No, it wasn't perfect. No it was not Academy Award material. But it was a delightful story with lots of classic whodunnit elements. I thought we got to know each character well and, like in an Agatha Christie novel, fulfilled their roles. I thought Craig did a nice job and kept things moving along. Plummer was good in his limited screen time. Once again, I'm so fed up with people who decide that IMDB presents an opportunity to destroy a valid system by giving a movie such as this a rating of One. Do you really think this film ranks down there with Alligator Women on Venus. That's what the One ratings are for. It's usually because a film gets a little hype and those with no imagination or who are unhappy with their lives feel the need to throw everything off. Use lower ratings, but try to show some objectivity.
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Hitchcoc29 March 2020
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MrHeraclius8 February 2020Knives Out is really a classic story of it's kind set in modern day with Daniel Craig even playing a very clear Hercule Poirot type character. There's a bit more humor and self-awareness than a lot of those classic stories, but never to the degree that it takes away from the twists and the mysteries. And there are some good twists. In fact one of the biggest mysteries is revealed midway through the movie which actually led me to check the time thinking "damn, are we near the end already?" but nope, they were just taking the movie on a left turn to Albuquerque that I did not anticipate and changed the course of the whole thing. Johnson has constructed a great mystery in the spirit of the classics. The fun of it too is how many twists there are without it ever feeling overdone. In that way also you can predict a few twists, but not another, so have fun feeling smart and still feel surprised by the others. It's just a classic fun film of its type.
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pere-2536629 November 2019What an excellent film by Rian Johnson; definitely feels like the film he was destined to make. Writing that is slick as hell, sublime performances (most notably Daniel Craig who brings his A-game in a wonderfully charismatic turn), superb editing and wonderfully atmospheric music - all tied together by masterful direction. Will probably be among the most fun you have at a theatre this year and fans of Agatha Christie and old murder mystery stories will have plenty to love here - a nostalgically entertaining time!
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Coventry18 December 2019With the exception of my wife and daughter, and possibly my mother, Agatha Christie is the woman whom I love most on this planet. She truly was the most gifted and brilliant fiction writer who ever lived, and it rejoices me to see that her work still inspires other writers and filmmakers nowadays; more than forty years after she passed away. There are still many adaptations of her original work, but with "Knives Out", writer/director Rian Johnson attempts something entirely different. It's abundantly clear that Johnson was inspired by all of Christie's typical trademarks and hobby-horses, and he pays tribute to her most legendary characters and favorite settings, but the plot of "Knives Out" is entirely new and scripted directly for the screen. A good old-fashioned murder mystery/whodunit set in the enormous mansion of a wealthy family, full of eccentric people each of whom have dirty little secrets, convoluted plot twists, continuous red herrings that practically make it impossible to guess along, and a fabulous all-knowing but slightly odd sleuth slowly unravelling the clues.
Daniel Craig is downright terrific as Benoit Blanc, a private detective with a bizarre accent and weird one-liners, hired by someone anonymous to dig deeper into the strange and sudden death of patriarch Harlan Thrombey. It looks like suicide, but literally every greedy member of Harlan's bloodline had a motive for killing and - also in delightful Agatha Christie tradition - the plot even thickens after the reading of the will. It would be a shame to reveal too much about the plot, but rest assured that is refreshing and inventive, compelling as well as humorous, complex but simultaneously light-headed and 200% entertaining. The cast is phenomenal. Craig clearly enjoyed depicting a heroic protagonist that is the complete opposite of his James Bond character, and the Thrombey family exclusively exists of great talents, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Colette, Christopher Plummer and Don Johnson. "Knives Out" is perhaps slightly too long, but never tedious, and very well-directed by Rian Johnson (who honestly doesn't deserve all this hatred from disappointed "Star Wars" geeks) -
TheLittleSongbird10 February 2021It was very hard to say no to watching 'Knives Out' and it was one of my most anticipated films since it came out. It was due to being busy and personal problems that stopped me from seeing it sooner. A lot drew me in to watching it. Absolutely love murder mysteries and seeing a lot of comparisons to one of my favourite authors Agatha Christie and the starry cast were reasons enough for me to see it, as well as the great reviews.
