Knives Out (2019)

I'm a Rian Johnson fan. I have been since his noir pastiche, Brick (2005). I've seen all of his films, and I've enjoyed every single one of them.

So it stands to reason that, as soon as a new Rian Johnson joint drops in theaters, that I'd be there, soda and popcorn in hand.

But to be gifted a star-studded whodunnit romp over the Thanksgiving holiday? That's an embarrassment of riches.

I. What Is It?

This is the story of Thrombey clan, and their dead patriarch, and his unassuming nurse. And the last of the gentlemen detectives. And a possible conspiracy.

II. Subversion and Celebration

Rian Johnson clearly loves the whodunnit genre of mystery. He is very clearly a fan of Agatha Christie and the grand tradition of a consulting detective. With Knives Out (2019), Johnson both sends up the elements of those stories and celebrates them.

We have a deep-fried southern detective in Benoit Blanc (replete with a silly, alliterative name); we have a grand gothic mansion, with secret doors and a ridiculous living-room centerpiece made entirely of various knives; we have a family of assholes who all have a motive for murder. Johnson, who wrote and directed, gets to let these familiar elements sizzle, while also subverting them in interesting ways.

You see, we KNOW what happened. We find out the truth of the matter fairly quickly. We, as an audience, get to have fun watching the detectives, and the rest of the family, try and figure it out. Johnson even allows his grandiloquent detective to be questioned and doubted.

We also get a pretty hilarious "car chase" in a reasonably-priced Hyundai.

And by the time Blanc gets to have his great detective moment, where he dutifully explains the whole affair to an assembled audience, one of the police detectives, an admitted fan, watches with an infectious grin and unbridled excitement, shushing his colleague for interrupting Blanc's monologue.

The whole thing is captured in Stuart Yedlin's lush photography and set to Nathan Johnson's (Rian's brother) playful score. The camera work is lively; the art direction is detailed and gorgeous. This movie is as pretty as it is clever.

It is all in grand fun. Johnson loves the genre, but also understands how silly it all is. He manages to both pay homage and gently rib one of pop culture's towering genres. And I had a blast.

III. Everyone is Having Fun

This thing packs a real rogue's gallery of talent, and everyone is having a great deal of fun.

Toni Collette struts around screen as a vapid social media influencer daughter-in-law.

Michael Shannon is a twisted little nothing-burger of a man with an alt-right troll for a son.

Jamie Lee Curtis is the successful daughter who built her own legacy (with a small loan of a million dollars). She commands the screen every second she is on it. Don Johnson plays her asshole husband with relish (between this and Watchmen, Johnson is having quite the career renaissance).

Christopher Plummer is the aged mystery writer playing one last game with his family.

Ana De Armas is a star: she wowed in Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and she proves again why she needs to be in more movies. She plays the Thrombey patriarch's nurse (a recurring joke is made of the fact that the family can never remember which South American country she hails from, even as they insist she is "just like family"). She is the subdued antithesis to the Thrombey clan, and hides an incredibly clever mind. Also, she throws up anytime she lies, which Johnson uses to hilarious effect.

Chris Evans plays wonderfully against type as the brash Ransom. He delights in his family's chaos with an impish smile and debonair flair.

And then we have Daniel Craig, as Benoit Blanc. His voice is a baritone Foghorn Leghorn pastiche, and he pitches every word exactly so. Blanc is clever, and kind, and patient, explaining his process as a leisurely stroll to the inevitable conclusion at the heart of any mystery. Blanc is a fitting celebrity detective, and Craig is having a ball.

This set must have been a blast to be on every day. Everyone understands the kind of movie they are in, and are playing their parts to the hilt.

IV. It's an Onion

Johnson masterfully shows us one scene, and then, later, brings us back there to illuminate further context and supplement missing pieces. What we get is a slow reveal of the real picture by masterfully retreading events again and again. A rather simple story becomes increasingly complex and layered under Johnson's skillful hand as both a writer and a director.

This is the kind of movie you watch unfold. It is pure entertainment.

Why You Should See It

- It is a loving send up and homage to the classic murder mystery.
- There's a real crackerjack cast who are all committed to the game.
- It is stylish and clever.
- I'd love to see a series of movies starring Benoit Blanc.

Why You Shouldn't See It

- It is, perhaps, too long, at 130 minutes. A leaner film would have kept its jokes punchier and its entertainment zippier.

In Conclusion

I want everyone to go see this movie. I like murder mysteries, and I especially like clever homages. It's a shame we don't see movies like this more often. This is an original idea from a talented writer/director, sporting a knockout cast, and it should be showered with your love in the coming weekends. It will entertain you, and it will be worth the price of admission.

Miscellany

- Joseph Gordon Levitt voices a TV detective in a show that Marta's sister is watching. He is credited as "Detective Hardrock."
- In the film, K Callan plays Christopher Plummer's mother. In reality, she is six years younger than Plummer.
- The Thrombey children, and their spouses, are all named after famous '70s musicians.