***
Knives Out (2019 ) was the cinematic equivalent of a lightning bolt. By injecting a mostly forgotten film genre with colour, energy and humour, it became one of the most well-regarded films of 2019, even earning itself an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay in a highly competitive year. The fact that a modern take on an Agatha Christie-style story was recognised for its originality should be commended.
Writer/director Rian Johnson’s passion for this genre is palpable throughout the three films. They have carefully designed plots, to the degree where you can really sense Johnson is enjoying himself playing in this particular sandbox. He respects and honours the traditional tropes and classical characterisations, while filtering them through a modern lens, exploring topics such as internet fame, class division and radical politics.
Following a violent altercation, Fr Judd Duplentis (Josh O’Connor ) is transferred to Chimney Rock, a sleepy New York village, to assist the Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. On arrival, Duplentis observes the oppressive, fear-mongering manner by which Wicks runs his parish, as well as the few locals who worship at his feet for one reason or another. These include the Monsignor’s devoted right-hand woman, Martha (Glenn Close ) and washed-up sci-fi novelist Lee (Andrew Scott ).
During Good Friday service, Wicks is found dead. Only his inner circle of parishioners, and Fr Duplentis, were present; all become suspects.
The plot is appropriately knotty with enough clues and red herrings to make your head spin. The series protagonist, Benoit Blanc, played with broad divilish charm and heavy Southern twang by Daniel Craig has, by this third entry, become a parody of the Poirot-like genius inspector. Nevertheless, the hamminess of the performance entertains.
These films would quickly become stale if Blanc was a dry, brooding detective. The film works best when the actors perform snappy, comic dialogue with each other. Josh Brolin, in particular, steals many scenes with not only his shaggy appearance, but also his ability to juggle terrifying menace with sarcastic intimidation.
While the series has successfully delivered empathetic protagonists at the centre of these jigsaw puzzles – with Josh O’Connor’s Fr Judd proving the most compelling – building the plot around possible suspects with recognisable faces constricts the film’s creativity and unpredictability. This was also a problem with Glass Onion (2022 ).
Many of the supporting characters are frustratingly one-dimensional, or forcibly given witty one-liners which do not land. Kerry Washington, for example, delivers an impassioned monologue that feels completely out of place, and irrelevant to the story, but because she is a well-known actress, it almost feels like a favour to her for taking part.
Setting the mystery around a church, and including religion as a conflicting force, is an effective narrative concept. The moral dilemma Fr Judd faces as he reckons between his desire to be a caring priest against his sudden role as detective – casting judgments on parishioners – is a thoughtful theme which the film explores discreetly. This is mostly thanks to O’Connor’s well-judged performance, knowing when to be funny, and when to be vulnerable.
The film’s runtime is bloated and, predictably, features an explanation dump that exemplifies Rian Johnson’s creative genius, but also emphasises how tedious and emotionless film, as an experience, can be.
This is a puzzle that makes you wait patiently for a solution which is more exasperating than satisfying. The well has run dry with this fun but limited concept.
Now in Galway cinemas, and on Netflix from December 12.