Found myself really enjoying, if not quite loving, 'Knives Out'. Can understand why it may not be for all, if one doesn't like seeing and hearing the truth much earlier on than they would expect, and it is easy to see the ridiculing for Daniel Craig's Southern accent (which is admittedly atrocious). Can totally understand its appeal and why it was so positively received though, because to me it was a well made, well acted and cleverly written film that shows that director Rian Johnson does have a great film in him. While not perfect or one of the best films ever made (though was not expecting 'The Godfather' or 'Casablanca' etc), it is a long way from being a 1/10 film, putting it down there with most of the films riffed on MST3K, films from SyFy and the Asylum, 'Home Alone 4', 'NeverEnding Story 3', 'Titanic: The Animated Movie' and the Baby Geniuses films is insulting. As far as 2019 goes, it is towards being one of the better films of that year if not one of the very best.
'Knives Out' had potential to be even better than it was. If it didn't overdo or repeat too much the vomiting running gag and slowed the final solution down (a suitably complicated one that is explained a little too fast for my liking) it would have been a better film.
Wouldn't have said no to the truth (well some of it was) being revealed later than it was, though even when it was placed when it was it was still in the final solution not at all what things initially seemed. The film is a little overlong as well.
However, so much works here. 'Knives Out' looks great, full of atmospheric colour, beautiful locations (the interiors of the house are especially atmospheric), stylishly photographed and slickly edited. Nathan Johnson's score has menace and energy, without feeling overused or over-scored. Johnson directs expertly with a clear love for the genre being sent up.
It is a cleverly scripted film too, shining especially in the smart and affectionate 70s murder mystery throwbacks and deliciously salty one liners and insults from Ransom. The story never felt dull to me and even when things seemed obvious too early some ingenious unexpected twists are brought in. Can totally see how Johnson was so influenced by Christie's writing, evidenced from as early on as the terrific opening sequence and with Christopher Plummer's patriarch character (a type of character seen frequently in Christie's books). A fine example of how to bring freshness to a very familiar genre often visited, while the final solution is incredibly clever though demands full attention.
Moreover, the ensemble cast, one of the best from that year, clearly have a ball. There is some delicious deadpan but also some inspired but not overdone scenery-chewing. Accent aside, Craig does a great job breaking away from his Bond image and revels being comedic in a laconic way. Plummer (RIP) is perfectly cast and while his screen time is not large he makes the absolute most of it. Ana De Armas has one of the most difficult roles and shows no signs of being taxed. Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson and Michael Shannon all give it everything they've got. My favourite performance came from Evans, also breaking away from typecasting, he was never this witty or salty.
Overall, very, very good. 8/10 -
planktonrules3 November 2019Sometimes I am shocked when I see a great film...only to see it has an incredibly low overall score on IMDB. This is definitely the case with "Knives Out"....a great film by writer/director Rian Johnson that I strongly recommend you see. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this one receives some Oscar nominations...it's that good.
"Knives Out" is like an Agatha Christie novel set in modern day America and with American characters. But it's not just a homage to Christie-style films but a genuinely good and unique film in its own right. Kudos to many of the actors...particularly Daniel Craig. I thought Craig was miscast as a Southern American detective....but he carried it off wonderfully.
Overall, I have no complaints...nothing I disliked or would do differently. In fact, it was so good I nearly gave it a 10....and I completely enjoyed the movie. -
pritol19 September 2020Great movie that really does have all the hallmarks of the classic murder mystery. The story is fairly typical, there is a shocking death, everyone has their motives, and piece by piece the truth is pulled together by a sleuth, in this case Benoit Blanc (great name), who comes across as a more modern version of Hercule Poirot.
