Review | Knives Out film review: Daniel Craig leads investigation in The Last Jedi director’s star-studded whodunit

4/5 stars

Rian Johnson follows up his divisive blockbuster Star Wars: The Last Jedi with a considerably smaller, yet no less entertaining, whodunit in the classic Agatha Christie mould. Assembling an all-star cast in a grand stately home, complete with secret passages, servants quarters and antique weapons aplenty, the stage is set for a devilishly self-aware murder mystery.

Daniel Craig plays brilliantly against type as private investigator Benoit Blanc, who is mysteriously summoned to the Thrombey estate after the untimely demise of its wealthy patriarch, Harlan (Christopher Plummer). Armed with a languorous Southern drawl and intimidating reputation, Blanc is just a stone’s throw away from Christie’s legendary detective Hercule Poirot.

Gathered together for the first time in years, to celebrate Harlan’s 85th birthday, the estranged Thrombeys waste no time in squabbling among themselves and making flippant accusations. But as Blanc and the local constabulary begin their interrogation of these wealthy, spoilt and morally ambiguous snobs, a volley of motives are quickly exposed, implicating almost everybody present.

Whether it be Jamie Lee Curtis’ eldest daughter, her errant husband (Don Johnson) or their prodigal son (Chris Evans); Michael Shannon’s disappointing middle child, who runs their father’s publishing company, or Toni Collette’s flaky youngest, all are exposed to have valid reason for wanting their father dead.

Even the household staff, not least Ana de Armas’ young, attractive carer, are suspects, leading to many shifty sideways glances across stuffy drawing rooms.