Review - Knives Out (2019)

        Hey guys, Chuck here. As many of you are probably aware, I have enjoyed the three films that filmmaker Kenneth Branagh directed and starred in based on the works of Agatha Christie. Interestingly, though, the year 2019 would see writer/director Rian Johnson, the same man behind the polarizing Star Wars: The Last Jedi, would come out with a new kind of murder mystery film which would go on to become its own franchise. Today, we're taking a look at that 2019 film: Knives Out. Released by Lionsgate Films, this movie stars Daniel Craig, Don Johnson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, Michael Shannon, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, LaKeith Stanfield, Toni Collette, and Christopher Plummer. 

        The movie deals with the murder of acclaimed mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey, who is discovered dead with his throat slit. His dead body was discovered the morning after his 85th birthday party, where his children and grandchildren were all in attendance. A week later, the members of Harlan's family, including children Walt and Lynda, son-in-law Richard, daughter-in-law Joni, and grandchildren Jacob, Ransom, and Meg, are all questioned individually by Detective Lieutenant Elliot, police trooper Wagner, and private detective Benoit Blanc. Blanc suspects foul play, and discovers that each member of Harlan's family had a motive for killing him due to strained relationships with him. 

       Another key individual related to the case is Harlan's nurse Marta Cabrera, who cannot tell a lie without becoming physically ill. Marta reveals that she mixed up Harlan's medications the night after the party and injected Harlan with a lethal dose of morphine, after which Harlan instructed her to create a false alibi and slit his own throat. Marta helps Blanc with the investigation, and she conceals any evidence that could incriminate her. At the reading of Harlan's will, it's revealed that he left his entire fortune, and his house, to Marta, much to the shock of Harlan's family, most of whom attempt to use persuasion and threats to convince her to renounce the inheritance, to no avail. 

      The only one that is mostly successful in persuading Marta is Harlan's grandson Ransom, who offers his help in exchange for a portion of the inheritance. What follows is a pretty inane amount of back and forth moments, where we learn that Harlan had told Ransom about the will, Ransom attempted to incriminate Marta by making her inject Harlan with the wrong medication, thus negating Marta's inheritance. But, it was Harlan's housekeeper, Fran, that saw Ransom mess around with the crime scene and made a blackmail attempt, only for Ransom to overdose Fran on morphine, which led to her death in the hospital some time later. Also, Marta injected Harlan with the correct medication, only believing it was the wrong one. Ransom, having unwittingly confessed to his responsibility in Fran's death, is arrested and hauled to jail, while Marta looks out from the balcony of what is now her mansion. 

       Okay, so a number of the events in Knives Out are, in my opinion, pretty asinine. Many of the film's elements are drawn from other murder mysteries like Clue and pretty much ANY adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel. So, it's all standard stuff that just comes off as asinine. But, somehow, it actually works. And, there's two things that make it work. First thing, the cast. The caliber of talent in front of the camera is absolutely fantastic, and arguably better than a movie like this deserves. Acting legends like Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, and Michael Shannon, modern icons like Chris Evans, Toni Collette, and Riki Lindhome, plus rising talents like Ana De Armas, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, and Jaeden Martell. And all of it held together by a tour de force performance by Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc. Seriously, if you enjoy Daniel Craig as James Bond, he is so much more entertaining as this character Benoit Blanc. It's pretty good. 

         The second thing that makes Knives Out work is the clever writing and directing by Rian Johnson. Now, there are probably gonna be a few detractors out there, but I think that Rian Johnson's writing and directing here was pretty smart with witty dialogue, solid pacing, and a core premise that's equal parts fresh and familiar. And, I like how we see that the Thrombeys aren't just a typical dysfunctional family, but a dysfunctional family of money-grubbing assholes. And, Rian Johnson portrays that in a very humorous way. Also, he manages to differentiate the world he's building in Knives Out from the world Kenneth Branagh put on display in Murder on the Orient Express by making Knives Out more of a comedic piece without becoming an all-out comedy. So, I'm giving Knives Out a rating of 4.5/5. 

        Now, while the movie was a box office success for Lionsgate, it seemed to do way better streaming on Netflix, which is why, even though Lionsgate has already greenlit a second film, Netflix bought a two-film deal for two Knives Out sequels, both written and directed by Rian Johnson. And next time, we'll be taking a look at the first of these sequels: Glass Onion. 

       This is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys then.