To discuss the story, is to give away the twists and turns it takes, which are delightful. Tension is maintained really well throughout the film as you constantly try to guess and workout where this mystery is going, and even right at the end the twist that comes doesn't do anything to release that tension until literally the last 1min of the movie.
The real joy though is in an all star A-list cast all performing at the top of their game, and working so well together. In many cases playing against type which is a joy to watch. If you're a fan of murder mystery, then this is a much watch! -
kamalhasnaa8 December 2019Nothing was typical about this. Everything was beautifully done in this movie, the story, the flow, the scenario, everything. I highly recommend it for mystery lovers, for anyone who wants to watch a good movie!
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UniqueParticle23 November 2019Beautifully filmed and thought out very well which to me is good enough! Great ensemble cast that did excellent acting among adding hilarious parts in many scenes. Absolutely love Daniel Craig and Ana De Amas did awesome! I'm sure Knives Out has mixed opinions but I am very glad I got to see an early screening.
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cruise0113 December 2019Knives Out (4.5 out of 5 stars).
Knives Out is a mystery murder crime film which you will have a lot of fun with this Clue like concept as Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) tries to solve a murder. This kind of film reminds me like Murder at the Orient Express. But a little more fun and entertaining. Rian Johnson direction and his witty script makes this movie worth watching. It is fun, there are surprises, and twist and turns.
The plot follows Harlan (Christopher Plummer) who is a patriarch and owns a lot. After he was mysteriously found dead and presumed it was a suicide. A private investigator Benoit Blanc is hired to solve the mystery. With the family being on the will and are wanting their share of Harlan's property and company. Blanc believes there is a suspect that is at large within the family.
The film's plot is a little slow moving. It is a lot of fun. Blanc interviewing every family member Ranson (Chris Evans) who is the black sheep of the family. Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her husband Richard (Don Johnson). Walt (Michael Shannon). Meg (Katherine Langford). Jacob (Jaeden Martell). Joni (Toni Collette). And their house nanny Marta (Ana de Armas). The cast ensemble was great. The performances are fun and entertaining.
The film is filled with surprises with twist and turns. Definitely best seeing without reading or looking up spoilers about it. I would love to see another movie of this.
Overall, Knives Out is a really good film. If you are into the murder mystery kind of movie. This would be it. -
robertasmith16 October 2022Enjoyable in patches, it just doesn't engage. Hollywood has a long history of silly accents, and the accent adopted by Daniel Craig is just plain daft and simply not needed. Why oh why do actors agree to do such things. The biggest irony for me is there is a clip of an episode of 'murder she wrote' and every episode of that Angela Lansbury series was better written and acted than this film. The director can't make his mind up whether this is comedy, pastiche or a real murder mystery. Some of the acting is appalling and none of it that good. The script is badly written and the continuity dodgy in places. There have been other films that have tried such plots with dysfunctional families and none seem to work but such stories seem to on the small screen.
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grayner-230 November 2019I have read the many glowing reviews for this film and I honestly don't get it. Yes, there were some very funny and entertaining parts. It was a very good ensemble cast. Daneil Craig does his best Kevin Spacey as Frank Underwood impression. But beyond that, I found the cast woefully underused. Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson etc. I expected Jamie Lee to play a major role but she seemed more like window dressing. She also, as the daughter, appeared to have no real motive for the murder. So the real crime here was her underuse. 1/2 of the members of the family had no motive mentioned. Then, when the "murder" was revealed at the half way point, it was clear Martha did not really do it and was being set up. Chris Evans conveniently shows up at the halfway point with lines, so the reveal, for the most part is painfuly obvious, or at least most of it. The give-aways were pretty obvious, like granny saying "Random, you're back AGAIN" or the comment on how the dogs barked only with certain people. The mention of the "slayer" law was very, very obvious. I understand this is a parody of the sleuth genre but shouldn't there be at least some surprises?
