About the film (courtesy of Lionsgate):
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. With an all-star ensemble cast including Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell, Knives Out is a witty and stylish whodunit guaranteed to keep audiences guessing until the very end.
Rian Johnson wasn’t exactly a household name in the field of movie directors when he landed the gig to helm Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017). One thing that soon became very evident, people sure had a lot to say about the direction in which he led the popular franchise. Good or bad, Rian Johnson’s name would not be soon forgotten. Two divisive years later, he’s stepped away from sci-fi and has gone back to making a more practical, grounded film that seemed be better suited for his style. And with that comes the fun new crime/drama, Knives Out.
I’ve you’ve seen any of the trailers or television promos for this new flick, you’re sure to notice the rock solid ensemble cast. Ana de Armas, Toni Collette, Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Don Johnson, Riki Lindhome, Jaeden Martell, Christopher Plummer, Michael Shannon and LaKeith Stanfield each play prominent roles in this modern day murder mystery. The best part is that they were brought in not to play their typical types of roles, but instead you’ll experience each of them in a whole new light. As far as I’m concerned, Knives Out demonstrates “acting done right.”
Aside from the solid performances, Rian Johnson also provides a captivating and deceptively deep story to follow. Every aspect seems to be in sync in order to make things as enjoyable as possible. When everything clicks, that is the beauty of having a singular writer/director because you should be on the same page with yourself.
Knives Out presents itself as a less silly version of Clue (1985), and definitely more lighthearted than Murder on the Orient Express (2017). The balance between mystery and mischief allows the audience to experience the full gamut of cinematic emotion, which easily assists the 130 minutes spent watching the story unfold with continuous satisfaction.
Hopefully the twists and turns of the plot remain relatively obscure for those hoping to catch Knives Out in its truest form. Since it is rated PG-13, this could be an excellent choice for a group trip out to the movies and the timing couldn’t be better with Thanksgiving right around the corner. You can see the fun display of art a bit early since some theaters are having special evening screenings Friday and Saturday (11/22 & 11/23), otherwise it goes wide starting Wednesday, November 27th with evening showings the day before.
