*Spoiler Free*
Everybody loves a good ol’ whodunnit mystery and boy does Knives Out deliver.
Knives Out was directed by Rian Johnson and starred house favorites like Chris Evans (I mean…), Daniel Craig, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It is tagged, according to google, as a Mystery/Thriller which I think just about sums it up.
Knives Out follows the mystery surrounding the family of Harlan Thrombey, a widely successful mystery author, following his death in his mansion the night of a seemingly joyous party involving his extended family. The death was ruled as a suicide but Detective Benoit Blanc, who has been hired by a mysterious unrevealed character, is not convinced. With a mansion full of family members with motive and opportunity; the real question here is who dunnit? I refuse to say more about the plot because I think this is a mystery that needs to be experienced and digested fresh from the source.
Initial Thoughts
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this movie. I’m not ashamed to admit that I was on board as soon as I found out Chris Evans was starring in it but I was also very interested in the mystery itself. It is important to note that I watched this movie with a room full of friends for movie night (I chose the movie) and the fun company might have added to my fondness for the experience but I’ll let you be the judge after you see it for yourself. So the trailer was captivating enough to warrant having the movie chosen for movie night and it’s fair to say that although most of us were going in blind and hopeful (Mo had already seen it), we hadn’t really any expectations or preconceived thoughts just yet.
What I liked
The Banter: If you have a large family like I do, you’re no stranger to noisy family banter. Granted, we were never arguing about millions of dollars in inheritance but the holidays are truly never complete without the raw back and forth between your mom and that uncle you only see about twice a year during said holidays. Whose side of the family is he even from? If you think a house full of daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, uncles, aunts, and grandchildren who are sitting on a goldmine of a fortune is not going to warrant a crap ton of hilarious banter, you are wrong. I’m trying really hard to make this remain spoiler free but ugh, just watch it!
The Plot: A classic whodunnit mystery must have three things in my opinion; the odd detective with a different accent from everyone else in the story, the all-reasonable-signs-point-to-them killer that the author uses to misdirect the viewer from the true unexpected killer, and lastly a grand reveal scene towards the end where the true assailant is unmasked; complete with dramatic flashbacks and everything. For Knives Out: check, check, and check.
It’s not all rainbows and roses however as I will quickly say; there were scenes that, upon reflection, I feel were just unnecessary to the story but I enjoyed either way. There were plot turns, specifically character subplots, that I did not care for whatsoever but the rest of the plot was so engaging enough that they become an afterthought. Overall, I wouldn’t say it ruined the experience.
The Characters: Chris Evans, of course, has always been a favorite but bias aside, he truly delivered in this role. While watching this. I would love him and hate him and love him again all in the span of minutes. With a wide range of characters and personalities, it’s difficult to not find that someone that you have a preference for and actively anticipate their arrival on your screen. For me, this was Joni Thrombrey (Toni Collette). Even right now, months after, I can’t decide if I liked or disliked her character but I do know that I laughed every time she delivered a line and was excited every time she came on. The character itself plus her delivery elevated this movie in my opinion. She was annoying, funny, whiny, oblivious, and just straight up entertaining to watch. Another favorite was Detective Benoit (Daniel Craig), accent, body language, lines, everything!
What I didn’t like
I’ve spent a bit of time trying to think about what I actively didn’t like about Knives Out. And I’ll be honest, not many things come to mind (I mean one thing does but this blog is to remain spoiler free). What does put a tinsy bit of dent in the entire experience was having to watch Chris Evans for 2 hours without the beard we have all grown to love. Of course, I understand that it was necessary to the authenticity of his character and the overall plot but it was severely missed nonetheless.
Final Verdict
An instant favorite
I concur that this was less of a review and more of me just raving on about how great this movie is and it’s valid to say that it very well might not live up to your expectations but I still implore you to give Knives Out a chance, you just might come out the other side with another mystery favorite for the books.
Stay Safe!
Haliyah 
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