Nor do I believe this is a "commentary" on our situation today. Yes, there was a dialogue thrown in on immigration but nothing new was covered here.
That is not to say it is a bad film. Daniel Craig and the cast seemed to be having a ball. Lots of kooky things happened. But I think this is better for a late-nite Netflix watch.
I certainly don't see it as being "best of the year." -
paul2001sw-15 March 2022'Knives Out' is a (barely) contemporary twist on the Agatha Christie template: a country house, a rich dead man, all the family are suspects, and a famous detective is fortunately on hand to sort things out. It's always hokum, but it can be fun when done well. But I didn't find this film a success. The detective had no good reason to be present, for a start (and I didn't find Daniel Craig convincing as an American southerner either). More than that, we learn that the first explanation (the one that only exists to be proven wrong) is false at the moment it is offered to us, meaning that the grand reveal of the full truth upturns nothing of consequence. And the central plot device - a woman who can't lie without vomiting - is not only bizarre, it also means the hero and the audience alike get a pretty preposterous head start on what's really going on. It's entertaining enough; but insufficiently clever as to transcend its inherent ridiculousness.
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markovd11116 February 2020Having quality actors and good critical reception, I thought this movie will be fun, so I watched it with my mom, as we love those "Clue/Cluedo" style comedy movies. I expected a comedy about weird characters in a mansion trying to solve a murder. Sadly, movie takes a different turn, innovates and changes the old formula of movie like this. This is sad not because of the sole fact that the formula is changed, but because the movie felt really long and boring. It's ending is fun, but... Yeah... This is actually just a classic crime movie, with a few humorous moments. And nothing else. Having in mind the great cast, I expected so much more from this movie and can't help but to fell really disappointed. It could have been so much more! Eh... It's not a bad movie.... It's an OK movie... But not a great one for sure. 6.5/10! It can still be fun and give you a few laughs, but don't expect too much, because you simply won't find it here...
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johnryeh-4969429 November 2019I enjoyed this a lot. Clever, interesting and plausible in its logic. I enjoyed the deception put forth by the characters. I can usually tell where something is going and was genuinely surprised by the hole in the hole of the donut.
Some people might hate the politics of it, but I thought it gave a good dig at both sides while still being fairly liberal. FOX watchers will hate it, which I can see as kind of fueling the negative reviews.
What can also fuel the negative reviews. is all the positive hype about it. Too much enthusiasm from the critics can hurt a movie sometimes. Viewers go into the theater expecting too much.
Things never live up to the hype and this one didn't live up to it for me. But I thought it was still pretty solid and entertaining. I'm not sorry I spent some money on this one. -
tcasavecchia1 December 2019As a fan of mysteries (Sherlock Holmes, Poirot, Columbo, Monk, Psych.etc.) I was thrilled to see someone making a classic style whodunnit...and the cast! Figure you can't go wrong. Well I enjoyed it & while the cast all have time to shine it is Daniel Craig with his Southern drawl & especially Ana de Armas that steal the show. For anyone keeping away because they hated The Last Jedi...I agree, it was my least favourite of all the Star Wars films, but this is a well written film that was well acted and I can only hope this will inspire others to reinvigorate the murder mystery genre.
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Ynocrozplatfom16 March 2020Good story with a creative and effective delivery. Very well written screenplay with all loose ends tied up together and reasonable foreshadowing and morals that echoes throughout, but there weren't any striking moments even to the point of final reveal, possibly due to the addition of yet more details approaching the end in an attempt to create a (slightly) forced satisfying end. Unnecessary characters and scenes that serve little to no purpose in the story other than for comedic effect were present, which maybe one of the reasons why audience may have a sense of emptyness when leaving the theatre. Nonetheless, Knives Out remains a fresh form of storytelling that is trying to achieve and convey more than your ordinary murder mystery.
