Movie Monday Nov. 21: Knives Out

In honor of the release of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery later this week, the OG Knives Out is my pick for today. As I’ve stated before, I love mysteries, especially whodunnit types. This film delivers on everything a classic murder mystery should be: intrigue, a gruesome and strange death, multiple suspects with strong motives, and just a pinch of comedy.

**Warning, mild spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t watched the movie yet, what are you doing?**

When bestselling mystery novelist Harlan Thromby (Christopher Plummer) is found murdered the morning after his birthday, everyone is a suspect. From his eldest daughter Linda (Jammie Lee Curtis) to his nurse Marta (Ana de Armas), no one is completely in the clear. Greedy and selfish children, a vapid daughter-in-law, ungrateful grandchildren, and many motives to go around. PI Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is brought in to solve the perplexing case. His southern drawl and straightforward attitude rubs everyone the wrong way, especially when he starts to poke holes in their “happy family” facade. Since Marta cannot lie, she’ll vomit if she does, he tasks her with helping him solve the case. Little does he or anyone else suspect, she knows a lot more than she’s telling. She’s supposedly gotten away with the perfect crime, with the help of an unexpected accomplice, but that’s not the only twist. Marta is also named Harlan’s heir, but a blackmail plot and a contested will pit everyone against her. Only when the true killer is revealed do all the pieces fall into place.

First off, I loved this movie. I saw it in theaters when it first came out and have rewatched it several times. It both plays into and makes fun of the genre. Some murder mysteries take themselves too seriously, but Knives Out is able to balance social commentary, an actually good mystery plot, and comedy while also being entertaining. It’s silly and fun but makes a genuine effort at trying something different in a genre known to be formulaic. The stereotypical mansion party setting is called a “Clue board”, the blackmail plot is actually interesting. and the method, or multiple methods, of murder is done really well.

The entire ensemble cast does a fantastic job at being nuances to what could’ve been one dimensional performances. Each character at first seems like a stereotype, but some prove to have hidden depths. They’re also more than they want others to see. There are very few “good” people in this film, but that’s kind of the point. Toni Collette’s Joni is especially great. Her pseudo-influencer lifestyle guru is an obvious poke at Goop and her superficial attitude is just a cover for the real (and really bad) person underneath. Jamie Lee Curtis is amazing as always. She and Chris Evans, who plays her character’s son Ransom, steal almost every scene they were in. I could go on about Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, and the late Christopher Plummer, but I won’t. Just know that the star studded cast delivers.

The cinematography and editing craft the perfect narrative. The juxtaposition of what people say and what actually happened keeps the audience guessing. Everyone is an unreliable narrator and it’s our job to figure out means, motive, and opportunity. The crafting of the film drops hints to help, but is also rife with red herrings, misdirects, and clues that won’t make sense right away. It’s a smart film in more ways than one. Kudos to Rian Johnson, Steve Yedlin, and Bob Ducsay for creating this masterpiece.

One moment that made me laugh:

This is a small moment, but it was actually really funny. When Richard (Don Johnson) gets mad, he goes to throw a baseball out a window. We the audience expect it to shatter glass and go really far, but it just weakly is tossed out an open window. There are plenty of moments like this scattered throughout the film meant to break some of the tension. It also adds a level of realism to a genre that usually suspends our disbelief. The baseball also becomes an important part of a subplot, so keep an eye out for that.

One moment that surprised me: THIS IS A MASSIVE SPOILER

Ransom’s reveal as the real killer was genuinely shocking. When the clues are put together it makes sense, but the filmmakers did such a good job as convincing us he’s a good guy. I really didn’t see it coming until it arrived.

I’d give Knives Out 9 prop knives out of 10.