Knives Out (2019)
★★★½ — Knives Out (2019)
Rian Johnson made Knives Out as his follow-up to Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), a film that had generated considerable fan controversy, and the whodunit represented a deliberate return to the kind of original, mid-budget storytelling he had built his reputation on with Brick (2005) and The Brothers Bloom (2008). Produced by MRC and Johnson's own T-Street banner on a reported $40 million budget, the film is a conscious revival of the Christie-style ensemble mystery, a genre that had largely fallen out of fashion in mainstream American cinema since the 1970s. Its enormous box office return, nearly $313 million worldwide, demonstrated there was genuine appetite for original adult fare outside the superhero cycle, and it launched Ana de Armas into much wider recognition ahead of her subsequent Hollywood prominence.
Knives Out (2019) is a breath of fresh air in the world of modern whodunits. A sharp, stylish, and cleverly constructed murder mystery that pays homage to Agatha Christie while injecting it with wit, social commentary, and a thoroughly modern edge. Rian Johnson crafts a puzzle box of a film centered around the death of famed crime novelist Harlan Thrombey, with the eccentric, Southern-drawled detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) called in to piece together what really happened. The ensemble cast is stacked (Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, and Toni Collette all shine in their roles) and the family dynamics are as toxic as they are entertaining. Craig is outstanding, completely owning the role of Blanc with charisma, gravitas, and just the right amount of theatrical flair. Toni Collette is a standout too, playing her self-obsessed, Instagram-therapy-quote-spouting character with hilarious precision. The production design is lush, the pacing tight, and the script crackles with smart dialogue and well-timed reveals. That said, for all its strengths, the central mystery is surprisingly predictable. Sharp viewers will likely piece things together well before the final act, which dims some of the suspense. It’s more satisfying thematically than as a true puzzle. Elevated by fantastic performances, stylish direction, and a story that’s as much about class and privilege as it is about murder. A near-great modern mystery that plays it safe where it could’ve taken bigger risks. Still, immensely entertaining and well worth watching, especially if you love your killers served with a side of satire.
Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 2019 | Watched: 2025-12-01
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Netflix · Netflix Standard with Ads
Rent: Amazon Video · Google Play Movies · Sky Store · Curzon Home Cinema
Buy: Amazon Video · Google Play Movies · Sky Store · YouTube
Physical: Amazon UK
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Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Netflix · Netflix Standard with Ads
Rent: Amazon Video · Google Play Movies · Sky Store · Curzon Home Cinema
Buy: Amazon Video · Google Play Movies · Sky Store · YouTube
Physical: Amazon UK
Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Related on Movies With Macca
More from Rian Johnson: Brick (2005) · Looper (2012) · Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
More with Daniel Craig: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) · Spectre (2015) · Skyfall (2012)
More from the 2010s: Wonder (2017) · Beautiful Boy (2018) · The Witch (2015) · What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
More comedy: The Eagle (1925) · The General (1926) · Americana (2023) · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
More crime: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Angst (1983) · Stolen Face (1952) · Cairo Station (1958)