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masonsaul28 November 2019Knives Out is an incredibly complex whodunit that skillfully subverts expectations, switches between multiple genres easily and effectively and only gets better with multiple viewings. It's also surprisingly extremely funny and expertly paced. All of it's incredible cast are excellent but Chris Evans, Daniel Craig and Ana De Armas give the standout performances. Rian Johnson's direction is incredible and the film is extremely well filmed. The music by Nathan Johnson is fantastic.
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RetroRick6 January 2020Have to say I was a little disappointed by this, not because it isn't good. Arguably it is, but no doubt because so many rave reviews suggested this would be outstandingly good, which it isn't. So as with so many films your experience & enjoyment will depend on the expectations you bring with you.
Overall I think nearly everyone will enjoy this, particularly those who are tired of the standard fair of superhero movies or bloated CGI. Having said that while this is a far more intelligent kind of movie than the comparisons it is not entirely atypical of Hollywood. One of the good things or bad things about the movie depending on your point of view is the unstated but clearly evident political commentary beneath, but not always beneath, the surface and while this might add to your enjoyment if you like your bourgeois country house mysteries subtly subverted it's difficult not to be aware throughout that the politics on show is likely to inform the solution to the movie, which without giving too much away it ultimately does.
What is genuinely enjoyable is Daniel Craig's slightly preposterous turn as a southern detective with an laid on thick accent to match. The rest of the cast features some big names, but unfortunately as others have pointed out they don't always have that much to do. Jamie Lee Curtis and Toni Collette are pretty much wasted as arguably is Don Johnson.
The Plot of course in any whodunnit is the biggest player of all, and while it's quite good, it isn't that good or that original. The key device upon which the solution depends is fairly basic and the solution may or may not be guessable (for the record I didn't work out who did it, but did work out the mechanism involved). If one compares this with mysteries that pose genuine conundrums and puzzlement Knives Out falls somewhat short. A part of the problem is that for much of the film it isn't clear how any crime could have taken place and for that reason one has to place trust in the story that a crime really has taken place. In the event we discover a crime did take place but given its virtual imperceptibility it never came across as in any way shocking or sinister.
Perhaps the best aspect of the film, aside of Daniel Craig, was the fact that the Johnston achieves a quite nice balance between the comedy & the thriller aspects which actually makes this film a more pleasant experience than it might have been the case had it just been a straight up thriller. I'll probably be in the minority on this one but in that respect though I'd have to say I probably enjoyed Adam Sandler & Jennifer Aniston's Murder Mystery more than this, including with regard to the solution. Knives Out is the better film overall but not quite as good as it - or anyone else I'd venture - thinks it is. Still enjoyable though -
kluseba29 November 2019Knives Out is a murder-mystery movie in the key of old-fashioned Agatha Christie or Edgar Wallace novels and their cinematic adaptations throughout the sixties and seventies of the last century. This sounds worse than it is because a movie without an overdose of special effects that goes back to the basics is actually quite refreshing. Elderly audiences will adore this movie and it might as well introduce younger audiences to this almost forgotten type of cinema.
This thriller works well for numerous reasons. The actors and actresses are veterans and talented youngster who complement one another perfectly. Young Cuban actress Ana de Armas delivers the goods as good-hearted caretaker who ends up mingled in a crime. Veteran Christopher Plummer is excellent as eccentric author who despises his own family. The diversified Daniel Craig convinces as mysterious investigator who tries to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
The locations and settings are simple but very efficient in this movie. Most parts of the film take place in a gorgeous mansion and even though the architecture and landscapes look splendid, the tight rooms and sinister decorations give the film a gloomy vibe. The few scenes that are filmed away from that location offer some refreshing diversity in form of small appartments, charming downtown areas and rural restaurants.
