Knives Out: Review

A sublime, star-studded murder-mystery, proving the point that a good story doesn't need popular songs or action spectacle to make for an entertaining night at the movies

The stacked cast of prestigious names in 'Knives Out' (CREDIT: Lionsgate)

by Jack Linsdell

The best compliment I can bestow Rian Johnson's Agatha Christie-style who-dunnit Knives Out is that, on the surface, it appears to go to the places you expect the way you predict them. However, deep down this is a deliberate narrative structure decision, sucking you in, making you feel like your the clever one only for The Last Jedi and Looper writer/director to pull the rug from right under your feet. What you end up with is a sheer 120 minutes of pure entertainment from the twists and turns of a cleverly plotted and expertly executed story, without any onscreen violence, action or the inclusion of popular Wham! songs to build entertainment value. That's Knives Out greatest compliment, and greatest achievement. Namely, it is the type of old school movie no one makes anymore, namely where the story is our only source of entertainment. And, it's so good, you don't need anything else.

It's a little like writer Tony Gilroy's Beirut/The Negotiator released last April, which was a pure 1970s-style political-thriller, heavy on dialogue, with little action and compelling characters and a twisty plot turns to provide the thrills. Rian Johnson's Knives Out most certainly is entertaining, taking every single expectation an audience has (be it from the marketing, genre conventions etc.) and turning them on their heads. When the credits roll, you simply go "wow". 

Without spoiling anything, the plot revolves around a Private Investigator Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), well...investigating the susposed suicide of famous crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) by interviewing members of the family, as well as the maid of the household (played by the fantastic Ana de Armas). That is the only taster you need, although I will say nothing is what it seems by the end. Although the film is an event due to the utterly astounding cast, who alongside Craig, de Armas and Plummer includes Michael Shannon, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Lakieth Stanfield, Chris Evans and Don Johnson, it's not entirely necessary. Yes, it's an added value element seeing such big name and respected talents take on supporting roles in a splashy murder-mystery aimed for adults. However, and this is not a criticism, really it is the Craig/de Armas/Evans show. The rest, except for maybe Plummer and Lee Curtis are glorified background acts, which does make you wonder if the complete list of a-list names was necessary. 

Anyway, each one brought style and entertainment value to each and every character, with particular praise going to rising Cuban star Ana de Armas (of Blade Runner 2049 and War Dogs fame) - who steals the show - and Craig himself. Fun fact: de Armas will next appear alongside Craig in his last Bond flick No Time To Die in April next year. Anyway, de Armas brings such integrity, emotion and a child-like innocence to her character, she truly becomes a loveable character that we can't help but hope she survives it all intact. The editing in this film is (refreshingly) "only when we need to" which means there are plenty of close-ups that just linger on de Armas's face, and the amount of story, emotion and thought she conveys in the smallest of facial expressions is remarkable. Also, I liked how she was "dressed down" (for want of a better word), as it could have been easy for Johnson and co. to accentuate her natural beauty which would have gone against her rough-around-the-edges servant character from a poor, immigrant family. She's a true upcoming talent and one I'm excited to see more of - starting with Bond next year. Talking of 007, and Daniel Craig delivers one of his better not-as-Bond career performances, making the effort with a southern-accent and facial stuble to not be just "Daniel Craig the movie star" and rather "a character-actor doing whatever it takes to perform a distinct detective persona that's nothing like himself". It works (mostly) and gives both Craig and the movie a greater credibility. He looks like he's having fun in the role, and considering he's done very few movies since Skyfall in 2012, it's great to not only see him in a film where he's not playing a secret agent, but one in which he is actually putting effort into his acting (all due respect).

Johnson's direction is reserved and stylish, pulling out the most of the tension and the drama from each scene without overdoing it Hollywood-style. The film looks gorgeous, with tonnes of details and symbolic imagery in the background, through beautifully crafted sets to help deepen our storytelling experience. If it wins an Oscar this year (and it might become a dark-horse contender), then it's a film I'd be more than happy to take home the gold statue unlike most years.

Go and see a true "movie-movie" at the cinemas, and let not the action, music or spectacle entertain you, rather a well-written story, whose characters, twists and emotional arcs provide the joy that a movie can bring. Knives Out proves a point that cinema can be about just well-told stories.

5/5 STARS