New Movie Review: KNIVES OUT
Rian Johnson clearly has some righteous indignation toward America’s wealthy ruling class. In 2017’s Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, he devotes an entire subplot to condemning the oligarchy of a casino planet that accumulates its wealth by selling weapons to the empire. While the message is noble, the segment is a bit ham-fisted in what is otherwise a very good movie despite what diehard Star Wars fanboys will tell you (and they will tell you).
Johnson addresses these themes much more deftly in the thrilling murder mystery Knives Out. The movie focuses on the events surrounding the death of Harlan Thrombey, a wealthy novelist who is found dead on the night of his eighty-fifth birthday. The police are quick to rule it a suicide until the renowned, incredibly southern private detective Benoit Blanc arrives on the scene after receiving an anonymous payment to investigate Thrombey’s death. Blanc quickly grows suspicious of the family as all of them have issues with Harlan and reason to benefit from his demise.
Johnson’s tight, unpredictable script starts slowly and builds consistently toward an intense finish. The film takes a slightly different approach than most whodunnits as it reveals key information to the audience early on and then shows the characters react as that information comes to light.
Overall, I liked this film a lot. I have a few issues with some of the performances and plot points, but those are minor complaints. It’s a fun mystery thriller that keeps the audience engaged throughout.
Knives Out boasts one of the best casts of the year including (deep breath) Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, LaKeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Riki Lindhome, Frank Oz, and Christopher Plummer. In a bit of an upset, Ana de Armas gives the best performance of the film as Marta Cabrera, a nurse with a heart of gold who instinctively vomits any time she tries to lie. This is an admittedly dumb concept, but it works really well here to advance the plot and reveal the family’s secrets.
Craig’s performance is a little over the top, and his accent isn’t the most believable (I’m sure it’s tough for a Brit to play a Southerner), but Benoit Blanc is a fun character whose investigative prowess keeps everyone on edge. Evans has a lot of fun playing an unlikeable prick after spending the last decade of his life as the annoyingly upstanding Captain America. I would have liked to have seen more from some of the other characters, particularly Shannon, Curtis, and Stanfield, but that’s what happens with a cast this deep. Some characters get lost in the shuffle.
Johnson continually points out the stupidity and utter lack of self-awareness of the wealthy Thrombey family as they quibble over their father’s inheritance and speak of themselves as a shining example of American exceptionalism. They each feel that they’ve achieved their place in life through skill and hard work when in fact they’ve had everything handed to them. Even the “self-made” Thrombeys, who look down upon the others as pathetic leeches, have only achieved their success via loans from their father. There are obvious parallels to our current political climate, but I’ll spare you the lecture.
Knives Out argues that true American exceptionalism is not achieved through capitalistic endeavors or generational excess, but rather through the kindness and hard work of everyday people. It opens in theaters this Wednesday, November 27th.
Michael Dixon is a mild mannered accountant by day and a mild mannered movie watcher by night. He will not do your taxes for you. He lives in Austin, Texas with his lovely television and collection of fine whiskies. You can’t purchase his book anywhere because it doesn’t exist.
