Knives Out: Halloween Without Horror
by Lucas Trevor
WARNING: This article does not contain any real spoilers for the movie “Knives Out,” but it does feature an unbelievably hot take near the end of it.
As the leaves change color and our CDC mandated masks are slowly covered by overpriced ones from Spirit Halloween, the natural human inclination is to watch more horror movies. This urge is irrefutable, and we all seem to find ourselves working through the filmographies of Wes Craven and John Carpenter around this time -- this year perhaps more so than others. We are all forced to stay in our own apartments and childhood bedrooms, unable to interact with much of the world, or see new movies in a theatre. Horror isn’t for everyone, and the appeal of blood and guts can get old after an entire month of quarantine.
Enter “Knives Out.” The 2019 whodunit throwback from writer/director Rian Johnson is more a love letter to the season of fall than a traditional horror flick. To that end, it’s perfect for those of us too scared to rewatch “Hereditary” or “The Shining” tonight.
It seems every aspect of the film -- its script, set design, performances and costuming -- all work to surround you with the feelings of fall. From its setting, an ancient mansion in New England to the effortless southern accent of Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, the viewer is left feeling like they’re wrapped in a homemade quilt while sipping a cup of warm cider.
The plot of “Knives Out” follows closely the well worn path of the mystery novels of Agatha Christie, and to that end its script hits the natural beats of any murder mystery. But anyone who has seen the past work of Rian Johnson, knows he’s made a career in subverting expectations and breaking rules that many view as unbreakable (see: the response by grown adults to his children’s space fantasy movie).
This is ultimately where “Knives Out” succeeds. It takes the expected story of a uniquely named investigator searching for clues to find a killer, and replaces it with equal commentary on genre convention and class in America. By layering this analysis with well written comedic and dramatic tension, Johnson creates a script which is as consumable as it is rewatchable. “Knives Out” is so well constructed and transferred to the screen that viewers can’t help but lean in, invest fully in the story, and surround themselves with the investigative brilliance of Benoit Blanc.
In a similar way, the effective use of both broad setting and set design in “Knives Out” make the story not only modernly relevant, but ground it in the fall season. The film major in your World Politics seminar would call this Mise-en-scène. I would call this the scary house and the really fun dogs that bark a lot. Every frame seems intent on making me feel like I’m 9 years old again, and running past the scary house at the end of the block. But, more has been said about the way Johnson and his frequent collaborator Steve Yedlin shot “Knives Out” than can fit in this 1,000 word review. What’s important to keep in mind is how badly you want to see this movie after clicking on this, this, and this
That last photo brings me to what is, in all honesty the most important layer of “Knives Out.” And like an onion flavored donut, it has so very many. (That’s a joke you’re gonna get when you watch the movie. See, you should go watch “Knives Out”).
Goddam is this movie loaded with talent. Lakeith Stanfield, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Micheal (one iota of shit) Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Frank Oz, Christopher Plummer, and Katherine Langford all give exceptional, layered, and absurd performances. The real star however is Daniel Craig. What is his accent? Why are there still private investigators in 2019? Where do I purchase a cigar as long and powerful as his? None of these questions are ever answered. Instead we are left to wonder (here comes the hot take) why anyone in their right mind believed that Benoit Blanc was undeserving of an Academy Award when compared to the work of one Mr. Joakim Phoenix in “Joker.” I recognize that 2020 Oscars takes are, at this point, 8 months old and pre-Coronavirus, but in a way this is a review of a movie which came out almost a year ago, so let me be mad.
The final layer of the onion donut combination is something so simple, and yet turns a solid whodunnit into the right movie for today, tonight, or the rest of the season. The costuming in this movie is so perfect and cozy it looks like an early September Pinterest board. I’m talking coats, scarves and so many excellent sweaters. It's like every character was dressed with the express goal of one upping my usual fall wardrobe.
So there it is, “Knives Out.” Am I late to the party in calling this a murder mystery masterpiece? Yes. But I’m pretty confident I’m the first person on this particular site to say listen, don’t go looking for the fourth Halloweentown movie tonight on Disney+ ( it’s Return to Halloweentown and it’s not great). Instead boot up Amazon Prime, give a little more money to Jeff Bezos, and watch “Knives Out.” It’s campy, and fall flavored, and might just get you through the last few days of October.