Review: Knives Out

Release date: November 27, 2019
Running time: 130 minutes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas

Knives Out is a stylish whodunit that follows the investigation into the death of a wealthy writer whose family seems to have plenty to hide and plenty of reasons to do it.  It has a Clue-like vibe with an interesting cast of characters, great style and cinematography, and some campy but enjoyable performances.  It also has plenty of twists and turns throughout the film, and although the main story is a little predictable, the journey is well worth it to spend time in director Rian Johnson's mystery tale.  

The best thing about Knives Out is the incredible cast of characters that Johnson has assembled for this film.  No two family members are alike and each have their own strengths, quirks, and definite weaknesses.  The dysfunction that this family exhibits and the ebbs and flows of the relationships between the members is really fun to observe.  On top of the family members, we also get to see a kind-hearted nurse, a quirky private eye, and a couple of good-natured detectives who help to complement interesting case.  

And that cast is brought to life by perfect performances married with stellar writing that keeps the interactions witty, meaningful, and without superfluous information.  Despite the long run time, the film progresses steadily, introducing new facts and twists throughout.  On top of the great cast and writing, the film has a fantastic style.  From the first scene, you can tell that this movie was lovingly crafted: each scene is perfectly composed to highlight this great cast and the wonderful interactions they have.  From the statues, to the architecture of the house, to the colors and outfits that adorn the family, and the beautifully composed advertising for this film, Rian Johnson's sense of style is immediately evident and wonderful to see.  However, despite all the praise, Knives Out is predictable at times.  However, even if you have an idea of what will happen next, it is still wonderful to see how the characters get there and to see if you were right or wrong.  

Knives Out assembles a killer cast of characters and pairs it with Rian Johnson's amazing style and wonderful, witty writing to create an amazingly entertaining whodunit. 

Watch it