Movie Review: "Knives Out" (2019)
Old-school whodunits aren’t exactly commonplace in 2019. That doesn’t really make much sense, as the genre is a tried and true moneymaker that works across multiple demographics and always gets a solid response as long as the film has a diverse cast, story with flair, and layered twists. What you end up with is a formulaic, proven winner.
However, I wasn’t exactly bolstered by seeing Rian Johnson’s name attached to Knives Out. This was, after all, the director who shit the bed in bold fashion with the most “non-Star Wars” movie in the entire canon with Star Wars: Episode XIII - The Last Jedi. Still, the trailer looked damn solid, and the cast was truly first rate. So I set aside my hard feelings and dove into his take on the classic tale of who killed the rich patriarch for his massive fortune.
And the result? In crude, unfiltered language: I had a great fucking time.
Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer; A Beautiful Mind) is the world’s most famous best-selling mystery author. His empire has made his family wealthy beyond belief, and they all depend on him for their lifestyles and in-roads into their own success. There’s his “self made” daughter, Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis; Halloween), who started her thriving business with a million dollar loan from Daddy. Her husband, Richard (Don Johnson; Django Unchained), is a pre-nupped bitch hanging onto his small claim any way he can. Linda and Richard’s son, Ransom (Chris Evans; Marvel’s The Avengers / Captain America), is the family black sheep. His son, Walt (Michael Shannon; HBO’s Boardwalk Empire), runs the publishing company founded by his father. His daughter-in-law, Joni (Toni Collette; Hereditary), is a wishy-washy spiritualist clinging to the family she married into even though her husband is long dead. His mother, Greatnana Wanetta (K Callan; HBO’s Carnivàle) is literally so old that no one remembers her age anymore! There are other hangers-on in the form of grandchildren, but these are the main leaches. Harlan’s best friend is his nurse, Marta (Ana De Armas; Knock Knock), the first legal American in her Brazilian family and an all-around stellar human being who only wants what’s best for the aging literary legend. When he’s found dead seemingly by his own hand, the mansion is descended upon by two detectives and the legendary private investigator, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig; Casino Royale, Skyfall, etc.) He suspects foul play, and the game is afoot. Who (if anyone) murdered the author and set this mystery in motion?
The cast was the first thing that drew me into Knives Out. They are a pretty diverse group of talent, running the gamut from legends like Jamie Lee Curtis to huge box office names like Chris Evans to up and coming youngsters like Jaeden Martell (It, It Chapter Two). In addition, the lure of James Bond with an overdone Southern drawl doing his best Sherlock Holmes impersonation is a little too good to pass up. Throw in a palatial house with serious character for a fantastic location (I want Harlan’s study for my very own!), and you are guaranteed to at least be entertained. Everyone has a standout moment somewhere and a solid role to play in the exposition thanks to some inclusive writing.
Rian Johnson makes a smart move here by NOT trying to reinvent the wheel and sticking to the proven formula. The characters are archetypes straight from the classic Twilight Zone episode, “The Masks”. They’re human enough to avoid complete loathing but still thoroughly unlikable. None of them deserves to get a piece of the pie. The only one who has “earned” anything is Marta, and she plays the most complex part in the story of any member of the family. And Marta is 100% a member of the family; she’s not the help. Her presence and powerful difference from almost all of the family effectively highlights the difference between the 99% and the other 1% that hold all the cards. Her chemistry with Daniel Craig is an utter joy to watch.
The twists are smartly written and come flying at you with dizzying rapidity. While you have a pretty good idea who the killer is early on, it’s the how and why that keep you guessing all the way until the very end of the film in the classic reveal scene. Overall, the laughs are well-timed and made much better by the sense of fun that pervades the entire running time.
Knives Out is a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously even though it plays by the classic rules and has the flavor of pure homage. It’s the fun of Clue by way of Murder on the Orient Express with the sensibility of Fletch. Definitely one of the more enjoyable theater experiences I’ve had all year. We could certainly do with a few more movies like this.
