all know the one who isn’t on screen the most is the one who did it.
Overall, Knives Out is the best whodunit film in ages. One that has an unexpected way and reveals at the end. The movie will keep your attention to the very end, and once you get there, you will be pleasantly pleased with the ending and how everything comes together. A film that doesn’t have too many twists and turns but just enough to keep you guessing. When you think you have it, you really don’t.