The plot obviously comes around with a few twists and turns. However, those don't come as big surprises if you are familiar with this type of storytelling. Another minor issue is that too many details are revealed rather quickly through flashbacks. This movie would have been even better if it had given its audience the time and occasion to come to its own conclusions and put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Still, Knives Out offers one hundred thirty minutes of old-fashioned but well-executed murder-mystery entertainment and convinces thanks to a solid plot, great locations and gifted actresses and actors. In addition to this, this film also offers some soial criticism by pointing out the egoism, greed and manipulation of the rich and the famous. If you want to know what kind of movies your parents or grand-parents enjoyed when they were younger, give this film a fair chance. Sometimes, going back to basics means advancing in the right direction. -
phd_travel4 December 2019This movie is good but it isn't that great. The Agatha Christie style who dunnit with an all star cast is involving and fun to watch. The tension you feel for the character Marta played well by Armas is unique. So there is an inventiveness that keeps the viewer concentrating for clues and wrapped up in the dynamic of the characters. The in fighting in the family is funny. And the way they turn on her is painfully real. The way nasty relatives are shown may be too close to home for some viewers.
Christopher Plummer is amazing actor - he in his late eighties and the rest of the cast hams it up including Toni Collette, Jamie Lee Curtis and Daniel Craig with an exaggerated but intelligible accent. In "Fierce People" Chris Evans acted a similar role so it was a bit of a déjà vu how his character turned out.
But there are some flaws. The grand explanation with the switching of the medicine is confusing and unconvincing. Also the family wasn't that bad to justify a total disinheriting. If the patriarch wanted to help Marta he didn't have to leave her everything. She was doing a job well and a sizeable legacy would have sufficed. There is a political slant to the story that Agatha Christie wouldn't have had. Here the writer pits the sweet good hearted daughter of an illegal immigrant against the evil white entitled wealthy mercenary people. Too cliched.
Despite the flaws it's worth a watch because movies like this aren't that common anymore. -
maijita1 April 2020I saw the film a few months back and now that I noticed it is available for home watch decided to check the eating again, as at the time it was way too high in my opinion. I thought it would have gone down. It has not. Did I miss something spectacular about this film? Do I not have a sense of humor? I don't get it. It was ok. A bit slow. And absolutely nothing special. I think the ending was revealed too early and the twist was not suprising nor did I care about it. Weird.
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con-fan7 January 2020I'm a mystery lover and have seen and read every Agatha Christie tale. I found this movie very slow for the first half. Second half picked up but again there was no deep mystery of whodunit, nor the charm and period atmosphere of a Poirot episode (which I can watch over and over - thank you David Suchet and the other main actors). The lead actress was very attractive, but the vomiting was definitely disgusting to watch, as well as ridiculously unbelievable (I guess that was the funny part?). Some of the characters had been under the sunlamp too many times or smoked way too often and looked weather-beaten. Did not like the sucking on cigars constantly. The last part was more entertaining and finally there was the rapid-fire conclusion thank the Lord. Agree that Daniel Craig with that southern accent was just super annoying. Great grandmother bored me after first moments of her being silent in an odd hat. Over and over. It moved pretty slowly for me at times. I guess I'm in a minority on this one. I'm not saying it was terrible but it was not a great movie for me.
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I loved mystery book and movies, specifically Agatha Christie's. Loved (past tense)...because a few years ago I lost interest in any kinds of books and whodunnit mystery movies. I don't even know why? I guess it's depression, I dunno. I tried to bring back my interest by watching or reading whodunnits, but I just could never finish them. So I gave up and thought maybe things just change or whatever. Anyway, all I want to say is that Knives Out brought my love to the mystery genre back. Suddenly I'm obsessed with Agatha Christie books again, and I'm currently planning to read the Poirot ones in order again. Also planning to watch a lot of mystery. And I can't wait for Knives Out 2.
Anyway Knives Out is such a gem of a movie. The story is brilliant, I love the cast and acting, and everything about it is just perfect, for me anyway. I'll always treasure this movie and remember it.
Totally recommended. -
btoews1 December 2019The movie plays like the worst episode of COLUMBO you have ever seen, only this time it features Daniel Craig attempting to imitate Foghorn Leghorn. Learn from my mistake and avoid this turkey.