A Lionsgate Picture, Written and Directed by Rian Johnson.
This film is simply one of the years best so far. Early in the film, Rian Johnson completely flips what you expect, and for the next 30 mins or so I was wondering how he’d made such a bad decision. However, as the third act kicked in, it became very clear he had out thought us all and instead delivered something completely original and surprising.
The screenplay is so clever that it really should attract awards attention, and the way it acts as both as murder mystery and a political/social commentary is a great compliment to Johnson’s writing. Due to this being a non spoiler review, I won’t go into much detail, but immigration and class play a big part in this story.
The score, production design and costume design are all perfect for this type of film and really add to the overall feel. The acting is so brilliantly over the top that it’s just a joy to see so many talented stars have such a good time.
Chris Evans gets to play completely against his “Captain America/good guy” image and he does it so brilliantly, as the pre MCU Evans re-emerges. Daniel Craig is also an absolute stand out as Blanc and his accent and over the top performance is such a great throwback to the classic gentlemen sleuths, and also makes you remember what a great character actor the man is.
However, this film completely belongs to one person, and that is Ana De Armas, who is definitely the films lead and the key reason the movie works is due to her performance. This again proves how much of a star De Armas is, and I can’t wait to see her carter continue to grow next year when she stars as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde, starts opposite Ben Affleck in erotic thriller Deep Water, and re-teams with Daniel Craig in No Time to Die.
Knives Out is such a fun time at the movies and could very easily be an awards dark horse. It is a murder mystery for the modern generation that pays respect to the past.
Rating = 4.5/5
Howe's World of Film and TV 