Knives Out (2019)

A detective investigates the death of a patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.

Jess’ Review

I’d heard good things about Knives Out when it came out, but it wasn’t a film I gravitated to at the time. Mysteries aren’t usually my go-to, and the film itself stands as an homage to works of Agatha Christie. But we gave it a try, and I was pleasantly surprised.

The film follows the investigation of a wealthy family after the patriarch is found dead, apparently by suicide.

Knives Out is full of intrigue and uses a colourful, and sometimes creative narrative to lead the audience through the mystery. Utilising a dynamic combination of flashbacks between interrogation shots, the opening is immediately captivating as it skirts the slow-build the genre is sometimes burdened with. I automatically think of those old, daytime-TV shows when murder mysteries come to mind, and consider them an absolute snooze-fest! Yet, here, we find the same formula delivered in a fresh, bold way by an absolutely stellar cast.

As a big fan of Toni Colette and Michael Shannon, I was delighted by the eccentricities of their characters in particular (as loathsome as they may be.) And coupled with the acting prowess of Christopher Plummer, Daniel Craig and Jamie Lee Curtis to name a few, the story is gloriously and skilfully brought to life. It might be one of the strongest ensembles in recent memory. Whilst everyone is quite detestable, the characters are remarkably fleshed-out given their shared screen-time and are a pleasure to behold. Leading lady, Ana De Armas does a great job at introducing some kindness within a family of vultures.

The plot is gripping and surprisingly hard to predict, the audience lost in the same web of lies and deceit as our heroine. It’s impressive. And whilst there are a few moments that seem a little over-the-top, for the most part it’s believable and well-written. There is a spattering of dark comedy throughout, and the tone remains light. It’s not too heavy or bogged-down with gruesome details or overly-analytical detective work. Instead, there seems to be an emphasis on character.

The Thrombey family is bizarre to say the least, and their universe, set mainly within the confines of the house, is brimming with oddities. Visually, Knives Out is a feast. The costumes are perfect, and the set design is wonderfully peculiar. Each room boasts its own host of curious knick-knacks, the house becoming a playground for the cinematographers.

Well shot and lovingly crafted, the film is an easy watch with a great payoff. It’s light, entertaining, and yet the level of intrigue lifts it into a category far beyond the mundane. Well worth a watch for Craig’s ode to Foghorn Leghorn alone, Knives Out was actually really, bloody good.

8.5/10

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Sam’s Review

And.... we're back! For how long, I'm unsure. This may be our last review, since Jess goes back to work on Monday. But while we figure it out, I have to say, thank you to everyone who has read our reviews. It's been a blast.

So, Knives Out. I'm not a fan of the whodunnit genre, especially in film. Usually it is fairly easy to guess the murderer. I was apprehensive at first, but a stellar cast and snappy trailer had me intrigued enough. No preamble, we jump straight into the story. Wealthy author, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), is found with his throat cut by his maid. Soon after various family members are gathered and individually questioned in their family home. Thanks to swift editing that drifts seamlessly between the interrogations, we are given an insight into each of the characters while getting a vague picture of what happened, with some interesting minor contradictions. From there we are led in various directions. Tenderly, in his pursuit for the truth, private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) pull at the threads of this dysfunctional family.

The cast is essentially a list of Hollywood heavyweights, and are triumphant. Daniel Craig's southern drawl is spot on, and his acting is brilliant. Never does he even remotely border on superior, something that too many detectives do. Instead he is persistent, smart, but also humorous. While some of the characters could do with a little more depth, its easily forgivable since there are so many of them and we are limited with time. And still, the cast are fantastic. Michael Shannon, as Harlan's son Walt, is a presence on screen, as usual. Ana de Armas deserves praise for her range while playing Marta, Harlan's nurse. The family are so quick to lavish praise and tell her how close she is, but all keep her at arms length.

What keeps me most intrigued is the mystery of it all. So often I thought that I had a grasp on what was happening, save for a few minor details, that I could never make sense of. Some of it feels a bit loose, tying up too neatly, but for the most part the story is brilliant in keeping you guessing. 

The black humour, though not predominant, sets a light tone for a murder mystery. Its a gripping story with a lot of well-acted characters to play with. And it's fantastic how the contradicting timelines weave together. A true whodunnit that manages to swerve the majority of played out cliches that come with the genre.

8/10