“Knives Out,” directed by Rian Johnson and theatrically released on Nov. 27, contains a scene in which a character describes the film’s forbidding mansion setting as “practically […] a Clue board.” It is an unexpected but wholly appropriate moment. A whodunit murder mystery inspired heavily by “Clue,” “Knives Out” isn’t interested in shying away from its modern time period or in denying its genre roots. Part homage and part subversion, “Knives Out” relishes the way it plays with audience expectations, seeming to welcome comparison to other works.
The film quickly establishes its stakes. Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), successful murder mystery novelist and patriarch to his wealthy family, is found dead in an apparent suicide shortly after his 85th birthday party. Two police officers (Lakeith Stanfield and Noah Segan) are sent to interview the family, accompanied by acclaimed private eye Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig).
But the movie quickly diverges from this straightforward premise. The typical whodunit structure is tossed aside, when, around the movie’s 20 minute mark, the murder is shown in full. This is somewhat to the detriment of the film — revealing the murderer tends to disincentivize audience engagement — but it is invigorating to see such a risk taken with the format. Besides, even as “Knives Out” strays off the beaten path, it still keeps the path in view; that is to say, it maintains the hallmarks of all good mystery stories. The plot progresses logically and balances surprising twists with well-placed foreshadowing, meaning that attentive viewers will be rewarded in the end.
The film’s most pleasing surprise is its choice of central character. Despite what genre convention (and perhaps the movie’s marketing) may suggest, the star of “Knives Out” is not Blanc. It’s not even a member of the Thrombey family. It’s Marta (Ana de Armas), Harlan’s nurse and friend, who has the most at stake in the mystery.
In a frankly too-crowded cast, de Armas stands out with a powerhouse performance. She turns Marta into a sympathetic protagonist with more depth than the rest of the movie’s eccentric ensemble members.
The film also contains a surprising political aspect. It interrogates the very foundation of the murder mystery mansion subgenre. A white family with a flair for the dramatic and a legacy of generational wealth is not just a setting to “Knives Out” but a problem in and of itself. Who are these people, and why do they deserve to be here? Not everyone in the family is a murderer, but none of them are exactly innocent either.
It is disappointing, then, that “Knives Out” only deconstructs half the tropes it uses. For all it has to say about murder mystery mansions, it seems to have nothing to say about the concept of the gentleman sleuth, as Craig’s character emerges from the movie largely unscathed. Given that the film’s focus on Marta renders Blanc a somewhat lackluster detective character, this feels like a missed opportunity. In a movie concerned with critiquing racial and economic power structures and the symbols that go along with them, having an older white man neatly save the day with a last-minute deduction falls slightly flat.
But if it stumbles on a few points, “Knives Out” is still ultimately a crowd-pleaser. With funny, topical dialogue, a compelling plot and dynamic performances, “Knives Out” is a perfect choice for a holiday outing to the movies.
