acid reflects

Money is the root of all evil and you can’t trust anyone because of it, as in the case of this twisty tale of death and distrust. You’re not allowed to believe anything anyone says at face value in Knives Out, but you’re allowed to laugh at the jokes and enjoy the fun.

Cluedo and Agatha Christie fans will have a good time guessing and second-guessing Rian Johnson’s modern take on the classic whodunit mystery, sharpened to satisfaction by sidesplitting humor and quirky performances from an all-star ensemble.

AS SPOILER-FREE AS I CAN:

There’s a death in the rich Thrombey family! Best-selling crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found lifeless in his study the morning after his 85th birthday. The police declare it was a suicide, but debonaire private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) thinks foul play was at hand.

Together with Harlan’s private nurse Marta (Ana de Armas) and police lieutenant Elliott (LaKeith Stanfield), the trio slices through a twisted mash of secrets and lies from Harlan’s eldest Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis) to her husband Richard (Don Johnson) and their son Ransom (Chris Evans); daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) and her daughter Meg (Katherine Langford) to Harlan’s youngest, Walt (Michael Shannon) and his son Jacob (Jaeden Martell) until a clear picture can be seen to explain the night of Harlan’s birthday.

Comical but never to the point of being absurd, it’s a fun throwback to old-school Sherlocks and Murder She Wrotes, with current-event politics thrown in to spice up the witty exchange. Clearly, the actors had a grand time playing their deceptive roles with just the right amount to never give anything away too much (but actually, it does.)

The Thrombey’s grand mansion is also a character itself, as in the case of mysteries wherein the scene of the crime always has a story to tell. Harlan’s high chair with the circle of knives behind it? Clearly Game of Thrones. Beautiful setting.

But because it’s a Rian Johnson film, not all is as it may seem. It’s a political comedy, disguised as a whodunit. The story revolves around one character, but it’s an ensemble. It subverts genre and expectations, but it’s so fun to watch! It’s genius! The only dissatisfying things I experienced were that I figured out whodunit before the end, and that the juicy movie had to end. So good, but it could only last so long.

Have fun this weekend.
#KnivesOut is in cinemas now.