Old-school murder mystery tales are always a bit of fun, aren’t they? Made famous since the days of Poirot and similar grand detective tales, these Cluedo-style adventures have since become a whole genre of recognisable stereotypes and traditional storytelling. Yet despite having a generic template to follow, murder mysteries are deceptively hard to pull off in practice. The cast of suspects must be large enough to keep the audience guessing, but each character needs room to flourish unique personalities and motives. The plot and twists need to properly fool the viewer, without coming off as ridiculous or foolish themselves. Then there’s the act of nailing a smart and definitive grand finale, one that could either make or break all the events that precede it. The list reads as a minefield of challenges for any film in the genre, however it’s also a list of tropes that Knives Out deftly delivers at damn near every turn. Featuring a larger-than-life cast, expert writing and a zippy pace, it’s no mystery that Knives Out is one of the best adventures you’ll find in cinemas this year.
As expected from any entry within the genre, Knives Out wastes no time in introducing its crime, suspects and lead detective. Private investigator and ‘last gentleman detective’ Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is called to the Thrombey family mansion after a reunion evening ended in death. Blanc’s heavy southern accent is a bit jarring at first, however it’s cleverly folded into the humour of the film and Craig does an excellent job of bringing the complex key character to life. Ruling all members of the family as suspects, Blanc quickly finds his hands full with the troublesome Thrombey clan as each present their own twisted story of the night’s events. You’ll hear from the aggressive and self made Linda – played expertly by a fiery Jamie Lee Curtis – before her anxious husband Richard (Don Johnson) provides his own contradicting alibi. There’s also the case of their adult son Ransom (a scene-stealing Chris Evans), whose playboy lifestyle and abrasive attitude have all but cut him from the family completely. Each character is expertly crafted as instantly recognisable and completely unique, and we’ve yet to even scratch the surface.
We have Christopher Plummer as the wealthy-yet-scorned family patriarch Harlan Thrombey, assisted by his kindhearted caretaker Marta (delivered brilliantly by a talented Ana de Armas). Harlan’s bitter son and business manager Walt (Michael Shannon) has his own agenda, and wife Donna (Riki Lindhome) is quick to fire up when the time calls. Their socially unstable son Jacob is also at the scene of the crime, with the brooding character played well by Jaeden Martell following the recent It films. Rounding out the cast is the hilarious Toni Collette as Harlan’s daughter-in-law and struggling ‘lifestyle guru’ Joni, desperately trying to put her daughter Meg (Katherine Langford) through a prestigious school. There’s quite a lot to unpack there, but know that each personality effortlessly carves out their own little niche of the film – while still managing to form a cohesive, albeit dysfunctional family when all together. As with most similar films, you’ll spend most of the runtime trying to pick the culprit yourself despite the red herrings and plot twists – of which there are many. Knives Out manages to work in some of the smartest twists the genre has seen, however it also makes some bold choices around the halfway mark in an effort to set itself apart from the rest.
Knives Out essentially has two distinct chapters – the first adhering to what audiences can expect from a traditional whodunit, and a second that attempts to spin something almost entirely unique. It would spoil far too much to dip into specifics, however it’s definitely worth noting that this shift does nothing but lift the film even higher, almost as if introducing a second mystery before you’d even put the first together. There’s also a decent shot of adrenaline in the later half, again setting Knives Out apart from films such as 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, which generally tend to follow somewhat of a slower pace. All of these wild events are of course leading to the expected grand finale, and it’s safe to say that Knives Out has no trouble ending on a dramatic high.
For such an integral part of the film, Knives Out offers up a satisfying conclusion that keeps you guessing right up until the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place. The climax is also brimming with the film’s sharp writing and dark humour, all resulting in a worthy ending to the rollercoaster of events that came before it. This is mainly thanks to writer and director Rian Johnson, who has really created something special with Knives Out. Expertly written and delivered, the film soars off the back of its huge and immensely talented ensemble cast. It’s also a tale that never takes itself too seriously, managing to inject a ton of life and humour at every possible opportunity. It’s hard to say much more without spoiling what is easily some of the most fun you’ll have at the movies this year – but just know that it is without a doubt a mystery worth solving.
Knives Out stars Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Toni Collette, Ana de Armas, Christopher Plummer, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Katherine Langford & Jaeden Martell – In cinemas now.