Review: Knives Out is incredible fun with a surprisingly satirical bite

Knives Out is another winner from Rian Johnson, with an A-list cast having the time of their lives, an engaging mystery, and unexpected social commentary.

How many years has it been since we’ve gotten a proper whodunit on the big screen, anyway? One with genuine surprises, engrossing performances from iconic actors who are having the time of their lives, and a note-perfect sense of fun? Knives Out provides all of the above and more.

The Thrombey family sits atop a massive publishing empire, built by the patriarch Harlan (Christopher Plummer) and his successful series of murder mystery novels. Like every other morbidly wealthy white family in America, they are convinced that they have succeeded on their own merits, and are therefore uniquely entitled to everything they’ve “earned.”

(FYI: The biting social satire and indictment of the privileged ultra-wealthy is perhaps a greater and more satisfying surprise than any potential plot reveal in Knives Out.)

They’re a cast of toxic eccentrics, each odious in their own unique ways. They may play an approximation of happy family most of the time, but when dear old Dad dies under mysterious circumstances, the claws come out. Who killed him and, more importantly, who is going to inherit the lion’s share of his fortune? Real estate mogul Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis)? Wayward black sheep Ransom (Chris Evans)? Free spirit daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette)? The literal Nazi Child (Jaeden Martell)? Or perhaps another member of this rogue’s gallery stands to gain the most — who knows?

Caught in the middle of all this is Maria (Ana de Armas), Harlan’s kindly nurse who may have been the only person in his life who actually liked him without an ulterior motive. More than anyone else, she is the breakout star of the film, her plucky charm serving as an antidote to the cynicism of the other characters.

And interestingly, her status as an immigrant leads directly to the element of the film that makes it surprisingly topical. Her presence in the country is always under threat, either implicitly or explicitly, and it colors her every interaction and decision.

When Harlan dies, the Thrombeys patronizingly promise that whatever happens, they’ll take care of her because they consider her “part of the family,” despite their every action indicating that they categorize her as the help, and have no problem parroting white nationalist talking points in her presence. White entitlement is a major theme in Knives Out, especially when the issue of inheritance comes up. In the eyes of the Thrombeys (and, by extension, white America, especially those who control the nation’s wealth), everything they have they’ve earned, while people like Maria are just trying to get a handout. Tough talking from full grown adults with six figure annual allowances from their father.

The final piece of the absurd little puzzle are the investigators: an inexplicably but delightfully Cajun Daniel Craig as private detective Benoit Blanc, who gets to exercise some comedic skills that have gone largely unused during his tenure as an action star; a criminally subdued Lakeith Stanfield; and Noah Segan as Trooper Wagner, who steals more than a few scenes and puts off some serious “just pumped to be here” vibes. Their investigation takes the requisite twists and turns, encountering its fair share of breakthroughs and the occasional major explosion. But like any good whodunit, the real thrill is in the journey, not just the final reveal.

More than anything else, Knives Out is just tremendous fun.

The plot moves at a breakneck speed, zipping back and forth between the night of the crime and the present as Blanc energetically works the case. The banter between the uniquely dysfunctional family members is consistently hilarious, with some choice one-liners that are no doubt destined to become iconic quotes.

And perhaps most importantly, Knives Out sticks the landing, remaining just as engaging and satisfying in the third act as it was in the first. Rian Johnson proves once again his mastery of the craft and his joyful approach to filmmaking, handling this notoriously difficult genre with a singular style and vision.

Mark your calendars for its wide release later this Fall.