Knives Out (2019 Film) Review
After the patriarch of a quirky family mysteriously dies, a detective, a lieutenant, and a trooper travel to his estate to investigate the other family members, one of who may be responsible for his death.
Daniel Craig stars as Detective Benoit Blanc, the PI called to investigate the family with Lieutenant Elliott, played by LaKeith Stanfield, and Trooper Wagner, played by Noah Segan. Christopher Plummer plays Harlan Thrombey, the Thrombey family patriarch. Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Katherine Langford, and Jaeden Martell star as Harlan's close family and friends, one of whom may be hiding something about his death.
Rian Johnson ("Looper," "Star Wars: The Last Jedi") wrote and directed "Knives Out." He also co-produced the film with Ram Bergman. Lionsgate distributed "Knives Out" with production companies Media Rights Capital and T-Street.
Overall Thoughts
"Knives Out" is an homage to classic murder mysteries while still being it's own special film. With many characters, there are an abundance of plot details, yet they're so meticulously organized that every bit has a purpose. You hold on to each piece of information that's introduced and as the film progresses, you're fascinated in learning where all the pieces fit. The dialogue is smart and witty, but the title of comedic MVP is a tie between Daniel Craig and Chris Evans as both actors deliver the film's strongest jokes. Toni Collette also gets some noteworthy zingers, as does Jamie Lee Curtis. Though it can be a tad long, the mystery is engaging and keeps you on-edge for what seems like forever because, like the investigators, you're so eager to learn the culprit.
Following his role as Joe Bang in "Logan Lucky," Daniel Craig continues to play such eccentric characters, and Benoit Blanc is absolutely one of them. He's certainly not your average detective. He may be comparable to Hercule Poirot in certain ways, but only if Poirot were more casual about being a detective and proud of his abilities, which I don't think possible because Poirot's often so self-absorbed. Craig has these nonsensical comedic bits that he makes work. Instead of feeling awkward, it's a hoot to hear him go on tangents about the complexity of the case at hand. Even when he's being serious, you're not supposed to take him seriously and that's part of the fun that Craig has. You see him having a ball with this role. After this, it's going to be difficult to see him back as James Bond, but since his acting range has grown so much since his last turn as the character, who knows what he'll deliver?
Ana de Armas plays Harlan's nurse, Marta Cabrera, and has a larger role than the marketing makes clear. So large, I would say, that she's one of the chief characters. Though Armas does well, compared to the other actors, she's merely good, not great. With her, it's the writing that elevates her, unlike the other actors who elevate the already-stellar writing.
When it comes to murder mysteries, there's something oddly entertaining about the suspects and that's no different in "Knives Out." Whether its Michael Shannon, Jamie Lee Curtis, or Toni Collette, each actor plays his or her role to perfection. When you're first introduced to each member of the Thrombey family, they seem like reasonably quirky people. Once you get to know them, however, you instantly realize that they are, in fact, far from friendly. As an outside viewer, you're disgusted by the family's behavior towards each other. In particular, Chris Evans, who has spent years playing the virtuous Captain America, plays a character who is the complete opposite of Steve Rogers. His character's quite deplorable as are the rest of the family members, who take every possible chance to backstab one another.
In general, murder mysteries are a lot of fun, but these days, it's becoming increasingly hard for the people making them to find new ways to surprise the audience. After a truly remarkable marketing campaign, Rian Johnson has delivered one of the best murder mysteries to date with "Knives Out."
Ana de Armas plays Harlan's nurse, Marta Cabrera, and has a larger role than the marketing makes clear. So large, I would say, that she's one of the chief characters. Though Armas does well, compared to the other actors, she's merely good, not great. With her, it's the writing that elevates her, unlike the other actors who elevate the already-stellar writing.
When it comes to murder mysteries, there's something oddly entertaining about the suspects and that's no different in "Knives Out." Whether its Michael Shannon, Jamie Lee Curtis, or Toni Collette, each actor plays his or her role to perfection. When you're first introduced to each member of the Thrombey family, they seem like reasonably quirky people. Once you get to know them, however, you instantly realize that they are, in fact, far from friendly. As an outside viewer, you're disgusted by the family's behavior towards each other. In particular, Chris Evans, who has spent years playing the virtuous Captain America, plays a character who is the complete opposite of Steve Rogers. His character's quite deplorable as are the rest of the family members, who take every possible chance to backstab one another.
In general, murder mysteries are a lot of fun, but these days, it's becoming increasingly hard for the people making them to find new ways to surprise the audience. After a truly remarkable marketing campaign, Rian Johnson has delivered one of the best murder mysteries to date with "Knives Out."
Rating: ★★★½
Conclusion
This is worth seeing in theaters, especially if you're a fan of murder mysteries. "Knives Out" is a great choice for families, though this isn't for younger kids. Older children would certainly enjoy this, as they'll get wrapped up in the mystery's many exciting and laugh-out-loud moments.
This has been my review of “Knives Out." I hope you enjoyed it. Have you seen the film? If you have, share your thoughts in the comments below. Should you feel inclined, recommend a film for me to review next. Thank you for reading, I'm Dallin, your resident film fanatic, and I'll return soon with another review.
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