There are laborious films that require the audience to work be entertained. “Knives Out” is not one of those films. It feels like a fantastically effortless cinematic treat that immediately engulfing you in an engaging conundrum and does not let up until the closing credits.
Director/Writer Rian Johnson deserves the credit. Johnson is now infamous among some crowds for helming what may be the most divisive Star Wars film, “The Last Jedi.” He does everything he can here to repair his relationship with the fickle moviegoing audience. If some fans considered the “The Last Jedi” a break-up text then “Knives Out” is the cinematic make-up mixtape. Johnson takes us back to an era of whodunit crime films of the 70s that have become lost in today’s film landscape with enough originality to classic and modern at the same time.
Things begin at the mansion of the Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) a world-famous crime author with quite a dysfunctional family. His 85th birthday has just concluded with a little surprise the death of the family matriarch and the guest of honor, Harlan himself. And so, our mystery is afoot.
On the day of his death, Harlan’s house is full of family members all who have motives or secrets mainly because they are heirs to his fortune. And even with family money can corrupt. So even though his death is initially ruled a suicide, everyone on the grounds is a suspect. The colorful family is compiled of varying degrees of despicability – greedy, selfish, cheaters, liars, with a hint of subtle racism. Class acts.
They form the jigsaw puzzle we hope will be satisfyingly finished by the end of the film. And what spectacular puzzle pieces they are – an all-star ensemble cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Chris Evans, Toni Collette… and more. Such a great cast – several of my favorites. That’s what leads to my one complaint about the film. Although the cast is amazing, many of them disappear into the background. Perhaps this was unavoidable but still disappointing.
To reveal much more would be a disservice to you, the reader, it is better to have the puzzle revealed and solved on the screen by Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) the southern detective with a slow drawl (reminiscent of a debonair Foghorn Leghorn) who himself is one of the pieces. He is hired by an unknown client who feels that foul play is at hand.
Along with a police officer, LaKeith Stanfield (Sorry to Bother You) and his partner Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) Craig questions and trails suspects in an entertaining fashion, often stumbling upon or missing clues along the way. Craig’s pensive stare and slow, deliberate delivery seem to see right through the characters’ facades they portray. You always wonder what is going on behind those eyes – does he have this murder mystery solved or is he as lost as the rest of us. It’s wonderful watching Craig shed his James Bond demeanor for such an amusing, different character.
In any other film, Craig would carry the film, but surprisingly there is another performance that not only surpasses his but is also one of the best of the year. Anna de Armas (Blade Runner: 2049) plays Marta, Harlan’s caretaker, and fellow murder suspect. De Armas is a joy to watch – both her hear-on-her sleeve innocence and her lunch-on-her-sleeve comic timing (one of the best running gags in the films) is delightfully perfect. It is an always-on performance, conveying Marta’s emotional anguish and strong will as much with her body language and eyes as with her line delivery. In a fair world, she would be rewarded with some awards gold (fingers crossed).
I’d hate to ruin any of the enjoyment of discovery by revealing just about anything more than I have. Just know “Knives Out” delivers a deliciously fun blend of humor, suspense, and mystery. Johnson finds just the right tone to create the classic whodunit feel, with enough of a modern touch to prevent it from being a nostalgia act. The pop culture and political references make it the modern addition to crime mysteries of past decades we so badly needed. At its core, it is always a murder mystery, a labyrinth full of amusing twists, turns, and offbeat suspects while avoiding convolution or overt complexity. Johnson’s ability to juggle the mystery while retaining his tongue-in-cheek vibe is what gives the film its unique charm.