A detective is hired to investigate the supposed suicide of a
wealthy mystery writer, and determines that foul play is afoot. COMEDY/CRIME
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Knives Out (2019)Written and Directed by Rian Johnson
Starring Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield, Christopher Plummer, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell Oscar Nominations - Best Original Screenplay |
Thank you, Rian Johnson, for doing an original movie again after your run with Star Wars. I remember when Looper was released and I decided to check it out. It's an entertaining and original film which I would gladly watch again. Then, I heard the news he would be directing a new Star Wars film. Said film ending up being The Last Jedi. A film which would be loved by critics, but hated by the fan base, myself included. Needless to say, he kind of needed another win after that. Enter Knives Out. An original murder mystery full of twist, turns, and, above all, fun. This trip back to original territory proved to be a great idea as the film went on to become a big hit with critics and audiences alike and already has a sequel in development.
First off, the cast. This is an all-star, powerhouse of a cast. We've got Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Daniel Craig, and Toni Collette just to name a few. There is not a single weak link performance wise as they all do an amazing job. The standout, to me at least, being Craig as Benoit Blanc, the southern fried detective who will stop at nothing to get to the truth. He seriously gives one hell of a performance here and seems to be having the time of his life. And as for the concept of the film itself; simply put, Johnson does a tremendous job with the murder mystery element. He knows when to reveal certain bits of information at just the right time. This really helps keep the film engaging as you try to figure out for yourself who committed the crime. Before I wrap things up, I also want to quickly point out the humor. This was one of the most surprisingly funny movies I’ve seen and had me cracking up quite a bit. Based off his debut, this is the type of film I expect from Rian Johnson. Original, funny, and entertaining. This is a highly enjoyable film featuring a great cast and an engaging murder mystery plot. With the sequel currently in development, I hope they can continue to maintain the level of quality shown here. And I hope Johnson continues to stick to original ideas and stay away from anymore franchises. |
Knives Out is the ultimate celebration of the "whodunit" subgenre, complete with one of the most impressive ensemble casts of all time. You get to see the inner workings of a wealthy family, one where the patriarch has spoiled the lot of them into becoming heartless, money-grubbing shits. What happens when that patriarch suddenly dies, hours after apparently cutting off the bulk of his family from his massive wealth? Enter Benoit Blanc (Craig), detective extraordinaire and the only man who can solve this perplexing and wildly entertaining case.
Our hero, so to speak, is Marta Cabrera (de Armas), a kindhearted nurse who is unable to lie without vomiting. She cares for wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey, who is found dead in his study with his throat slit, seemingly self-inflicted. When Blanc is hired to investigate, he interviews the family and Marta, and you get to see how out of touch each member of the family is, and how they've never gone their own way, thanks to reliance on their father's wealth. Craig plays the character as a bumbling, southern gentleman akin to Columbo, and it's easily one of his best performances. The rest of the cast is stellar as well, with everyone stealing the show as horrible people. But Ana de Armas proves her worth as an actor with this film, I think. I already liked her, but now I'm going to look forward to seeing her in movies. Knives Out redeems Rian Johnson in my eyes, after the massive fan backlash he got from The Last Jedi. He's clearly the kind of filmmaker who is great when he's doing his own stories, much like Shane Black. His style doesn't translate to franchise entries either, and that's okay. We can't all be Jon Favreau or James Gunn. Knives Out is a hilarious, original crime mystery in the spirit of Agatha Christie, with a Clue flair. Check it out. |