Knives Out

Knives Out
Photo of DVD cover taken by Kate Dorsey

    I have an odd history with Knives Out. The first time I saw this film was in the theatre. I enjoyed it, but thought I only needed to see it once. I was done. Only, my mom and I kept having questions. When Knives Out was released on DVD, we decided to borrow it and watch it again. Then we watched it for a third and fourth time because we kept coming up with more questions, or one of us would fall asleep. Since then, I’ve watched it even more times. It’s come to the point I feel I have to write about this film. If only to see if it has stuck with anyone else as it has me.

    Money and success can cause great problems. It is something author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) knows all too well. His books have made him a very wealthy man. Because of this, his family only wants to be around him for what he can provide. It is a fact Harlan is very aware of. He also knows, because of this, he has power over everyone in his family. A power he loves to lord over them.

    The only person who genuinely wants to be in Harlan’s presence is his nurse, Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas). And maybe his mother, Great Nana (K Callan), but they are never seen together.

    Marta is the person who administers Harlan’s medicine. She also talks to him, listens to what he has to say, and plays board games with him. When Harlan is found dead, Marta is the person Private Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) turns to most.                                      

    Harlan was found dead after his 85th birthday party. His death looks like a suicide, which is why everyone is puzzled when Blanc comes to the house to investigate. His presence unnerves everyone. Especially when it is revealed even he does not know who hired him.

    But that is getting ahead of things. At first, when the local police are questioning the family members, Blanc sits in the background. He does not speak. He is not introduced. No one knows who he is. He is simply seen and plays a key on the piano every once in a while. Either as a signal to the police, or to make his presence more known to the person being interviewed. I'm not sure which.

    As the family is being interviewed, it is clear no one is going to tell the same story. There are similarities, but none are exactly the same. Including who was around Harlan as he blew out his birthday candles.

    Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis) is Harlan’s daughter, and one of the first interviewed. She has a successful business, started with money from Harlan. Linda is married to Richard Drysdale (Don Johnson) who is having an affair. An affair Harlan knew about and threatened to tell his daughter. Linda and Richard’s son is Hugh Ransom Drysdale (Chris Evans). He had an argument with Harlan the night he died.

    Walt Thrombey (Michael Shannon) is Harlan’s son. He runs the publishing house Harlan put together for his books. At the time of his death, he was arguing with his father about films rights, something Harlan did not want to happen. Walt is married to Donna (Riki Lindhome) and has a son, Jacob (Jaeden Martell), who never gets off his phone.                               

    Joni Thrombey (Toni Collette) is the widow of Harlan’s other son. She has a college-aged daughter, Meg (Katherine Langford). Harlan pays Meg’s college tuition, and Joni uses this as a way to skim money from Harlan.

    After the police interviews, the entire family eagerly awaits the reading of the will. When it is read, the family is greatly surprised by its contents.

    Knowing his family was only around for his money, Harlan decided to give everything to Marta. Including the mansion. Everyone else gets nothing.

    Only Ransom is not upset by this announcement. He was already cut off by Harlan. Before the will reading, the family found this out, and spent a great deal of time saying how being cut off might be the best thing for him. Now they are all in the same boat, which Ransom finds highly amusing.

    The family attacks Marta over the inheritance, who is just as shocked as everyone else. Ransom comes to her rescue, driving her away from all those after her.

    But before you think Ransom is a nice guy, keep in mind the apple does not fall far from the tree. Ransom is like the rest of his family. Always working in his own self-interest.               

Bad Apple/Artwork by Kate Dorsey

    There is a lot more to this film than what I have currently written. The problem is, if I write much more, there is so much of the film I could ruin. There are twists and turns all over the place. Along with clues as to what really happened the night of Harlan’s death.

    Thinking about it, part of the reason I may have thought I was done with Knives Out after one viewing was because I heard it compared to Clue. Even Detective Lieutenant Elliott (Lakeith Stanfield), one of the police detectives who comes to the house to investigate, references it. Clue is one of my favorite movies. I have played the game my entire life. When someone makes a Clue comparison, I expect a lot. And when I watched Knives Out, I did not get Clue.

    Yes, there are similarities. The mansion. The house full of people. A death. But the people are all family. People from the outside are called in to investigate. And the weapon used to kill Harlan isn’t in question. For me, these differences make this film not Clue.

    Once I got that comparison out of my mind, I enjoyed this film more. Although, I still could do without Marta’s throwing up when she lies. It is a detail I often forget until I watch again. Possibly because it is not a detail I want to remember. Maybe it is better I don’t.

Edited 12/21/21 to correct Harlan’s age.