In 2005, up-and-coming filmmaker Rian Johnson released his debut feature Brick, which received critical praise and has a cult following. While working on that film, Johnson was also developing the concept of an Agatha Christie-style whodunit murder mystery. However, his follow-up film was the comedic drama The Brothers Bloom in 2008, an idea he had before making Brick. His big break came with the release of his 2012 sci-fi thriller Looper, which was a surprise box office hit. This led to him getting the job to work on one of the biggest sci-fi franchises ever made, Star Wars. Released in 2017, Star Wars: The Last Jedi became the year’s highest-grossing film, though it received polarizing reviews. Even still, the success of Star Wars enabled Johnson to finally make his long-in-development whodunit murder mystery. So, in 2019, Rian Johnson and his long-time producing partner Ram Bergman brought us Knives Out.
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Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), a successful murder mystery writer, has been found dead following his 85th birthday the previous day. At first, his death is ruled as a suicide, but Detectives Elliot (Lakeith Stanfield) and Wagner (Noah Segan) investigate further. They gather up several family members, including eldest daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis) and youngest son Walter (Michael Shannon). Alongside them are son-in-law Richard (Don Johnson), daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette), and grandchildren Megan (Katherine Langford) and Jacob (Jaeden Martell). A private investigator named Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) has also been hired by an anonymous source to investigate the death. At the heart of it all is Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), Harlan’s caretaker who was close to Harlan. Finally, there’s Linda and Richard’s son Hugh aka Ransom (Chris Evans), a spoiled rich kid who depends on everyone else. With the suspects lined up, a murder mystery is about to unfold.
In a time where we are inundated with various sequels, remakes, and adaptations, it’s refreshing to see an original release. Knives Out is a very clever, well thought out, and entertaining murder mystery that keeps you guessing the entire time. Without giving much away, there’s a point where you think you’ve solved it, but then you’re hit by a curveball. Admittedly, there’s a point where it seems like there are far too many twists thrown out, which can be confusing. However, Knives Out is well-written and well-acted enough that everything starts to make sense after a while. Speaking of the acting, everyone in the cast does a terrific job and they all have their shining moments. Ana de Armas, as our protagonist, is very likable and works as the straight man to everything going on. However, Daniel Craig easily steals the show as the eccentric investigator with a southern droll.
Altogether, this is one of the best ensemble casts ever assembled, each one giving their performance 100%. Knives Out often jumps back and forth between the present and the events leading up to Harlan’s death. Luckily, the flashbacks are never intrusive or out of place and serve to give further character insight and development. Plus, like many good murder mysteries, Knives Out gives you just enough information without outright spoiling itself. Also, even with all the twists and turns the movie takes, it’s never difficult to follow or hard to understand. Say what you will about Rian Johnson, but he’s a talented filmmaker who’s in high demand for a reason. Even if you’re not a fan of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, this is easily one of his best films. Overall, Knives Out is an enjoyable thriller with plenty of humor and suspense to make it one of 2019’s best.
