SAVFF REVIEW — “Knives Out”

Oh, baby!

Knives Out is written and directed by Rian Johnson and stars Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer. It tells the story of a family gathering gone horribly awry after the family patriarch’s death leads a master detective to investigate. I’m a huge fan of all of Rian Johnson’s films (yes even that that one) so it was safe to say I was very excited to catch this at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. Knives Out is a hilarious and engaging mystery with fantastic performances that will keep you guessing.

Rian Johnson is steering the ship here and he knocks it out of the park. He is sleek, stylish and endlessly energetic. This movie is an absolute blast from start to finish. While his last outing as a director delivered much controversy and debate, I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying this. It might be the most fun I’ve had with a movie this year and I can’t wait to see it again. His script is sharp, pulpy, and hilarious. While the narrative can, unfortunately, be a bit predictable, it’s always engaging and these characters he paints are a blast to watch. I seriously never wanted this to be over and I’m so glad Johnson got to make the movie he wanted to make. This is another wonderful addition to his fantastic catalog and I can’t wait to see what he does next.

The cast is all fantastic. I could single out any one of the performances, but they’re all fantastic. Danie Craig kills it and I could watch him for hours. Chris Evans is wonderful here and he channels some of his Lucas Lee energy for this performance. I’m practically in love with Ana de Armas and I really hope she sees even bigger success after this performance. Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, and Lakeith Stanfield are all hilarious and I really wished this could watch this forever. It’s such a fun film and you can tell the whole cast is having a blast.

On a technical level, Knives Out is also great. The cinematography and score are moody and fits perfectly with the vibe of the film. There are so many wonderful shots and scenes that look like they could fit perfectly on a Goosebumps cover. The score is perfectly in line with the film and the production design is wonderful. The editing is fantastic and gives the film so much style and personality. In short, Knives Out is firing on all cylinders. Go see it, I can guarantee you’ll have a great time. 5/5