(3.5 stars)
The French chef Jacques Pépin once stated that if he were to judge the abilities of a peer, “I would probably ask them to do an omelet,” a simple yet meaningful test of technique.
Whodunits are the storytelling equivalent of this. While their ingredients tend to be formulaic — there’s always a mystery to solve, most often a murder, plus an intriguing setting and a compelling cast of suspects — how each one unfolds reveals its writer’s prowess.
Filmmaker Rian Johnson displays his impressive skill once again in “Wake Up Dead Man,” the third installment in his “Knives Out” franchise that will begin streaming Dec. 12 on Netflix after a brief theatrical run that begins this week in the D.C. area. Like its predecessors, the new film, which takes place at a small Catholic church in Upstate New York, is hilarious and twisty-turny enough to keep you enthralled until the very end. But it also ends up striking the deepest chord of the bunch, layering onto the puzzle a thoughtful meditation on religion and faith.
Returning to the scene of a crime is one Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), the eccentric detective known to be the best in his field. Craig continues to thrive in the role, maneuvering with ease as he questions characters in a ridiculous Southern drawl that somehow never distracts from the unfurling plot. The actor remains the star here but faces stiff competition from Josh O’Connor, who plays an ambitious young priest named Jud Duplenticy.
O’Connor, fresh off more poignant turns in Kelly Reichardt’s heist film “The Mastermind” and Oliver Hermanus’s romantic drama “The History of Sound,” exhibits sharp comedic timing as a fighter turned Father whose penchant for brawling gets him sent to the remote church led by the charismatic Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Jud is desperate to connect with the tight-knit congregation, but Wicks, a dogmatic leader, commands their loyalty. They remain wary of Jud and are quick to point fingers in his direction when, early in the film, he discovers Wicks stabbed to death in a closet during Good Friday services.
Blanc, who arrives to aid the local police chief (Mila Kunis), isn’t convinced of Jud’s guilt. The priest describes himself in voice-over narration as “young, dumb and full of Christ,” signaling a far more altruistic lifestyle than that of his churchgoers: a passive lawyer (Kerry Washington) and the sleazy aspiring politician (Daryl McCormack) she raised as her son, a washed-up sci-fi writer (Andrew Scott), a cellist (Cailee Spaeny) suffering from chronic pain, and an alcoholic doctor (Jeremy Renner) whose wife recently left him.
That’s about as much of the plot as I will reveal; it would be cruel to spoil any more, given how deliciously it all plays out. But what I can prepare you for is the fascinating contrast drawn between Monsignor Wicks’s and Father Jud’s approaches to Catholicism. Whereas Wicks preaches from the pulpit of a church at war with a corrupted world, positioning himself as its savior, Jud sees the goodness of humanity as its true salvation.
Johnson, who refers to himself as a “lapsed Christian,” offers a critique of institutionalized religion but doesn’t mock believers. Wicks’s right-hand woman (Glenn Close), who has worshiped at his church since it was led by his father, joins Jud in trying to preserve the purity of her faith. While Craig and O’Connor do most of the emotional heavy lifting, the film’s exploration of conviction offers Brolin and Close some meatier scenes as well.
The rest of the A-list cast members, while proficient in their roles, are underused. Thomas Haden Church and Jeffrey Wright appear as characters so minor that I won’t even bother explaining who they play. Being part of a “Knives Out” film seems to be the cinematic equivalent of signing up to work with Mike White on HBO’s “The White Lotus.” Actors will accept any old part to join the ensemble.
And can you blame them? If watching these movies is even a small fraction of how fun it is to be involved in their creation, we should all sign up for acting classes right now. Though this latest installment will be streaming soon enough, it is well worth seeing in theaters for the communal entertainment experience and to better appreciate the rich, gorgeous visuals executed by cinematographer Steve Yedlin, who worked with Johnson on the previous two films and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”
The original “Knives Out,” which was distributed by Lionsgate, cost around $40 million to make. Netflix acquired the next two films for roughly 10 times that. While it is easy to side-eye any property with such a hefty price tag — Johnson himself would probably encourage the skepticism, if he meant what he said about obscene wealth in “Glass Onion” — it is refreshing to see Hollywood invest in original narratives. What a pleasure it is to witness a masterful storyteller at work, and to see Craig lead a franchise he so thoroughly enjoys.
PG-13. At area theaters; available Dec. 12 on Netflix. Contains violent content, bloody images, strong language, some crude sexual material and smoking. 144 minutes.
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