Review of Knives Out (2019) by Jcasetnl — 29 Feb 2020

Engaging and funny at times, but works too hard to set up its contrivances on the one hand, and then takes furious short cuts on the other. Such as a car chase where the main character can't be going more than 50 mph and claims she's flooring it, and then fakes out all the police by simply hitting the brakes. Mistakes like this, or like the cheap gimmick of the main character throwing up whenever she tells a lie, are so far into silly territory that it gnaws at the credibility of what is in many respects a meticulously crafted murder mystery.

The other problem is at some point the twists start to feel a bit too predictable and rote, and the reveals start to lose impact. At some point, to earn its due, Knives Out had to fool the audience and it just never really does. Most of the supporting cast is quickly off the suspect list and the only thing that makes us still care about them is the actors' performances (which are generally quite good). No, the problem with Knives Out is solely in the writing.

Also Knives very cheaply injects politics as a way to turn the vilification of the antagonists up to 11 and ennoble the protagonist. It's pretty stunning how tacked on and lazy it's done here. With the film's "critics insurance" paid, I'm not surprised at it being rated more highly than it probably deserves. Watch the over 40 years old Blazing Saddles if you want to see a movie that does it right.