Detective Michael on the case, here to decide if this movie is deserving of the positive buzz it has received. The mystery film Knives Out was released on November 27, 2019. It stars Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, and Chris Evans. It is rated PG-13.
A famous mystery book writer, Harlan Thrombey, has been found dead the day after his 85th birthday. Detective Benoit Blanc is hired to interrogate the family and investigate the house. There’s several suspects and motives at play, but only one of them could be responsible. Who is the murderer? Why did they do it?
Murder mystery stories have been a part of fiction for some time, debuting in books and moving to movies. This film was marketed as a fun murder mystery story, but there was a question as to whether or not they could pull it off. The cast is impressive and the trailer looked interesting, so did they make a good murder mystery? I think they did. Let’s explore this.
I said they had an impressive cast and that really shows. This is a movie with such talents as Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Christopher Plummer. Their performances leave a lasting impression on you. Daniel Craig stars as the detective, giving off a slightly comedic vibe while still staying serious and determined to get to the bottom of what happened. He’s become one of my favorite fictional detectives, up there with Sherlock Holmes. Chris Evans and Jamie Lee Curtis are two of the suspects. Chris Evans is the grandson, Ransom Drysdale, who comes across as a privileged jerk. This was interesting to see after a decade of watching him play Captain America, a character with the utmost morality. Evans shows how much he can slip into different characters. Jamie Lee Curtis plays the daughter, Linda Drysdale, showing the style that she’s demonstrated over the years. Christopher Plummer’s role is of the victim. He’s a classic movie actor who has been performing for 6 decades. He plays a likable, self-made man surrounded by despicable people in various flashbacks. This makes you want to figure out who was responsible for his death.
The story makes a very clever use of the murder mystery genre. The film throws you a twist that changes your perception of the story. I really thought earlier in the movie that I might be disappointed, but I was very wrong about that. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat and maintains a consistent tension throughout.
There is also comedy thrown in to blend with the mystery. Unfortunately, some of the comedic moments didn’t impress me. Others did and were very entertaining, especially a certain line stated by Daniel Craig’s character. The comedy isn’t perfect, but it works most of the time. Overall, this is a masterpiece of a movie. I strongly recommend it for the characters and story, with some funny moments thrown in. Mystery solved.
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