Fun and well-executed mystery

Rating: 7/10 (24 November 2019)

'Knives Out' is a mostly-light-hearted timeless ensemble "whodunnit?" Essentially, Blanc (Craig), Elliott (Stanfield) and Wagner (Segan) are investigating the death of the patriarch of the Thrombey family, Harlan (Plummer). Thankfully, there's plenty of flashbacks in the first hour, so Plummer does get some screen time. We then meet the extended family and start to unravel various potential motives and inconsistencies in their stories.
The cast is huge and all solid - Marta (de Armas) as Harlan's nurse, Linda (Lee Curtis) and Walt (Shannon) as Harlan's children; Richard (Johnson), Joni (Collette) and Donna (Lindhome) as their partners; Randsom (Evans), Meg (Langford) and Jacob (Martell) as Harlan's grandchildren. I think that the main 12 characters - needless to say, not everyone gets enough time to shine, as the focus is on Blanc and Marta trying to piece everything together.
This is Johnson's first film since 'The Last Jedi' and it's very assured - excellent set design and cinematography, with a simple score. The hose is literally a life-size Cluedo game. The film drags a tiny bit in the 2nd act, but comes home strong. There's plenty of fun had by the cast and Craig clearly relishes the non-Bond role - even if his Southern accent gets annoying at times! Satisfying ending - nothing revolutionary, but enjoyable. I think we'll be seeing more of Ana de Armas in the future.