By Alice Micheli
The anticipation for this movie was ripe! The cast list is amazing, the director acclaimed, and the story enticing. I mean, everyone loves a good murder mystery – especially when a new one comes along promising new clues to be uncovered, and twists to be revealed. The fact that it also gave a sense of being in the vein of the classic Agatha Christie tales only set the scene for what could be a great time at the movies.
And it did not disappoint!
I can honestly say that Rian Johnson’s Knives Out is a thoroughly enjoyable watch, period.
It’s one to keep you on your toes that’s for sure. The way the story is told is unlike ones that you might have seen before – a necessity in an age where the average viewer is no stranger to a mystery. In that vein, it’s difficult to convey the intelligence that is stewing behind every clue, and the way in which everything unfolds for the audience.
In fact, I’d say the least you know about this movie, the better. Before going in, I’d seen one trailer and a few posters, but happened to stay away from much else, and I definitely recommend it for anyone wanting to check this out. I’d say it’s one of the rare gems that elicit some kind of response from any viewer – whether that be intrigue, humour or edge-of-your-seat tension where you’ll second guess your second-guessing. It’s a twisted circle that draws you in with the some of the wittiest dialogue to come out of 2019.
The most notable aspect is definitely the cast of characters – both due to their onscreen personalities and their acting prowess. No expense was spared when assembling this group, with each actor being given enough scenery to chew on that it’s surprising there’s anything left for them to act within!
There’s Jamie Lee Curtis serving some withering glances that would make the most pious blush, Chris Evans is having the most fun you’ve seen in a while and of course, Daniel Craig holding his own as a Southern, KFC frequenting, metaphor-touting private investigator. However, amongst all these characters, I would be amiss to not to also mention the fantastic work done by Ana de Armas, playing the downtrodden Hispanic nurse, caught in the middle of this upper-class family’s crazy tragedy.
Amongst it all, they all find themselves in a location of such personality that it feels like it should be credited on the cast list as well. There’s history within the walls of the giant mansion in which Knives Out is set, with every nook and cranny telling a story of its own. It’s wacky, and yet feels so real, evoking a sense of mystery in its own right and perfectly pairing with what’s happening throughout the film.
If it were to be classified, it would be within it’s own genre of classic modernism, drawing on just enough of the elements audiences know and love to elicit a strong sense of nostalgia, while also interweaving in the right amount of contemporary filmmaking to bring something new to the table in almost every scene.
It’s insanity at its core. From the characters, to the plot, to the music, there’s something from everyone. I won’t say much more as like I said, it’s best to go in to this as oblivious as possible. However, I will leave you with one of the film’s tagline’s that sums it up perfectly, ‘nothing brings the family together like murder.’