Nominated For: Best Original Screenplay.
Runtime: 130 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements including brief violence, some strong language, sexual references, and drug material)
Who should see it? Fans of whodunnits and murder mysteries.
Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Knives Out is an ode to the work of Agatha Christie set amidst today's contentious political climate. A Thanksgiving release is quite fitting considering the volatile nature of family get-togethers, so once you finish scarfing down turkey this Thursday, visit your local multiplex to solve a uniquely entertaining murder mystery. Knives Out offers all the fun of Clue without the insufferable board-game bickering.
Johnson kicks things off by thrusting viewers straight into the scene of the crime. He then efficiently characterizes the members of the Thrombey family while establishing each of their potential motives through a series of police interviews seamlessly strung together by editor Bob Ducsay. The board has been set with an audience understanding of the prime suspects, and we're only fifteen minutes in. An elaborate unwinding of truth and justice follows closely behind. In the search for a killer, Johnson deceptively tinkers with the truth. When the family members lie, he ensures the audience remains sure of the facts rather than steering them away to elude suspicion. However, there's undoubtedly a sleight of hand at play behind the camera as Johnson shifts your focus from figuring out whodunnit to more pressing matters.
As a result, the narrative of Knives Out is wildly unpredictable since each twist changes the course of the story and, by extension, the mystery. On second viewing, I noticed that Johnson drops clues without calling direct attention to them. The hints may be disguised as an innocent joke or irrelevant happenstance, but, as any detective knows, every detail matters. Contributions from Johnson's frequent collaborators further fortify his efforts in the form of Steve Yedlin's stately cinematography and an engrossing score composed by Rian's cousin Nathan Johnson. Not to mention, superb work from production designer David Crank, as the Thrombey mansion provides an intricate, embellished setting for the sleuthing shenanigans. At the center of it all, Johnson's sharp screenplay leads audiences down a winding path of absurdity, animosity, and intrigue that amounts to one of the year's most entertaining moviegoing experiences.
Heading the star-studded cast, Ana De Armas and Daniel Craig are the two breakthrough performers. De Armas continues to impress while Craig's clearly having the time of his life as renowned detective Benoit Blanc, hamming things up with his Southern drawl and kooky disposition. The shared moments between their characters tend to be among the film's best, though the eccentric personalities in the Thrombey family give them a run for their money.
Comprised of veteran actors and up-and-comers, the A-list ensemble assuredly inhabits their roles of entitled A-holes and make the most of every morsel Johnson sends their way. This includes the likes of Christopher Plummer, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Jaeden Martell, and Katherine Langford, who each relish in the Thrombey family's argumentative nature and distinct attributes. On the other side of the investigation, LaKeith Stanfield and Nathan Segan portray an amusing pair of police officers dead set on closing this peculiar case.
Gripping murder mysteries don't reveal themselves too often, but Knives Out is guilty as charged. To no surprise, Rian Johnson's dunnit again! One can only hope it's successful enough to warrant further exploits with Detective Blanc.
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